Artist: Tony Adamo
CD Title: What is Hip?
Record Label: Strokeland Records
Buy CD: www.strokeland.com
FREE MP3 Download
Tony Adamo
Tony Adamo has a warm deep voice, has a style containing equal parts soul and swing, and he performs music that is difficult to categorize. His music is both funky and bluesy yet it has the unpredictability of jazz along with grooves from the more creative side of vintage r&b.
But then again, how does one describe Les McCann’s singing? Adamo explores some of the same areas at times, particularly on the opener “Cold Duck Time.” During what is probably the first vocal version ever of the song made famous by McCann and Eddie Harris at the 1968 Montreux Jazz Festival, Adamo contributes words that change the song into “Groove On Line” while retaining the same joyful groove of the original.
Tony Adamo is joined by several overlapping groups throughout this disc and there is fine playing by guitarist Jerry Stucker, Neil Larsen on organ and piano, tenor-saxophonist Melicio Magdaluyo and a few members of Tower of Power. Much of the time Adamo functions as a lead instrument, being part of the band rather than a stand-alone vocalist. There are times when he recalls Ben Sidran, a hipper Michael Franks and even Mark Murphy, but in general he simply sounds like himself.
In addition to the lyrics of “Cold Duck Time,” Tony Adamo co-wrote six of the songs with Stucker. Along with his originals (“Love Don’t Get” is particularly catchy), the repertoire includes such intriguing numbers as Grover Washington Jr.’s “Make Me A Memory,” “What Is Hip,” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Rio de Janeiro Blue.”
The interaction between the singer and the horn section is frequently infectious, the quality of the music is consistently high, and it always grooves. It quickly becomes apparent that in the gray area between jazz, r&b and soul, Tony Adamo is one of the top voices. What Is Hip? is easily recommended.
Scott Yanow, author of The Jazz Singers, Trumpet Kings, Jazz On Film and Jazz On Record 1917-76 http://www.scottyanow.com
"In 2016, where an always-connected generation screams for attention through new, often contrived definitions of “cool” and surprisingly predictable proclamations of uniqueness, singer and spoken word artist Tony Adamo arrives seemingly from nowhere as a true anachronism: a performer who is authentically “cool” in a timeless, almost reckless way that almost no popular artist today can match." SOULTRACKS
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Singer Tony Adamo on EJN Music Playlist
Singer Tony Adamo's Download Music Stats on EJNMusicSampler
http://www.ejazznews.com/ejnsampler/
This Time It's Real - EJN Music Sampler # 15-Nov -5-2010 - 2,724 Downloads
What Is Hip? - EJN Music Sampler # 20-Jan 17-2011 - 2,857 Downloads
Eleanor Rigby - EJN Music Sampler # 20-Jan 17-2011 - 2,900 Downloads
http://www.strokeland.com/StrokelandJazz/TonyAdamo/Tracks/TonyAdamo-Tracks.htm
http://usnewjazz.com/newmusic/TonyAdamo/TonyAdamoPage.html
http://www.ejazznews.com/ejnsampler/
This Time It's Real - EJN Music Sampler # 15-Nov -5-2010 - 2,724 Downloads
What Is Hip? - EJN Music Sampler # 20-Jan 17-2011 - 2,857 Downloads
Eleanor Rigby - EJN Music Sampler # 20-Jan 17-2011 - 2,900 Downloads
http://www.strokeland.com/StrokelandJazz/TonyAdamo/Tracks/TonyAdamo-Tracks.htm
http://usnewjazz.com/newmusic/TonyAdamo/TonyAdamoPage.html
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Singer Tony Adamo by muzikreviews
Artist:Tony Adamo
Title:What Is Hip?
Genre:Jazz
Label:Independent
Release Date:2011
Product Link:http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tonyadamo3/from/muzikman
Website:http://www.myspace.com/tonyrocadamo
Source Link:http://www.muzikreviews.com/reviews.php?ID=1448
Tony Adamo has a voice that sounds like what you would get if you put Dr. John, Lou Rawls, and Mark Murphy into a bomb shelter with a mad Dr. and presented him the challenge of harmonizing their voices into one. After a few experiments in blending I believe the final version would sound exactly like Tony Adamo. His voice is ultra-cool and makes you feel cool just listening to the red hot jazz funk with a heavy dose of groove he is laying down. On his new album, What is Hip? He creates a standard of great music that raises the bar high above the heads of the followers in this genre.
Tony’s version of the Tower of Power classic “What is Hip” is on fire. It is amazingly cool and funked up beatnik style. He has picked the perfect song for his voice to cover here and knocks it out of the park and into another park where it immediately scores a grand slam. Anyone who covers this song needs to listen to this and think about what they are going to do and if they can push the bar higher than Tony has. “Nine Miles of Blues” opens perfectly with an organ that only makes Tony’s voice sound cool and smooth like frozen vodka bite size ice cubes. The horns that bring up the background are just enough and never overshadow as some horns can.
