Opafire
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Zachary Norman E. |
| Defunct | 1998 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Jazz fusion music albums |
Opafire was a jazz fusion ensemble originating from San Francisco, California. Their initial release, the self-titled album Opafire (RCA, 1991), achieved global sales approaching 500,000 copies.
The group was established in 1990 by composer and multi-instrumentalist Zachary Norman E., who secured a contract with RCA Records following significant regional radio exposure. This first album garnered international acclaim and extensive airplay. Songs such as "Wajumbe," "Kalimbahari," and "Walk Like Rain" attained positions No. 2, No. 11, and No. 26 respectively on the Gavin Report’s "New Adult Contemporary Most Radio Plays" chart, also earning Top Ten rankings in R&R magazine and chart appearances in countries including Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and Taiwan.
In 1991, Opafire participated in the JVC Jazz Festival Tour alongside artists like Miles Davis, Spyro Gyra, and the Yellow Jackets, performing before audiences numbering as many as 12,000 attendees.
They served as headliners at various festivals and venues such as the Oxfam International Festival Tour, Whole Life Expo Tour, Stern Grove Festival, Great American Music Hall, Yoshi's Night Club (both San Francisco and Oakland locations), The Baked Potato in Los Angeles, as well as prominent radio station listener appreciation events.
Following a hang gliding accident in 1998, Zachary Norman E. placed Opafire on hiatus to focus on recovery. During this period, he voiced dissatisfaction with Clear Channel Communications’ nationally syndicated smooth jazz format and redirected his creative efforts toward composing for film and television from his studio based in Maui.
Members
- Zachary Norman E. – guitar, synthesizers, percussion, composer, producer, engineer
- Robert Powell – guitar and assorted stringed instruments
- Dallas Smith – saxophone, wind synthesizer, bamboo flutes
- Bryan Mantia – drums
- Michael Pluznick – percussion
- Tom Corwin – fretted bass
- Michael Manring – fretless bass (studio recordings)
- Christopher Hedge – production and engineering (studio recordings)
- Lygia Ferra – vocals (live performances)
Discography
- 1991 - Opafire (RCA/BMG)
- 1991 - KKSF 103.7FM Sampler Volume 2 (JVC)
- 1991 - RCA Novus Sampler '90 (RCA/BMG)
- 1993 - Without a Trace (RCA/BMG)
- 1994 - Ricochet Sun (Higher Octave/EMI)
- 1996 - Panorama: A Collection of Music from Around the World (Higher Octave/EMI)
References
- Larkin, Colin (1995) The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music
- Yurochko, Bob (1993) A Short History of Jazz