Omar Hakim Talks Drumming for David Bowie, Daft Punk, and More | Native Instruments

[@hawsrulebegin7768]

What a damn cool guy. Uplifting personality and chilled. No ego. Just talent.

[@donovanjones4175]

Saw him play with Weather Report, still some of the best drumming ever recorded. He won’t stop smiling as he completely kills the drum kit. Absolute legend, so glad I got to see him live.

[@lunarny]

Omar has been such an inspiration for decades. He’s got it all - tasty grooves, killer chops, and a completely original vibe. He just makes everything he plays on feel silky smooth and locked in. I think I first heard him on David Sanborn’s “As We Speak” with Marcus Miller. His playing completely knocked me out and from there it was pretty easy to pick out his distinctive style. I could listen to him tell stories for hours - what a wicked smart guy who seems like he is just as open with his observations as he is open as a musician. Thank you for posting this!

[@CreatingMusicandSound]

Omar is an incredible musician and has inspired so many great drummers

[@shelster9967]

One of my faves. I’ve always loved this guy. I came to him through Sting when I was about 17, then on a vacation with my parents out in the Hamptons, I bought Weather Report’s “Sportin’ Life” and it was game on. Thanks for so many years of great music and inspiration.

[@Mo_Ketchups]

Good thing you shoehorned in “out in the Hamptons”-now your comment makes sense.

[@shelster9967]

AJ Constantine not sure where you’re going with your comment, but for a little back story- I grew up in a dead, poor Steel town in SE Pennsylvania in a family that didn’t have two nickels to rub together. I was a disaffected teen son of an architect and very much into punk rock, the Police and Sting. We were invited by affluent friends to their Hamptons home so my dad could take pictures and measurements of the house for a large addition and garden area they wanted him to design. I was doing nothing but sneaking off and getting high and constantly listening to my Walkman and library of tapes. We went into town one day and I was super excited to discover a record store there where I bought the aforementioned album. It changed my musical perspective and sent me down the path of exploring fusion, trad jazz and progressive music. It was a pivotal album that I discovered just at the right time.

[@joselugo2492]

@@shelster9967 We are all sure where he was going with the comment. Very interesting twist of a story! haha Greetings my friend. Long life to music.

[@sspbrazil]

He was too good for Sting.

[@davidmarsalis1522]

Amazing musician. Omar Hakim has played on so many great songs . True legend.

[@ikkenhisatsu7170]

His playing on Shadows In The Rain still amazes me - what a feel - but he's done so much other great work. His is an incredible drummer - one my my few favorites.

[@noahstrodtman6121]

seeing someone appreciate this song teared me up

[@martinkarlsson7069]

Omar with Sting was awesome aswell. Bring on the night is still one of the best live albums ever made.

[@Robert-ck7nm]

Omar is a true artist who can inhabit the world of any artist, and take their music to a new, and better place . Thank you, Omar!

[@tamboresdomundo8156]

The master! His playing on Sting's "I burn for you" is one of my absolute favorites ever...goosebumps every time.

[@CalifornianCuttlefish]

Omar Hakim is so cool, talented, smart, sweet, and one of my favorite drummers of all time.

[@benfrewin9926]

Omar Hakim is truly one of the Greats. Outstanding musician.

[@Danny-fs1hk]

Omar is a legend. Seeing him on Sunday Night (Nightmusic) back in the day was an absolute treat.

[@musikian]

His playing Sting's 'Bring on the night' on opening night brought the roof down. What an incredible sight.

[@ppaulcall]

Just amazing... Great story about Linn Drums! Seems like an even better person than drummer and he is one of the best drummers walking this earth. 🙏🏽

[@CHICtributecom]

This was great, thank you, great to see Omar Hakim talk about Nile and CHIC and Bowie. ♥

[@stevenbarry6488]

Hey Omar, if you are reading this...great interview for N.I. I really enjoyed our time together on tour in UK 2004 (Chic, Pointer Sisters, Evelyn, Candi, Emotions) and our five hour chat in Manchester. U rock dude. Signed the Secret Agent Tour Mgr...aka Steven

[@peevee605]

Omar is legit. A badass musician.

