adam holzman
(keyboards)
website http://adamholzman.com
"I think for
what we´re doing – instrumental music or jazz-rock – it´s gotta
be live for it to have the exciting edge...Music that is focused on players
and soloists is always going to come across better when it has that live
feeling on it." A.H.
Adam is simply
one of the most innovative musicians alive. He is a perennial poll-winner
in the Fusion category for Pulse! magazine's year-end Top Ten listings.
"Keyboard" magazine named him one of the top 10 players in the world, "Down
Beat" lauded his "killer groove" and compared him to Jan Hammer - and even
the "New York Times" and the "Washington Post" have praised Adam's live
shows.
Born on February
15, 1958 in New York City, Adam is the son of Elektra Records founder,
Jac Holzman. Adam grew up in California and started classical piano lessons
at age 12, but his main influences were "The Doors", Leon Russell and Dr.
John. He started getting into progressive rock and jazz-rock during the
late 70s, which in turn led to a growing interest in jazz.
"First I was
influenced by group like "Emerson, Lake & Palmer" or "Yes". When I
heard Chick Corea, the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Billy Cobham I got completely
turned on to jazz." he says today. "But I only started getting serious
about jazz harmonies when I was in my late 20s. Even today there are still
some gaps in my jazz knowledge. But I do not consider my musical role to
be a keeper of jazz traditions. I try to make entertaining music today,
influenced by rock, jazz-rock, funk and a lot of other styles and ideas."
One of his first
big jobs was a new recording of the opera "Carmina Burana" by composer
Carl Orff, led by Ray Manzarek of the "Doors" and produced by Philipp Glass.
He then played with various groups including the group "Fents", which Adam
co-founded before coming to the attention of singer Randy Hall.
Miles Davis
first hired Adam for some keyboard work for "Tutu" and then as second keyboarder
for the live tour that followed. While Miles Davis hired and fired musicians
at an enormous rate during these years, Adam Holzman actually stayed for
almost 5 years. "I must have done something right", Holzman says today."I
was so nervous in the beginning - I didn't think I would survive the first
tour." He must have done a lot of things right, since Miles later promoted
him to "musical director", when Robert Irving left the band in 1988.
After one more
year Adam moved on - to work with Michel Petrucciani, who asked him in
1989 to join him for a cooperation to which he also contributed several
compositions.
"I couldn't
resist the challenge, because it gave me a chance to expand in several
ways - both as a writer and as a player, since the live shows were much
less structured than Miles shows."
During the early
90s, Adam also worked for Chaka Khan, Robben Ford, the band "Kelvynator"
and many others. At this time he was also preparing his solo career, which
started with "In A Loud Way", when it was released in the USA in the fall
of 1993.
Parallel to
this he also founded a steady live band, which was originally called "Mona
Lisa Overdrive" (inspired by William Gibson's novel). Because of copyright
reasons, the name was later changed to it's current name "Brave New World".
The first lineup of the band included bassman Steve Logan and drummer Van
Romaine.
During 1994
the band changed before a tour of Germany and Poland. It included Aaron
Heick (Sax, ex-Chaka Khan Band), Freddy Cash (Bass, formerly with "Arrested
Development" and Mark Ledford) , Juju House (drums, ex "Chaka Khan Band"
and "Arrested Development", drummer on the legendary recording "Slave To
The Rhythm" of Grace Jones) and guitarist Mitch Stein, who performed for
Tania Maria, David Sanborn and Chaka Khan (among others).
In 1995 Adam
appeared in the US with Brave New World and continued occasionally performing
with Michel Petrucciani - but was also a member of Wayne Shorters group,
which toured worldwide in fall of 1995. While Wayne Shorter got very mixed
reviews on this tour, many reviewers lauded Adam as one of the outstanding
musicians in the backing band.
From 1997-2000,
Adam recorded and toured with the late, great sax player, Grover Washington.
Over the past several years of the new millenium, he has continued working
with his own band, Brave New World, releasing Jazz Rocket Science in 2005
and 4 live cd recordings as part of the "Alive" series. Adam has also been
producing new Miles Davis projects for Sony and continues to play side
gigs with Droid and the Jane Getter band.
As a hobby,
Adam also draws cartoons and you can check out his cool and highly successful
"create a custom comic" service at bigfuncomics.com. He is married to guitarist
Jane Getter and they have a son, Russell, who was born in 1994.
Adam also has
a cool little website, Jazz-Rock.com.
lincoln goines
(bass)
website http://www.lincoln
goines.com
"Ever since my
high school days I've been on an endless and ever-changing search for ways
to combine rhythm and harmony into a personal low-end language. For me,
bass is a way of thinking, a way of life; I try to pass this passion on
to my students. I share my years of experience on the New York jazz/Latin/studio
scene, and the activities and instincts I've found useful in getting the
music to groove and in keeping it there, regardless of the genre.
"I enjoy the
challenges and rewards of teaching. Some of the things I like to tell students
I've learned: The bass is first and foremost the heartbeat of the ensemble.
Playing the bass is only a part of being a good bassist. Showing up and
working hard are the foundational keys to success as a music pro. In addition
to helping students bring all aspects of their playing to the highest level
it can be, I focus on sound, accuracy, vocabulary, and developing the critical
ear necessary for 'seeing' music from the eye of bass. My goal is to help
them find their voice on the instrument, and also to prepare them for the
actual gigging world."