Covering the Beatles is like walking in quicksand with lead filled snow shoes, most who try never make it across. Tony takes a stab at the walk with a cover of “Eleanor Rigby”. It works because Tony doesn’t take the standard route in covering a song. He reinterprets this song with a rocked up jazzy vibe that doesn’t come across as a cover version but instead comes across as simply another version. Tony makes it across the quicksand by simply being cool enough to be himself. “Rio De Janerio Blues” is like a cool breeze as you sit on the balcony of a beautiful house that looks out onto a perfect sunset gently going into the ocean. It is so relaxing and laidback with its hints of organ and whispered backup vocals that just invite you to pull your hat down a bit lower and let your mind drift away. This album is made for relaxing and just feeling good about your ability to hear. You’ve heard of brain food, well this is ear food and feel free to help yourself to seconds.
4.5/5 Stars
Key Tracks-Rio De Janerio Blue, Cold Duck Time (Get Your Groove On Line), What Is Hip?
Doug Morrissey- Muzikreviews.com Staff
February 21, 2011
©MuzikReviews.com
Title:What Is Hip?
Genre:Jazz
Label:Independent
Release Date:2011
Product Link:http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tonyadamo3/from/muzikman
Website:http://www.myspace.com/tonyrocadamo
Source Link:http://www.muzikreviews.com/reviews.php?ID=1448
Tony Adamo has a voice that sounds like what you would get if you put Dr. John, Lou Rawls, and Mark Murphy into a bomb shelter with a mad Dr. and presented him the challenge of harmonizing their voices into one. After a few experiments in blending I believe the final version would sound exactly like Tony Adamo. His voice is ultra-cool and makes you feel cool just listening to the red hot jazz funk with a heavy dose of groove he is laying down. On his new album, What is Hip? He creates a standard of great music that raises the bar high above the heads of the followers in this genre.
Tony’s version of the Tower of Power classic “What is Hip” is on fire. It is amazingly cool and funked up beatnik style. He has picked the perfect song for his voice to cover here and knocks it out of the park and into another park where it immediately scores a grand slam. Anyone who covers this song needs to listen to this and think about what they are going to do and if they can push the bar higher than Tony has. “Nine Miles of Blues” opens perfectly with an organ that only makes Tony’s voice sound cool and smooth like frozen vodka bite size ice cubes. The horns that bring up the background are just enough and never overshadow as some horns can.
Covering the Beatles is like walking in quicksand with lead filled snow shoes, most who try never make it across. Tony takes a stab at the walk with a cover of “Eleanor Rigby”. It works because Tony doesn’t take the standard route in covering a song. He reinterprets this song with a rocked up jazzy vibe that doesn’t come across as a cover version but instead comes across as simply another version. Tony makes it across the quicksand by simply being cool enough to be himself. “Rio De Janerio Blues” is like a cool breeze as you sit on the balcony of a beautiful house that looks out onto a perfect sunset gently going into the ocean. It is so relaxing and laidback with its hints of organ and whispered backup vocals that just invite you to pull your hat down a bit lower and let your mind drift away. This album is made for relaxing and just feeling good about your ability to hear. You’ve heard of brain food, well this is ear food and feel free to help yourself to seconds.
4.5/5 Stars
Key Tracks-Rio De Janerio Blue, Cold Duck Time (Get Your Groove On Line), What Is Hip?
Doug Morrissey- Muzikreviews.com Staff
February 21, 2011
©MuzikReviews.com
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Singer Tony Adamo reviewed by USNewJazz.com
USNewJazz.com Review
Tony Adamo
http://www.usnewjazz.com/newmusic/TonyAdamo/TonyAdamoPage.html
A beat poet for the new generation? Or a jazz-funk crooner? Take your pick. I think that either one of these characterizations could easily describe Tony Adamo. Tony comes to USNewJazz.com with two tracks from his recently released CD – “What is Hip”
“What is Hip?”
When I first heard this cover of the Tower of Power song from 1973, it brought back memories of other spoken word songs. However, Tony’s offering is not as “gimmicky” as these other songs. There is a strong sense of cool sophistication in the way he delivers the lyrics. It doesn’t hurt that he has a set of smooth pipes. It also doesn’t hurt that a great group of musicians that add so much to this song backs him. A special “thumbs up” to Sandy Griffith, whose background vocals give this song a real (for lack of a better reference) “Motown Feel”.
“Cold Duck Time”
Tony does a laid-back and funky version of this Eddie Harris and Les McCann song from their 1969 album - “Swiss Movement”. On this track, Tony shows (once again) his smooth vocals. Melecio Magdalugo on sax is a great foil for Tony’s vocals. Neil Larsen on organ brings an undercurrent of soul to the party. This is without a doubt a fine tribute to one of jazz’s classic tracks.
Jeff’s Favorite: “What is Hip?”
Jeff’s Final Thought: For me, Tony’s renditions conjure up visions of the classic “cocktail party”. Others have called his music a combination of the big band and sound with a seasoned Vegas lounge singer. I agree with those comparisons. However, it is much more than that for me. Taking a quick tour of this CD, you will find a number of good versions of classic songs. Some of the standouts include “Make a Memory”, “Calling” and an interesting version of the Beatles “Eleanor Rigby”. The combination of smooth vocals, spoken word and, solid arrangements make this album complete.
