Is Anybody Out There?

Haven't posted in several months and thought I'd pay a visit to the site and see if my remote posts (via my cellphone) had worked. Well, as I found out, sort of. What ended up being posted was lots of computer code but nothing resembling what I wrote. Perhaps I missed a step along the way or the technology isn't working as intended. In any event, I took it down and now catching up via my computer.

As I mentioned in my last post, I returned to Jakarta and had a great time. The event - The Java Jazz Festival - was moved to another venue within the city to accomodate a larger crowd. While it was indeed bigger, I hesitate to say it was better.

In addition to the venue being moved, the artists were also booked into a different hotel. In the past, the hotel & venue were linked by an underground walkway which made commuting to and from the venue quite easy. No such convenience this time. What was once a 15 minute walk turned into an almost 2hr. shuttle ride. Not that the new venue was that far away, it's just that the traffic was ridiculous! Though I am unsure if I will return next year, I hope the event planners will reconsider their restructuring of the arrangements and go back to what was a very efficient system.

Of course, much time has passed since then and I have been quite busy here in town with my usual assortment of gigs, sessions, reherasals, teaching and the like. I am very proud of the musical associations I've made and these past few months have provided much food for the soul. It's no mystery that Los Angeles is brimming with talented musicians; that I get to play with so many of them with such regularity is truly a blessing. As I explore the Internet and discover one great bassist after another, I hope that I continue to improve and enjoy whatever slice of the pie I am able to carve out for myself. Here's to the phone ringing!

Beth and Natalia (our 4 year old little angel) have been in NY & NJ visiting friends and relatives for the past week and a half. And, while I've enjoyed the quiet, the endless hours of baseball & movies on TV, and the time to myself upon arriving home from a gig, I am happy to be picking them up tonight at the airport and having them home. I miss my girls!

Regarding the title for this post; I'm wondering if there's anyone reading these anymore. I enjoy writing but I'm beginning to wonder to whom.

In any event, it's been a great summer of 2010. Up until the last few days the weather has been decidedly comfortable and only now do I find myself turning on the A/C. The economy has, as with most things, affected my work situation but thankfully only moderately as I seem to keep the calendar relatively full. However, not one to sit around waiting for things to happen, I'm embarking on a new career path for myself. This is not to replace my musical career but rather inject an additional flow of income from a new and, for me, a very different source. Curious? Stay tuned!

Until next time, your friendly neighborhood bassist...

--Adam

Return to Jakarta!

Can't believe it's already coming 'round but, once again, I return to Jakarta for the 2010 Java Jazz Festival. How fast the weeks and months go by!

Once again I will be joining my band mates in The Ron King Big Band for a week or so of non-stop playing, hanging, and sightseeing. In addition to the full band & quartet dates with Joel Taylor, Cho, Ron, and myself, the big band will be accompanying The Manhattan Transfer, Eric Benet, and a "Rat Pack" tribute show; all of which makes for a varied and undeniably fun time.

With this being my third consecutive year there, I've learned a few things about what to expect instrument-wise. With the prospect of bringing my own bass not within the plans or budget, I've made do with the "house bass" at the festival for the last two years and this year will be no different. While not having to schlep a double bass through airports, hotels, and buses is nice, it leaves me with an instrument that is less than desirable. One solution I've come up with is to pack a set of strings that I can slap on before our first performance. Then, after some tinkering with the bridge and amp settings, I'm hoping a reasonably musical sound will be produced. I'll report on the results.

On the home front, it's been a busy - though not incredibly lucrative - couple of months. The datebook is filled with many musically-rewarding engagements and looking around to see that I've been keeping the company of so many talented musicians is indeed inspiring.

That's all for now, I guess. Please visit my website for details on where I'll be playing and feel free to say hello.

Until next time...
--Adam

Winter 2010

Not sure if anyone still follow this blog - had a minor following during my Engelbert days - but I'm due for another post. Hope someone's out there to enjoy it.

As I write this, I marvel at the sheer volume of blogs, Podcats, articles, magazines and the like that are out there covering & addressing practically every subject under the sun. Makes it rather challenging to contribute something fresh, and worthy of the attention.

My perspective on things, though not novel, is certainly one of a field less crowded. The freelance musician occupies a space in the world that is highly visible (and/or audible) yet is often mysterious to the casual observer or listener. We peddle our wares - in this case our abilities as creative, skilled musicians - to whomever & wherever they'll have us. When I'm asked by someone what it is that I do, and I say "I'm a musician", it is often met with "Oh! What's the name of your band?". I usually reply with a smile and say that I'm not in a band, per se, but rather perform & record in various settings and that my work entails that I play a variety of music. This is sometimes met with surprise. I then try to help by pointing out that much of the music we hear in the world around us is composed & played by people who's career in music is similar to mine. We show up to a job at a specific time with other musicians we may or may not have met before, and play music we may or may not have played before, and do it with the utmost precision and musicality. Hopefully there is a fair wage to be made upon completion.

