THE
JOURNAL
He may not be a household name but Oz Noy is one of the most sought-after guitarists in the world. He blends genres with an unparalleled mastery that captivates audiences and musicians alike. A musician’s musician, he’s renowned for his innovative approach to jazz, rock and blues, and has performed with a diverse array of artists, from The Allman Brothers, Bill Evans to Lizzo. His unique sound, characterized by intricate melodies and dynamic improvisation, has made him a key figure in contemporary music. With multiple critically acclaimed albums and a reputation for mesmerizing live performances, Oz continues to push the boundaries of guitar artistry, inspiring a new generation of musicians along the way.
MUSIC 2025
When did you get into playing the guitar?
I started playing guitar when I was 10 years old. I wanted to play drums and my mom already was looking for a drum teacher for me but then a friend from school was studying guitar who took me to a guitar lesson and that was that.
Did you have a favorite musician or band that influenced you early on?
Yes, The Beatles were the main influence! And Israeli pop and rock of that time.
You had a successful career as a guitarist in your home country of Israel before moving to NYC - is there a reason you chose NYC vs other musical cities like LA?
All my friends always told me to go to NYC, and also a lot of the music I liked kind of came from there so it made more sense to go there than LA!
Do you think living in NYC is imperative for musicians?
If you want to play on a really high level, then yes! Especially Jazz.
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What are some of your personal mantras that has kept you pushing the musical boundaries with a successful career as a guitarist?
I don’t have an exact answer to that except that I really love good music and playing guitar. I just want to get better at it all the time. It never ends but the chase is the fun part. It never gets old - I still love it like the first day I started.
How would you describe your music?
I've done a bunch of different stuff over the years. I have 14 solo albums… most of what I'm known for is electric jazz or jazz rock (some people call it “fusion” but I don’t like that word, it’s got bad musical connotation). I’ve done a few straight ahead jazz albums as well and also I have a side project called Ozone Squeeze which is what I call my pop jam band… so as you can see I try to keep things interesting.
Tell us about your guitar collection! And do you favor one over another?
I don't have a big collection - maybe 30 guitars including acoustics, electrics, bass etc… that’s not a lot for someone like me!
I’m known to play a Fender Strat and I feel most comfortable playing that guitar - I can pretty much get anything out of it. But I also play a Fender Tele a lot and sometimes a Gretsch or a Gibson Les Paul.
What kind of shows do you personally enjoy playing the most?
I enjoy playing anywhere and the vibe is cool and the band is good. The venue doesn’t matter much to me, it’s how the people react that's important.
Has the West Village’s jazz and blues scene changed over the years?
Yes, a lot less places to play, a lot less people coming to see live music than there used to be.
Who are some of your favorite past collaborators?
I love what I did with my band Ozone Squeeze with the singer-keyboardist extraordinaire Rai Thistlethwayte, I really like all the bands that I had with Dave Weckl, Will Lee, James Genus, Keith Carlock, Anton Fig, Jimmy Haslip, and Dennis Chambers. Those guys are my musical family, and great friends and collaborators!
Are there exciting new projects that you’re working on right now that should be on our radar?
I’m looking for new things… got a few options, probably another jazz quartet album at some point, trying to work on a big band album… also, another instruction book coming out (my 3rd one).
Do you have any advice to the newer generation of guitarists/musicians out there who seek a successful career in music?
Things have changed so much with the whole YouTube/ Instagram generation that I’m not really sure what advice to give. One thing for sure never changed; you’ve got to get out of your house and play live music with real live musicians.
As an audience member, I feel there’s electricity and magic involved in improvising on instruments at live shows. What’s the experience like from your perspective as the musician on stage?
It’s what I’ve been doing my whole life so as my good friend guitarist Mike Stern said to me once, playing and improvising for us is like air! We’ll die if we don’t do it.
