Paul Adams (musician)
| Paul Adams | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 27, 1951 Kokomo, Indiana, United States |
| Genres | New-age, world fusion, fingerstyle guitar |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, producer, music therapist, writer, luthier |
| Instruments | Guitar, Native American flute, keyboards, percussion, banjo |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | Lakefront |
| Website |
www |
Paul Adams (born August 1951) is an American musician, writer and musical instrument builder.
Early career
Adams began his foray into the arts by making stringed musical instruments such as guitars, banjos, basses, and dulcimers after he was introduced to the craft as an ethnomusicology student under Dr. Joel Maring at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.[1] Adams has been commissioned to build instruments by Daryl Hall, members of Stevie Wonder's band as well as other well known musicians.[2]
Composing
In the 1980s, Adams decided to start composing music and got a label deal with Nature Recordings/World Disc (now defunct). His first album, Various Waves, was placed in the Top Five of the Year by the syndicated Radio Show Musical Starstreams in the 1990s.[1] The Metro Silicon Valley stated that "Adams is perhaps the most important New Age musician since George Winston."[3]
Adams left the label after his first release in order to produce music in genres other than New Age. He spent some time working with John Golden of Centerfield Productions, whose main focus was the band jazz band Steps Ahead. Centerfield (now defunct) re-released Adams' second album, Wonder Dancing on Global Bop. After Centerfield folded, Adams took back control of his music.
In Tower Records' Pulse!, John Diliberto, the host of the Echoes radio program, called Adams' guitar playing on Wonder Dancing on Global Bop "Willfully eclectic with scintillating fretwork immersed in Latin African rhythms."
Adams' eight other album titles would fit in genres such as jazz, world fusion, acoustic, ambient, and eclectic.
Producing
Adams also works as a producer and was part of the production team that released independent music titles by David Hoffman, the trumpet soloist and occasional arranger for The Ray Charles Orchestra until Charles' death. Adams started a sideline band called THE NEURONS with Hoffman that focused on more aggressive and exotic improvised ethnic music designed to work with multimedia. They worked extensively with The Illinois Ballet and live dance.[4]
Hobbies
Adams is also a poet and has utilized poetic readings in some of his music. He has also worked as a writer on various subjects such as mental health issues, as well as philosophical and spiritual topics. He has interviewed such artists as Tony Levin and Kazu Matsui[5] for various independent publications.
Adams cites his experience working in the mental health profession along with his music as being his deepest artistic influence.
Discography
- Various Waves
- Wonder Dancing on Global Bop
- A View From the Plain
- The Property of Water
- In the Land Where I Come From
- This Christmas
- Flute Meditations For Dreaming Clouds
- Heavens
- Dance
Played on:
- Wet Dark and Low by Kit Watkins
- From Energy to Stillness by David Hoffman
- Christmas in Your Heart by David Hoffman
- The Web Craig Peyton
References
- 1 2 "Paul Adams Bio". Paul Adams. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
- ↑ http://www.jazzreview.com/article/review-7746.html
- ↑ "Music Discovery Network". Musicdiscoveries.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ↑ "The Neurons – Dance". Smooth-jazz.de. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ↑ "AMP, Alternate Music Press, The Multimedia Journal of New Music". Alternatemusicpress.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.