This may seem quite removed from the "Hollywood" version of the rail-thin, excitable, and chemically-altered rock musician. Let's just say we couldn't maintain careers with that state of mind or work ethic.

I sign off by expressing my gratitude for being able to have carved out at least a small piece of the pie for myself and for so many years now. As the father of a 4-year-old girl and with a family to help support, it presents more of a challenge than ever. What lies ahead is uncertain, but I will endeavor to do my best and make those who love me proud.

Until next time...
Adam

Back to Jakarta: Java Jazz Fest '09!

Hi Music Lovers,

I noticed that it's been a long time since I've posted and that my last one was exactly a year ago covering my trip and performance at the same event. Well, this year's was every bit as exciting and then some!

Naturally, I relish any opportunity to travel with great cats and make some satisfying & challenging music. This year's Java Jazz Festival came through on both counts. The performance schedule encompassed over 5 days of intense rehearsing and performing, all with the wonderful Ron King Big Band (of which I've had the pleasure of being associated with for over 3 years now).

As with last year's festival, we were contracted to back up a few other artists as well as performing a set of our own. Once again, we served up a swingin' affair with vocalst Gary Anthony whose tribute to Frank Sinatra just gets better and better. Also in the schedule was a quartet show which paired the rhythm section (Jamey Tate/drums, Cho Yeung Soon/piano, and of course yours truly on bass) with our leader the terrific Ron King on trumpet. We played several of Ron's contemporary-sounding compositions to a very appreciative audience. Ultimately though, the highlight for me was the thrill of backing up the masterful vocal group The New York Voices.

I cannot do justice in words to describe how truly fantastic they (the NYV) were! Complex, inventive, and fresh-sounding arrangements coupled with some of the richest vocal harmonies I've ever heard were the order of the day. We had one rehearsal before the big concert and, as I somehow knew we would, we nailed it! Kudos to my immensely talented colleagues & friends in the Ron King Big Band for rising to the occasion and making me honored to be part of such a fine group.

On a somewhat personal note, I had the thrill as a composer to have one of my tunes, "The Road Home", from my last album Ritual, played during our band set. Special thanks to Bill Fulton for doing such a fine arrangement and bringing it to life in a big band setting as only he can. And, thanks to Ron for generously including it in an already crowded repertoire of wonderful tunes & arrangements.

So much more to share but I'll save that for future postings as I try to check in with a bit more regularity. So now, I'm back in L.A. doing that thing I do (what exactly is that, anyway?) and basking in the warm glow of family, friends, and a healthy amount of work.

Until next time, your friendly neighborhood bassist...

--Adam

Jakarta - March 2008

Dateline: Monday, 3/10, 7:17am - Well folks, back on the road again; this time, Jakarta, Indonesia with the Ron King Big Band. We've spent a little over a week here performing in & around the Java Jazz Festival. The festival, held at a  massive  convention center  in downtown  Jakarta, is the fourth such one they've had here and appears to be growing in popularity (both with fans and performers). This year's lineup included Jeff Lorber, The Manahattan Transfer, Lee Ritenour, The Crusaders (with Steve Gadd!), and many others.

The big band got busy almost from day one. In addition to performing our own music, we had been chosen to back up two other artists with quite different but equally satisfying acts. A fellow from Las Vegas, Gary Anthony, did a tribute to Frank Sinatra that was a real gas to play. The charts were very accurate takedowns of many of his classic arrangements and, as I expected, the band played the hell out of them. What a treat to be sharing the stage with such fine musicians! Mining similar territory but perhaps a different vein was singer Renee Olstead; a very young & talented vocalist riding the current wave of youthful jazz & swing performers. She sang  tunes very much from the American songbook with one notable exception - a tune she composed - that was really a nice tune. It was encouraging to see someone step outside of the box a little and present something new.

In addition to all that, Ron broke off the rhythm section to do a couple of shows as a quartet. A nice thing as it allowed the four of us to stretch out a bit in ways the big band repertoire doesn't allow. I must mention at this point the incredible musicianship of my cohorts in the rhythm section; Cho (as he's known) on piano, and Jamey Tate on drums. These guys really can play just about anything and do it with the ultimate in musicality.

The festival reminded me of the North Sea Jazz Festival in it's gargantuan production with several venues simultaneously presenting various performances under one roof. That is to say, not in the same hall but all within the confines of the convention center. Despite the separation of various-sized rooms & halls, it can get a bit cacophonous and can be - with the enormous crowds - a real assault on the senses. I began to wonder what was really the attraction; the music or the "scene" itself as it reminded me ofa really crowded shopping mall where, with no real intent involved, people just go to hang out.

