Pianist Ozzie Ahlers is the Co-producer and songwriter with Craig Chaquico on the albums “Acoustic Highway“,”Acoustic Planet“, “A Thousand Pictures“, “Once in a Blue Universe,”Four Corners“, “Panorama“, “Shadow and Light“, “Midnight Noon“, and “Holiday.” He also has his own solo album, “Fingerpainting” on Higher Octave Music; which has received great critical and industry acclaim.
Ozzie has been described as “keyboardist extraordinaire ” by Music Connection Magazine and hails from a rich musical background. Ozzie first came to California playing piano in Van Morrison’s band, then onto four albums for Jesse Colin Young, both as pianist and songwriter. Later that decade, he joined forces with Jerry Garcia in the Jerry Garcia Band for over three years of recording and world-touring. The albums “After Midnight“, “GarciaLive Volume One: Capitol Theater“, “GarciaLive Volume Four: Veteran’s Hall” and “Garcia Plays Dylan” feature Ozzie as keyboardist for the Jerry Garcia Band. During that same time he also gained additional musical notoriety winning the Cannes Film Festival “Camera D’Or” Award with his film score for the movie “Northern Lights.”
Continuing his film compositions, Ozzie was signed by Premavision and Art Clokey, the creator of “Gumby” to compose and produce three feature songs for “Gumby, The Movie.” Ozzie hired his longtime friend, Jefferson Starship guitarist and songwriter, Craig Chaquico for the sessions. After the film was completed, Craig joined with Ozzie to co-write and co-produce the first solo album for Higher Octave Music, “Acoustic Highway.” And the rest, as they say, is musical history.
That first album, Acoustic Highway, shot up the charts; staying there for two full years. It was named Billboard Magazine’s # 1 Independent New Age album of the year, and won a Bammie (Bay Area Music Award) for Independent Album of the year. The follow-up album, “Acoustic Planet” released in September of 1994 debuted in Billboard at #2 and the following week went to #1; ending Yanni’s thirty-week reign at the top. Later that year it was nominated for a Grammy Award as best New Age album, and it too, won another Bammie. In 1995, Ozzie and Craig toured the U.S. with top Smooth Jazz artists Richard Elliot, Peter White and Warren Hill as “Guitars and Saxes” and played to sold-out crowds everywhere. Meanwhile, The H.E.A.R. Foundation of San Francisco (Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers) featured Ozzie Ahlers in their magazine and web campaign as Artist of the Year.
Ozzie released his own solo album “Fingerpainting” which climbed both Radio&Records and Gavin’s radio charts for thirteen weeks. Three more top-selling CD’s including Craig Chaquico’s “best of” album, “Panorama” rounded out the 90’s into year 2000. During this time, Ozzie has also produced and penned songs for blues singer Jimmy Dillon, as well smooth jazz artists Ray Silkman, James Michael Joseph. Four popular releases of Jerry Garcia Band recordings have had incredible sales. These CD’s include “After Midnight“, “Live at the Capitol Theater“, “Veteran’s Hall Sebastopol” and “Garcia Plays Dylan.”