Omar Hakim Recovering in the Hospital, Will Calhoun to Step in for Upcoming Tour Dates
NEW YORK CITY – MAY 29, 2026 – Rachel Z announced today that Omar Hakim will step
away from upcoming tour dates due to hospitalization from a recent illness.
Will Calhoun (http://www.willcalhoun.com/) will join the band for the July dates.
"Omar's health is our absolute priority right now,” says Rachel Z. “We thank everyone for their
support these past few weeks, it means so much to us. We are incredibly grateful to Lenny and
Will for stepping in. We look forward to seeing everyone soon."
The band asks fans to respect Omar's privacy during recovery from a recent undisclosed illness.
Get well wishes can be sent via Omar and Rachel’s official social media channels.
About Will Calhoun (July 2026 Dates)
Will Calhoun is a Grammy-winning drummer, producer, and interdisciplinary artist best known
as the co-founder and drummer of the iconic rock band Living Colour. Renowned for blending
hard rock, thrash, funk, and jazz, he graduated from the Berklee College of Music with a degree
in music production and engineering.
Born in the Bronx, New York, Calhoun has built a prolific career spanning multiple genres,
recording and touring with music legends like B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Pharoah Sanders, and
Lauryn Hill. With Living Colour, he won two Grammy Awards for Best Hard Rock Performance
and has been repeatedly recognized as a top progressive drummer by Modern Drummer
Magazine.
RACHEL Z, keyboardist, synthesist. Grammy-winning, Grammy-nominated with a long history of award-winning performances in the worlds of jazz and rock. Rachel has released 13 albums as bandleader and been a crucial part of countless tours and recordings including Steps Ahead, Vertú, the Omar Hakim Experience, OZmosys, Wayne Shorter, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Terri Lyne Carrington, Al Di Meola, and Regina Carter. Her years of touring with Peter Gabriel include appearances in his live films Growing Up Live & Still Growing Up Live. She is Professor of Jazz, Contemporary Music Studies and Electronic Music, variously at New School University NYC, Montclair State University and Cali School of the Arts.
The Rock N’ Roll Collective is a powerhouse group of exceptionally talented young musicians between the ages of 13 and 18. Designed for students who have outgrown traditional music education programs like School of Rock, the Collective offers a professional-level environment where emerging artists can develop their craft and gain real-world performance experience. Founded by veteran audio engineer and producer Jeremy Gerard, the Collective is music-directed by renowned industry professionals Rachel Z Hakim, Omar Hakim, Mike Pellegrino, and Ben Moyer. Collective members have performed on tour across the US & Europe. In 2025, Collective members completed US & European tours with Frank Zappa alumni and embarked on a separate European tour with Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers.
The Rock N’ Roll Collective is not just a band — it's a launchpad for the next generation of world-class musicians.
VENUE DETAILS
The Cutting Room is New York's legendary dinner theater and event space. All shows have a $25 food and/or beverage minimum per person (unless otherwise indicated on your ticket.) Please note the ticket price goes mostly to the performers and production staff. The club sells food and beverages to continue to bring live music to NYC. (https://thecuttingroomnyc.com/eat-and-drink/)
We do not take reservations and seating is first come, first seated.
Thank you for your understanding.