[@robertr9138]

What a well spoken man

[@el.aye.bee.4477]

It's so funny that he mentioned "Manny's Music". I was working there once, back in the early '90s, in the Drums department, no less...I had already seen a couple celebrities come in, but I almost lost it when Omar walked in. I had to keep it professional, though, aI left the man alone, let him do his business in the store, then he left. About 20 minutes later, I go on my lunch break and head around the corner to McDonald's and who's sitting there having lunch but Omar himself. The dude let me sit with him and talk to him and he was SO cool and he allowed me to thank him for his music. A really nice and humble dude, man.

[@raymondkarlsson9794]

Great musician and communicator. I heard his and Rachel Z’s band live 6 years ago. Lots of goosebumps from the drumming! Deep groove.

[@ruffian1868]

His drumming alone on those Weather Report albums would make him a legend. Great to see him with Kate Bush also !

[@glennracoma7481]

My fave drummer past and now. His playing influence much of my feel in music.

[@roloduarte3100]

Great drummer, love his personality.

[@ciadella1971]

Man, I wish I could study drums with Omar. He is so cool and laid back. One of the best drummers of all time! I remember when I saw him play "Burn for you" with Sting in 1985 on MTV. Blew me away!

[@timlawson8945]

I love how NI produced this video to not be a quirky sales pitch. What a great guy.

[@jcosta2513]

I love his work on Sting's Dream of the Blue Turtles

[@82706527]

Let’s Dance & China Girl!!…Omar and those killer bass parts

[@Kevin-kr5ok]

Good stuff right there my son ! Man… I love my 5x13 Pearl Mahogany Signature Series snare !

[@ADDG880]

Great drummer, wonderful personality. Also, wish I had that view while playing my drums!

[@fnv-w3n]

Hung with Coltrane AND Marley. Legend.

[@ThomasGOAL]

Thank you Omar

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

The man has a heart as big as his chops/skillz...

[@Frenchiic]

Omar Hakim became the drummer of CHIC live show 20 years later and for many years during the 2000's.

[@the_katman2181]

What a cool guy. I mean, he's brilliant drummer, but he also seems like such a decent, fun human being. I used to own his 13x5 Pearl signature snare drum and I loved that instrument. Should never have given up drumming and sold all my gear when my kids arrived :(

[@lunarny]

You are still a drummer! I never lost the love, but didn’t have a kit. Then my kid got older and I got back into it after not playing out for 25 years. It was a bit of a slog for a couple of weeks while I tried to regain the muscle memory but sure enough it came back and even better with all of the years of listening and playing on my legs. You’ll get back in the saddle again - you know you love it!

[@Jason5818UI]

Omar Hakim and bassist Marcus miller grew up together two legends

[@romulus_]

that whole area seemed to be a talent incubator. don blackman, marcus miller, omar hakim, bernard wright, tom browne, lenny white...whew.

[@shedjammer87]

Great interview!! I first heard of him on Weather Report's "Sportin' Life" which I thought was great.

[@TonyAguirreJazz]

One of my favorites! Is tour with Sting in the early days was insane

[@supreethkurthukoti9851]

Absolute legend!

[@CaptainKarma1972]

Interesting to see him still using his signature sticks ( or is he ? ) . Saw that shot of him with the sticks sticking out of his back pocket . Looks more like 5As when he is playing . His signature stick is really something to behold . The master of the 6/8 !

[@sazonsongs]

...and Marcus Miller (out of Jamaica Queens). I was introduced to playing music bu Mr Guarino in JHS 72. Life changed.

[@AlmostEthical]

First saw him with Sting. The gig started with him playing the groove of Shadows in the Rain and you could tell straight away that he was an absolute beast of a player. He seems very positive and has no attitude like Billy Cobham.

[@fibboobbif]

Tom Browne... Jamaica funk and Love approach... Ive seen them guys at the Roxy, LA, around 1981 with The Crusaders. RIP Tony Smith.

[@Muldoon111]

Absolute legend.

[@afrobeatsreview9460]

So dope!

[@honomusic]

Amazing and cool guy. And a brilliant drummer.

[@tomtownsend5009]

What a sound guy

[@gerardi2000]

Wow that is one bad man on the drums. I’m a huge fan.

[@bigtony7807]

Legend

[@norcicoso]

nice fun guy !

[@hofmanish]

Very underestimated drummer. He is one of THE best

[@lordmagnus6333]

That is just such wonderful stuff I love hearing about the history and the travel the journey musical travel in Journey of people.

[@_wesb]

Amazing Drummer!!!

