Formed by four veteran wine country musicians, OM-i will bring its world beat/fusion jazz to Copia next week.

OM-i’s debut at Copia is part of its Community Spotlight Concert series. The ensemble is slated to perform at 8 p.m. Jan. 25. Tickets are $18 and can be ordered by calling 259-1600, or logging online at www.copia.org.

The roots of the group’s original material — actually a percussion-driven sound — mirrors richly layered textures traditionally found in African and Latin music, with both rock and world beat added to provide added interest.

“Our pieces are highly orchestrated halos of ethereal melody interwoven with deep intricate bass in synthesis over complex percussive rhythms,” noted John Hannaford, a well known Napa Valley artist who plays drums and percussion with OM-i. “Sometimes our pieces melt into a sensuous percussive raga.”

In addition to Hannaford, members of the quartet include Tim Gaskell, guitar and percussion; Karl Gonsalves, drums and percussion; and Alex Karlman, bass and percussion.

“As musicians, we’ve all known each other and performed together in various groups over the years,” Hannaford said of his fellow ensemble members.

OM-i was formed two years ago, he points out. “We wanted to build something unique, interesting and original that was based on percussion and bass. We bring our individual musical experience backgrounds to the plate and create together ... in an egalitarian process. We build our musical orchestrations based on what resonates within us, and as a whole, as to every specific piece we are creating.

“Our name, OM-i, reflects both the universal — the whole — as was the individual – the self.”

All four members of OM-i are involved in music education. Gaskell, general manager of the jazz ensemble, is a graduate in Sound Arts and Technologies from Expressions College of New Media. Director of media at Wolfe Center in Napa, Gaskell helped developed a new music label, Crimson Media. He is also an instructor at Guangxi School of Martial Arts and holds a black belt.

Playing percussion instruments since he was 9 years old, Gonsalves is the percussion instructor at Napa School of Music.

Hannaford is a fine arts instructor at Napa Valley College, as well as a fine and performing arts specialist at Valley Oak High School, where he directs One World Percussion, a percussion ensemble. He has played percussion instruments since he was 9. He has a masters degree in fine arts and exhibits artwork nationwide. His artwork is represented by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s Artists Gallery at Fort Mason in San Francisco.

A musical event producer, Karlman is the producer of Rock Night at the Cameo, a music series presented in St. Helena’s Cameo Cinema, where he works with younger musicians. With Gaskell,  he also helped launch the Crimson Media label.

OM-i

Copia Community Spotlight Series

Thursday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m.

Tickets: $18.

Info, 259-1600 or www.copia.org