ABOUT US
The Jazz Gypsies,
The Jazz Gypsies, led by legendary Tap dancer/ Foot musician Omar Edwards, is an organic collective of musicians who have an inimitable way of playing off each other that not only tells a story, but a story that audiences find themselves drawn into on a personal level.
Jazz, R & B, Reggae, Funk, no matter the genre, The Jazz Gypsies find a sweet spot for audience members. The driving percussion of Omar Edwards’s Tap shoes combined with the seamless instrumentation of band members, provide a unique experience for the audience in having the cadence and rhythm of Edwards’ feet, not his voice, expertly lead the band down this broad river of music genres.
“Those Jazz Gypsies may be solely responsible for a whole new genre.”
New York City Jazz Record
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NICOLE INOCENT
WAHKIBA JULION
LAQUAN THOMPSON
OMAR EDWARDS
NICOLE INOCENT
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(Most recently, Omar and his band performed their special brand of music at the opening of the Wildlife exhibit at the Hudson River Museum, Yonkers NY.)
About Us
The New York Jazz Gypsies, featuring Broadway tap dancer/foot musician Omar Edwards are an organic collective of musicians renowned for their unique ability to harmonize and tell stories that captivate audiences on a personal level.
Across various genres like jazz, R&B, reggae, and funk, The New York Jazz Gypsies effortlessly connect with their audience. The driving percussion of Omar Edwards's tap shoes, combined with the seamless blend of instruments from the band, offers a distinctive experience in that it is the cadence and rhythm of Edwards's feet, rather than his voice, that expertly guides the band through a diverse range of musical genres.
Established in 2021 by Edwards, former "Sandman" on the nationally televised TV show, Showtime at the Apollo, the New York Jazz Gypsies have graced prestigious stages such as Minton's Playhouse in Harlem, the Apollo Theatre for the Harlem Music Festival, the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in NYC, Summer Stage in NYC, the city College of NYC, and the annual New Brunswick, NJ Heart Festival to name a few. Omar himself is an award-winning tap dancer and foot musician, having received an NAACP Image Award and a Bessie Award nomination for his role as the Tap Griot in FLY, a theater production with music centered around the historic Tuskegee Airmen of WWII.
The New York City Jazz Record stated, "Those Jazz Gypsies may be solely responsible for a whole new genre." Meanwhile, Omar Edwards has been praised as a sound and movement genius, with his performances described as taking audiences to exhilarating heights by Award winning Broadway producer and fight choreographer Rick Sordelet