[@Tokolos]

Superb drummer))

[@titolivera1]

Does he recorded Beyond too?

[@mikecara3271]

Good drummer

[@mrfleamino9350]

Great

[@jracerichards]

I'm confused. I thought Tony Thompson did Let's Dance .

[@regaltip8A]

No Omar played on the album. He even played on Money For Nothing for Dire Straits

[@jracerichards]

@@regaltip8A I know he played on Dire Strait's album. He said he played on the track Let's Dance. I thought Tony Thompson played on that.

[@leahnewyork]

​@@jracerichards Why repeat what you thought, though? Seems better to figure out why you thought it...

[@starboy8602]

Master

[@floriankettenbach6117]

The way he looks The way he talks The way he is - he just reminds me too much of nile rodgers

[@dwtn81]

Wow.... no mention of playing w/ Sting.

[@TonalWorks]

@GT Tg If you mean Vinnie, he didn't replace Omar as far as I know. Manu Katché played on the two albums before Vinnie joined on Ten Summoners Tales.

[@drgeorgetayloriii4280]

@@TonalWorks I did mean Vinnie; thanks for the insight. I enjoy both drummers and Omar was near perfect on The Dream of the Blue Turtles album. Still one of my favorite albums.

[@TonalWorks]

@@drgeorgetayloriii4280 Yeah, all three of them are great in their own way and drumming legends. Dream of the blue Turtles, Nothing like the sun, The Soul Cages and Ten summoners tales are Sting's best albums, with all these three drummers featured. I think Vinnie took it to a new level though with how he handles Sting's odd meters in particular in a very musical and natural way. Like Seven days for instance.

[@jracerichards]

Omar was the best of all of them. Seriously?

[@robertspectral303]

the feeling of being in the room ... ITS TOO LOUD CAN YOU PLAY IT SOFTER!!

[@jdelakit7264]

They found 2PAC. I knew he was alive.

[@RabbiMendel]

Eerm.... u ve got a weird memory in faces

[@jracerichards]

Dude don't be an idiot. Respect the man for what he's achieved. A black man can never get any respect for anything.

[@persistentpedestrianalien8641]

More like snoop or urkel

[@SuperQdaddy]

Omar the octopus !

[@dustyblue2ify]

Omar Hakim a Legend of a Drummer~ much Respect! Would love to see Omar do an improv drum session with this little one LJ would be priceless indeed! Check this young drummer out~ kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3y0m4ijmpJgesk

[@daltonvanhorn5167]

when David Grohl needs a drummer to play YYZ with Geddy and Alex, he picks Omar

[@morbidmanmusic]

They picked him.

[@CainaanDC]

👍🏾🎧

[@mark-remanHamilton]

What it takes to be part of anything is very hooked up parents and a nepotism that you deserve because you're a very hard worker. America's stars of commerce are all familial and some have talent beyond mortals. Inheriting what your parents' hopes and dreams are makes sense. We are that. We need to be the hopes and dreams of a healthy planet with very much less people. Can we be that?

[@torjeamundsen]

"I went into a restaurant the other day, a vegan restaurant"

[@Goodboy0953]

I heard that back in 80’s Bowie paid his musicians $300. per gig! How pathetic that someone of his stature believed it was more a privilege to play with him. At least that is what he paid for the US Festival!!

[@boeliewinter7492]

He showd me, I was always right. So go fore your guts if you play drums!

[@SausageFingers73]

Decent drummer and comes across as a decent guy, but still think it's a travesty that Dire Straits replaced most of Terry Williams drum parts of the Brothers in Arms album with Omars, as the drum sounds on most of the songs are to weedy and lacking.

[@misbahailia3345]

Brother leave musical instruments. Except the Daff drum. Daft Punk and all these other guys won't be there for us, on the Day of Judgement.

[@jracerichards]

Be quiet numbskull

[@jracerichards]

The Bible says musicians and players of instruments are blessed. What Bible are you reading that says Omar Hakim ,a musician,isn't loved by The Most High?

[@adrianb2066]

🎵🎶💀👹🤘🏻

[@whooiis7262]

So basically Daft Punk hired a Legendary Drums player, a Legendary Guitar player, and a Legendary bass player and made their own sample pack on the spot. It's kinda genius tbh

[@jokerfleckcast3196]

Dudes 1989 album cover looks like vampire in brooklyn. Eddie murphy stole the haircut

[@SydneyDrums]

Legend