I can't say much about Jakarta itself as I rarely ventured outside the hotel. Partly because I didn't see much that compelled me and partly because the promoters themselves, all locals, suggested we don't. I took that as a good piece of advice.

We ended our run here backing the Sinatra guy last night in one of the larger venues. It was literally a foot race to get seats when they opened the doors. You'd think Frank himself was appearing! The band, undoubtedly feeling just a little beat up after such a busy rehearsal & performance schedule, rose to the occasion and served up the kind of swinging affair that we all knew was called for. The crowd - with many of the women in semi-traditional Muslim head dress - sang along with several of the tunes and cheered wildly for every song. It was really great. We ended with My Way (naturally) and, for an encore we did New York, New York (naturally). As I looked out upon this huge crowd singing along, smiles on their faces, I couldn't help wondering how many of them cheered when the planes hit.

I am excited to be heading home after a truly enjoyable and rewarding musical experience. I think (I hope) it's made me a better musician.

Until next time...

Your friendly neighborhood bassist,
Adam

Winter 2008

It's been some time since my last entry and with spring approaching I thought it fitting that I put some things "on paper" before the last gasp of winter.

While I am by no means gracing the covers of any major music publications, I am happy to report that 2008 has started off where '07 left off; with a flurry of work. Club gigs, concerts, some nice session work, and an upcoming tour, all have served to keep me satisfied and filled with anticipation for what lies ahead.

My group, the Adam Cohen Band, received a wonderful review in the L.A. Jazz Scene for its performance at La Ve Lee (a local jazz venue). It was extremely gratifying to see everyone in the band spoken of so highly. Not that I needed the confirmation, but it simply reaffirmed what I already knew; I've got a terrific group of musicians playing with me!

In March I will be traveling to Indonesia for a jazz festival there. In addition to  my performances with the Buddy Childers Big Band (under the direction of Ron King) will be a couple of quartet dates and a show with vocalist Renee Olstead. I look forward to visiting what, for me, is a new place. When I was touring with Engelbert, we had Indonesia on the schedule but it was cancelled due to what was, at that time, a security concern. Nevertheless, I will not be drinking the water. Can you brush your teeth with Scotch?

On that note, I will make this brief and say so long. Stay tuned for reports from the road as I once again make my way through Asia!

Your friendly neighborhood bassist,
Adam

Fall 2007

I'll resist the urge to open up with a line from "Autumn Leaves" and just say hello and trust a good summer was had by all. It certainly was the case for me as an enjoyable European tour was followed by a busy schedule of concerts, club work, and a few extremely satisfying recording sessions.

August saw the release of Christina Linhardt's new album "Voodoo Princess". I played electric bass throughout and enjoyed finding the answers to musical questions posed by a rather electic mix of material. It was produced by my friend, saxophonist Dr. Bruce Eskovitz. For more information visit: www.voodooprincessmusic.com

Speaking of Bruce, I was happy to play on his just completed forthcoming album of the Bruce Eskovitz Jazz Orchestra entitled "Invitation". I played both acoustic & electric bass and have a couple of solos on there that I felt pretty good about. One was on the Freddie Hubbard classic "Red Clay" which was sort of a stop-time section where I had eight-bar phrases by myself in between the band hits. It was a creative challenge to keep the time moving and yet maintain some harmonic interest as well. I think I partially succeeded. The other was on a very slow swing number by Bruce reminiscent of the old Basie tunes that had that wonderful laid-back groove. It had some nice meaty changes to dig in to and I did my best to keep things firmly in the pocket. Look for a December release. (Label and points of purchase TBA).

Also finished are three tracks for Bill Fulton's new album which had the wonderful Gary Novak on drums. Gary has played with, among many others, Chick Corea (he was in the second edition of the Elektric Band) and the late Bob Berg. It was some very challenging music made relatively easy by Gary's terrific feel and sharply tuned musical instincts. A memorable session indeed.

Upcoming is the October 18th performance at La Ve Lee of my group, The Adam Cohen Band. I'm very excited and have already begun sketching out some new material and choosing what to play from my book. I've got a great lineup - Rob Hardt/sax, Bill Fulton/keys, and Dave Derge/drums - and can't wait to begin rehearsals early next month.

On the home front, Beth & Iare taking a brief 4-day trip to Boston with our daughter Natalia. It will be her first plane ride! Drinks all around though I expect it to be a smoother experience than my nightmarish imaginations would suggest. Natalia is simply delightful (see photo) and brings more joy, surprises, and discoveries into our home with each passing day.
     

Finally, I am feeling particularly blessed by the presence & good health of my Dad, who continues to be the paradigm for everything I aspire to be as a man and as a father, and my beautiful and talented companion Beth who is the best mother, lover, and friend I could ever wish for.

That's it for now music fans. Until next time...

--Adam