About Me
You may have heard the name “Chris Poland†before. Poland is probably best known for his phenomenal guitar work with several major label bands including MEGADETH (Capitol Records) and his progressive metal band, DAMN THE MACHINE (A&M Records). He also released a highly acclaimed instrumental guitar record in 1990 entitled, RETURN TO METALOPOLIS (Enigma Records), that thoroughly impressed critics and garnered much interest from the music-buying public to the extent that the record was reissued by Fuel 2000 Records in 1998 and in 2002 by Lion Music Europe. In March of 2000, Poland released two cds of previously unreleased recordings from his post-Damn the Machine days. The all-instrumental Chasing the Sun and Rare Trax cds continue to solidify Chris Poland’s reputation as a true original voice on the guitar, who continues to evolve and take the instrument to new previously unattained levels both technically and inspirationally with OHM:. There is no doubt in many peoples’ minds that Chris Poland deserves to be placed among the greats of the genre such as, Shawn Lane, Greg Howe, Frank Gambale, and Allan Holdsworth. Poland is the real deal and more when it comes to the guitar. Gliding from unusually flowing chordings to technical oddities and inspiring leads, his incredible use of legato and tremolo bar combined with his bizarre scaling create an exotic flow of notes which somehow create order from chaos.
Robertino Pagliari, OHM:’s masterful monster on the fretless bass, started playing bass professionally at age 15. Robertino has played with many well-known L.A. musicians including Rick Timus (Pointer Sisters & Bobbi Brown), Frank Gambale (Chick Corea), Bob Robles (Alphonso Johnson, Steve Smith, & Airto), and Victor Bissetti (Los Lobos). Robertino’s fat, sassy, powerful bass lines and technical, interspersed melodic solos make him one of the most exciting bassists on the scene today. Robby Pagliari has also recently appeared in major magazine ad campaigns for BBE Electronics.
OHM: is comprised of three monster tour de force musicians and drummer Frank Briggs is no exception. As a drummer and composer, Frank Briggs musical diversity is revealed in a body of work that encompasses Rock, New Age, R & B, Drum n Bass to Jazz & Fusion. He has appeared on recordings on such labels as Universal, Higher Octave, MTM, RCA, Immune, EMI/Sony and Warner Bros. With his first instructional book/DVD, The Complete Modern Drum Set, he consistently heads Mel Bays Top 10 percussion methods. A dozen books and DVD/CDs later, his instructional material is used in colleges (CMD is recommended by professors at Berklee School of Music) and music schools around the country as well as by private teachers and students world wide. Frank has performed and/or recorded with Jennifer Batten, Masters Of Reality, Atlantic Starr, William Aura, John Ondrasik/Five For Fighting, Andy Pratt, Mark Doyle, Mike Keneally, Derek Oles, Mitchel Forman, Frank Gambale, Kit Walker, Maxine Nightingale, Pat Boone, Ric Fierabracci, Steve Weingart, Brian Price and many others.
Since forming in 1997, OHM: has been breathing new life into the L.A. rock fusion scene. The band is constantly writing, recording, and gigging with a highly original and captivating brand of instrumental music influenced by the likes of Weather Report, Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, as well as incorporating the more rock /metal influences of the band members’ past projects. With this approach the band landed deals with Lion Music Europe and Black Note Records for previous recordings. Furthermore, OHM: has US tours under its belt with guitarists such as Frank Gambale (Chick Corea, Vital Information), Marty Friedman (Megadeth), and Alex Skolnick (Testament, Transiberian Orchestra, Savatage), as well as opening a portion of a tour for famed jambanders, Umphrey’s McGee in 2006. OHM: has garnered a loyal following and exceptional response from accomplished musicians, press, and music fans alike. Some of these exceptional responses have come from artists such as, Eric Johnson, Jordan Rudess, Marty Friedman, and the Yamaha Music Corporation who officially endorse the band.
Full of mood, expression, and feeling, the members of OHM: are an intensity of raw amazement and exemplify the amazing musical possibilities the three piece format can have, proving that all it takes is a guitar, a bass, and some drums to make some truly awesome, catchy, meaningful tuneage, or what we like to call, OHMAGE. It just goes to show you that just when you think you’ve heard it all, OHM: comes along to change your perspective on music and how good it really can get.
