Rami Atassi

Rami Atassi is a Syrian-American creative producer, teaching artist, & guitar educator based in Chicago, IL.

He creates melodic instrumental music with influences of spiritual jazz, Arabic folk music & afrobeat grooves.

In 2022, Rami assembled his group, The Cosmic Dance Band—a vehicle to explore his love of desert guitar & maqam jazz, blending sounds of the Middle East with jazz harmony & a modern sonic palette. This group and its collective improvisation is the backbone of his latest album, Dancing Together (coming fall 2023).

In 2020, Rami released his first album, Atashi Wa Rami—a collection of duets with underground bass heavyweight Tatsu Aoki. He recorded these compositions over 3 sessions directly to an 8-track reel-to-reel tape machine. This work reflects his interest in synthesis, sound manipulation, and experimental guitar techniques.

Rami cut his teeth playing guitar in Chicago’s improvised music & indie rock scenes with bands like The MIYUMI Project & The Curls. In 2016, he played guitar for SKYLANDING: The Music of Yoko Ono by The MIYUMI Project (produced by Yoko Ono). In 2018, he played Pitchfork Music Festival with The Curls in support of Super Unit—their 2017 album where his angular, left-of center guitar work played a pivotal role.

Rami’s original score for the feature-length film Bad Animal won “Best Original Music” at the 2022 Fine Arts Film Fest. His work is featured in Then They Came for Us, a 2017 documentary about the forced incarceration of Japanese Americans featuring George Takei.

In addition to his work as a music creator, Rami is a passionate music educator. In 2021, he founded Guitar Tactics, an online guitar program offering group classes & video content for adult guitar learners. To date he has helped over 100+ students deepen their guitar practice through a mix of group classes & online courses.

Dancing Together is about the act of collective creativity—it's what goes down when people who trust each other go in without a perfect plan and let a little bit of magic happen. Each composition is a catalyst designed to get creative musicians moving and interacting with each other. The themes that spur them into action are simple and flexible… but sometimes deceptively simple, because once you get on board with the music, strange and unexpected things can happen. That’s what this record is all about!

Dancing Together

Release Date: October 6, 2023

Rami Atassi - guitars, electronics & sound fx, vocals, bass (4)
Tatsu Aoki - bass (2,3,6,8), shamisen (1)
Ronnie Malley - oud (1,6), percussion (3)
Luc Mosley - tenor saxophone (2,3,4), flute (6)
Eric Novak - soprano saxophone (3), tenor saxophone (4,6)
Charles Rumback - drums (3,6,8)
Caleb Willitz - cornet & electronics (3,6,7)
Pri Ankhil - vocals (6)
Joie Moon - percussion (2)
Ryan Suzuka - harmonica (5)

All music written & produced by Rami Atassi
Co-produced by Jeff Breakey & Caleb Willitz
Mixed by Jeff Breakey
Mastered by James Auwater
Photo: Remsy Atassi

Recorded by Caleb Willitz & Rami Atassi at Midnight Tea Studio in Chicago’s Historic Fine Arts Building.

Salty Sea

Release Date: July 28, 2023

Rami Atassi - guitar, bass, percussion, production
Luc Mosley - tenor saxophone
Erik Novak - tenor saxophone

Written & produced by Rami Atassi
Co-produced by Jeff Breakey & Caleb Willitz
Mixed by Jeff Breakey
Mastered by James Auwater
Recorded by Caleb Willitz & Rami Atassi at Midnight Tea Studio in Chicago’s Historic Fine Arts Building.
Single Photo by Marty Vernon

Yuma Soul

Release Date: April 14, 2023

Somewhere between the deserts of the Middle East and the mesas of the American southwest you’ll hear this tune “Yuma Soul.” My jadd (grandfather) used to love watching Westerns—whenever he came to visit in the U.S. he would hang out at the house and watch whatever was playing on Turner Classic Movies. He was really into the cowboy thing… I could never tell if it was ironic or if he just straight up loved cowboys. He was a bit cryptic like that. Once this tune came to life, it got me thinking about the intersection of Arabic culture and American film tropes. The name is a nod to the classic black and white western, 3:10 to Yuma.