•Electric and
acoustic bassist, author, and composer
•Performances
and recordings with an extensive list of artists including Sonny Rollins,
Dizzy Gillespie, Gato Barbieri, Dave Grusin, Carly Simon, Tania Maria,
Paquito D'Rivera, Michel Camilo, Eliane Elias, Michael Brecker, Bob Mintzer,
Dave Samuels, Mike Stern, and Wayne Krantz
•Current band
projects include the Saninde, Le Baby Macho, and the Franceschini/Goines/Ameen
Trio
•Coauthor of
the book and DVD Funkifying the Clave: Afro-Cuban Grooves for Bass and
Drums (with drummer Robby Ameen)
•Contributing
author, Bass Lessons with the Greats and The Collective Contemporary Styles
Series: AFro-Caribbean and Brazilian Rhythms for the Bass
•Berklee faculty
member, the Bass Collective
kim plainfield
(drums)
Originally from
the San Francisco Bay Area has been based in New York since 1977. He has
accumulated numerous performance and recording credits during his professional
career, which he started in earnest at the age of 19 when he began playing
with Mingo Lewis and subsequently secured the drum chair with the Pointer
Sisters. Some three years later, at the age of 22, Kim moved to New York
City where Kenwood Dennard introduced him to the Drummers Collective. This
is where Kim’s pedagogical career took hold. He then started playing with
Bill Connors, the world-renowned guitarist from Chick Corea’s original
Electric Band, and Didier Lockwood, the unparalleled French jazz violinist.
Recordings, where Kim participated, that deserve mention are “Double Up”
and “Assembler” by Bill Connors and “Live At The Olympia” by Didier Lockwood.
All three recording are considered icons of contemporary fusion music.
Worldwide, Kim is one of the first addresses when looking for modern drumming.
His unbelievable technical abilities and versatile musicality bring audiences
to enthusiastic amazement. He is a drummer of true and deep and organic
musicality. Kim began to receive international recognition during his seven-year
engagement with Tania Maria. During that period, he toured extensively
in the US, Europe, Central America, South America, The Caribbean and the
Far East. Additional performance and recording credits include Jon Lucien,
Andy Narell, John Pattitucci, Kenny Rankin, Jacques Higelin, Charles Fambrough,
Edgar Winter and Mose Allison. Kim embarked on a solo career in 1993 and
has since been touring Europe as a leader, at least twice a year, to ever
increasing audiences and superb press reviews. To quote some: “The starring
performance of the Kim Plainfield Trio on Saturday in the Neodrom simply
left no wishes unsatisfied for musical strength and creative richness.”
(Josef Fichtner: Musikmagazin Amberg). “ The concert was an organic whole
with perfect technique, taste and yes, musicality” (Andreas Ascherl: Amberger
Stadtnachrichten) “Kim Plainfield played drums much the same way that (Jon)
Lucien sang, in the sense that he created intensity through pure conviction
and an unrelenting sense of groove. His superb technical command was obvious,
but he never exploited it by setting off percussive fireworks. His fire
was constant and very hot.” (Rick Mattingly: The Courier-Journal) Kim recently
completed his debut CD, a joint project with Lincoln Goines, and is now
a signed recording artist with EFA Records in Europe and Shiosai Records
in Japan. Kim just returned from his debut tour as a leader in Japan, promoting
the release of the Japanese version of his CD entitled “Night and Day”.
This recording effort features the world-class musicians Jon Lucien, Mino
Cinelo, Bill O’Connell, Alex Foster, Didier Lockwood, Myra Casales, Dan
Carillo, Bill Connors, Adam Holzman and Pat Thrall. As an educator, Kim
is Co-Chairman of the Faculty at the Drummers Collective in New York City
where he has taught since 1979. He was an associate professor at S.U.N.Y.
Purchase Music Conservatory from 1993 to 2004 and in the fall of 2002 Kim
accepted an Associate Professor position at Berklee School of Music. His
instructional book “Advanced Concepts” is known as the bible of modern
progressive drumming. He has conducted countless clinics in Europe, the
United States, Japan and Central America, as well as extended artist-in-residence
programs at various conservatories in Europe. In November of 2002 Kim received
the distinct honor of being a featured clinician at the International Percussive
Arts Society Convention in Columbus, Ohio
beledo
"BELEDO is considered
a real myth among Uruguayan music connoisseurs," according to EL PAIS newspaper
from Montevideo, Uruguay. Piano was Beledo's first instrument, however,
he became a guitar hero in his teenage years captivating audiences
in Uruguay and Argentina. Later on, his fusion effort of the
early eighties in South America was recognized in the U.S. in articles
appearing in GUITAR PLAYER magazine and JAZZIZ magazine, while he was touring
at top venues and recording in ARGENTINA with PEDRO AZNAR from the Pat
Metheny Group. His new CD MONTEVIDEO JAZZ DREAMS features:
Stefon Harris, Randy Brecker, Manolo Badrena, Andy Middleton, David Finck,
Jorge Camiruaga, and Chris Komer. Beledo is the guitar player on the album
FORWARD MOTION of the South African Jazz band OJOYO featuring saxophonist
and band leader MORRIS GOLDBERG, drummer ANTON FIG, and bassist BAKITHI
KUMALO. In 1996 BELEDO toured Europe and the Caribbean with
the TROPICAL TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES featuring TITO PUENTE, CELIA CRUZ,
TITO NIEVES, CHEO FELICIANO, and an all-star line up of Latin artists.
In 2001 BELEDO
opened for MARCUS MILLER BAND. Long noted as a guitarist, pianist, and
composer, since he was a kid BELEDO performed with his group, SIDDHARTHA,
in every theatre in his hometown of Montevideo. He attended the University
School of Music in Uruguay and performed classical music recitals on the
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO and in various theatres. He was a founding member
of the first Jazz Ensemble, sponsored by the school in an effort to integrate
jazz into the traditional curriculum. .
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