The gentlemen of Ozona would first like the world to know that they are not a reggae band. In the year they’ve been together, each of the six UF students, current and former, have brought their histories and experiences to the band, many of which began at their hometown churches.
Despite their most recent accolade being the opening act for the Wailers, consisting of the remaining members of Bob Marley & the Wailers, Ozona has created a sound that cannot yet be restricted to a single genre.
“The first songs we made were reggae, but I’ve been very open to the influence that everyone brings, and now our music is transforming to more of an R&B, electronica, hard hip-hop sound with west coast funk vibes,” lead singer Louie Dager said. “I just want to get people dancing at our shows.”
The band began when guitarist Justin Zimmerman met drummer Ryan Chizmar at Rockeys Dueling Piano Bar. Chizmar introduced Zimmerman to Dager, who had been writing music with Chizmar since 2014. The band began as Ozone, but changed to Ozona when two of its members left Gainesville for internships. Enter Jonathan Dominique and Kenny Ramos.
“Jonathan, a church player his whole life, brings the soul to the music, that R&B church feel with the pretty cadences. And then Kenny came in with his harmonious hardcore guitar riffs. When we saw what they could do, we knew we couldn’t be just reggae,” Dager continued.
“I agree. And if you listen to my boy Ryan drum, it’s constant head banging. So if you put us in a box, we’re going to end up jumping out of that box,” the band’s rapper Navarr Robinson, also known as Digitz Blessed #7, added.
Robinson met Dager while working at the Holiday Inn, and when he gave Dager his mixtape, Dager invited Robinson to rap on one of their songs. Seeing his potential, they invited him to be a member full time, and Robinson signed Ozona to Heavy Disciples Crew Entertainment, the label he and his mother own.
The boys, though most have known each other for only a year, say every interaction of theirs inevitably becomes a business meeting, but any stranger can see that their camaraderie is more of a brotherhood.
No member forgets to mention that Ramos has untapped music engineering skills to rival that of Dager, and that, although Dominique claims his music theory knowledge background is all YouTube, he actually has been taught by some of the best.
“We don’t currently have a manager, but Lou has taken care of a lot of those responsibilities,” Robinson said. “We do have our own things we take on, though, and in the end, because of each of the things we contribute, we work like a well-oiled machine.”
“But what we each do for the band isn’t limited to music and business. For example, I’ve played on the same drum kit since fifth grade – the first kit I ever played drums on. In the last year, I finally put together enough money to buy something new. Louie drove me to every music store in the area to find the best one, and I spent every penny I had on it,” Chizmar laughed. “I didn’t eat for a few days after that.”
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for these boys, and I’m confident to say they’d do anything for me. I’ve had times where I had nothing and I didn’t want to tell anyone I’d been struggling, but the boys check in on me,” Louie said. “Kenny will, without question, say to me, ‘Dude, here’s $20, get some food in you,’ or Ryan will cook something for me if he knows I haven’t eaten.”
Ozona recorded their first extended play, released on April 20 of this year, at Skylab Recording Studios, where Dager works as a sound engineer. The EP was recorded live, with all instruments accompanying Dager’s vocals, Frank Sinatra style.
At Skylab, Drew White and Travis Lindsey of Gainesville-bred band Morning Fatty have become mentors to the boys.
“Drew and Travvie are some of the most talented and humble people we know. Travvie has done so much for us and asks for nothing in return,” Dager said.
From Zimmerman and Dager’s fathers’ investments to Pastor Betsy Miller of Holy Disciples of Christ and Skylab owner Gerry King’s mentorship, the fairly new band is eager to express their thanks for the people who have helped them get to a place where they have “this nervous and excited feeling in our stomachs, because we all have the sense that something really great is coming for us.”
Ozona plays its first weekend tour in Sarasota and Fort Meyers Friday and Saturday. The High Dive will feature the band June 10, where they will open for Pacific Dub. Updates on future shows can be found on Instagram and Facebook @ozonaboys.
The band is currently working on their first studio LP, Current Feels, which will premiere sometime in the fall. Until then, their 3-track EP can be found here.
