Omar Aran was born in Mexico City, Mexico. He began playing the drums at the age of sixteen. He began his professional jazz career in 1996, performing and recording with jazz musicians from Mexico, as well as international artists such as Osmany Paredes, Gustavo Bergalli, Ken Baseman and Lila Downs. He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2004, where he has had the opportunity to collaborate with local musicians, including Mark Levine, Michael Wolff, Peppino de Agostino and his sister Sandra Aran. He has also taught percussion workshops at the Bay School, the Urban School and San Francisco City College.