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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZADAMS, George(b 29 April '40, Covington GA; d 14 Nov. '92, NYC) Tenor sax; also flute, bass clarinet. Scholarship to Clark College, Atlanta; studied reeds with Wayman Carver. Solid R&B experience with Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Bill Doggett, others; supported singers Sam Cooke, Hank Ballard; to NYC '68, worked with Flamingoes, Art Blakey; played and recorded with Roy Haynes, Gil Evans; then Charles Mingus. Albums with Mingus incl. Mingus Moves '73 (incl. own comp. 'Flowers For A Lady'); Mingus At Carnegie Hall '74; on Changes One, Changes Two LPs '74, wonderful solo on Mingus's 'Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love', delightful vocal on 'Devil Woman' created while playing opposite then-new Manhattan Transfer at Max's Kansas City: Mingus began playing a blues and said to Adams, 'You might as well go on out there and sing.' Other LPs incl. Paradise Space Shuttle '80, quintet on Dutch Timeless label; Sound Suggestions '79, sextet on ECM with Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler, Jack DeJohnette; Hand To Hand '80, Gentlemen's Agreement '83, quintets with Dannie Richmond, Jimmy Knepper, Hugh Lawson, Mike Richmond on bass; More Sightings with Marvin 'Hannibal' Peterson made live in Zurich '84. Worked with Don Pullen and Dannie Richmond in Rome '75, made two LPs there incl. Suite For Swingers; formed George Adams/Don Pullen Quartet with Richmond, Cameron Brown '79: albums All That Funk and More Funk '79 made in Milan for Palcoscenico; Don't Lose Control '75 on Soul Note; Earth Beams and Life Line '80, City Gates '83 on Timeless; two vols of Live At The Village Vanguard '83 on Soul Note; Decisions '84, Live At Montmarte '85 (with John Scofield on guitar) on Timeless; Breakdown '86 on Blue Note. Quartet worked 10--20 weeks a year, touring Europe, Japan, playing mix of hard bop, R&B: consistently satisfying drive, swing, wit. Adams's technique incl. seamless upper-register arpeggios that made the tenor sound almost like a clarinet; tracks incl. Adams's powerful title tune from City Gates; Pullen comps 'Samba For Now' (lovely ballad); 'The Necessary Blues' (or 'Thank You Mr Monk') pays dues to Thelonious, tips over into free jazz, always with soul. Adams/Pullen made duo LP Melodic Excursions '82 on Timeless; Adams worked with Gil Evans, went to Japan with him '76 after Mingus's death, played on Evans LPs '84-- 5. Toured Europe '86 with James Blood Ulmer. |