I am really having a hard time thinking of contemporary comparisons for Tony. I think that he is without a true equal. Others have said that you could compare him to Tom Jones or Lou Rawls. I’ll throw Dean Martin into that mix. Still, there really is no comparison.
Jeff Niziol
e-mail: USNewJazzJeff@hotmail.com
February - 2011
Tony Adamo
http://www.usnewjazz.com/newmusic/TonyAdamo/TonyAdamoPage.html
A beat poet for the new generation? Or a jazz-funk crooner? Take your pick. I think that either one of these characterizations could easily describe Tony Adamo. Tony comes to USNewJazz.com with two tracks from his recently released CD – “What is Hip”
“What is Hip?”
When I first heard this cover of the Tower of Power song from 1973, it brought back memories of other spoken word songs. However, Tony’s offering is not as “gimmicky” as these other songs. There is a strong sense of cool sophistication in the way he delivers the lyrics. It doesn’t hurt that he has a set of smooth pipes. It also doesn’t hurt that a great group of musicians that add so much to this song backs him. A special “thumbs up” to Sandy Griffith, whose background vocals give this song a real (for lack of a better reference) “Motown Feel”.
“Cold Duck Time”
Tony does a laid-back and funky version of this Eddie Harris and Les McCann song from their 1969 album - “Swiss Movement”. On this track, Tony shows (once again) his smooth vocals. Melecio Magdalugo on sax is a great foil for Tony’s vocals. Neil Larsen on organ brings an undercurrent of soul to the party. This is without a doubt a fine tribute to one of jazz’s classic tracks.
Jeff’s Favorite: “What is Hip?”
Jeff’s Final Thought: For me, Tony’s renditions conjure up visions of the classic “cocktail party”. Others have called his music a combination of the big band and sound with a seasoned Vegas lounge singer. I agree with those comparisons. However, it is much more than that for me. Taking a quick tour of this CD, you will find a number of good versions of classic songs. Some of the standouts include “Make a Memory”, “Calling” and an interesting version of the Beatles “Eleanor Rigby”. The combination of smooth vocals, spoken word and, solid arrangements make this album complete.
I am really having a hard time thinking of contemporary comparisons for Tony. I think that he is without a true equal. Others have said that you could compare him to Tom Jones or Lou Rawls. I’ll throw Dean Martin into that mix. Still, there really is no comparison.
Jeff Niziol
e-mail: USNewJazzJeff@hotmail.com
February - 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Singer Tony Adamo's Funkn' Soul Music
"Tony Adamo is funk, soul and a rockin good time.
Think of his music as a cross between Lou Rawls and the Temptations singing "Papa Was A Rolling Stone."
http://www.ussmoothjazz.com/
http://usnewjazz.com/newmusic/TonyAdamo/TonyAdamoPage.html
Think of his music as a cross between Lou Rawls and the Temptations singing "Papa Was A Rolling Stone."
http://www.ussmoothjazz.com/
http://usnewjazz.com/newmusic/TonyAdamo/TonyAdamoPage.html
Monday, February 7, 2011
UrbanZone Records Release of Tony Adamo’s WHAT IS HIP CD
UrbanZone Records Release of Tony Adamo’s WHAT IS HIP CD
Fred Harris
Los Angeles, CA
The recording of the song “What is Hip” on singer/songwriter, Tony Adamo’s new CD (entitled WHAT IS HIP) came from a suggestion made by the legendary horn player and Tower of Power co-founder, Stephen “Doc” Kupka. During a recording session with Adamo and his producer/guitarist, Jerry Stucker, “Doc” suggested several TOP songs Adamo might want to cover. Adamo choose “What is Hip” and “This Time it’s Real.” Kupka, along with jazz great, Eddie Henderson hold up the horn section on “Hip.” In the re-grooved “This Time It’s Real,” Mic Gillette, funk icon in his own right, wrote the horn arrangement and plays (trumpet & trombone) along with TOP horn member, Tom E. Poltzer (tenor sax). Poltzer plays lead solo with “Doc” Kupka on bari sax.
Talk about a kool struttin’ and soul funkin’ sound. Adamo is deep in the groove on these two Tower of Power hits. Producer/guitarist, Jerry Stucker loaded up the WHAT IS HIP CD with big city cool. Some of these great players include: Mike Clark (drums), Steve Gadd (drums), James Gadson (drums), Reggie McBride (bass), Richie Goods (bass), Freddie Washington (bass), Bill Summers (percussion), Robert Quintana (percussion), Blackbyrd McNight (guitar), Jerry Stucker (guitar), Neil Larsen (organ/piano), Rodney Franklin (piano), Melecio Magdaluyo (tenor sax/flute), Henry Hung (trumpet/trombone), and Sandy Griffith (background vocals).
Can you dig Adamo’s new conception of voice n’ funk with an infectious slice of soul? Get hip to WHAT IS HIP and be “souled” on the thirteen songs on his new CD.
WHAT IS HIP MP3’s are now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tonyadamo3 and hard copies will be available at www.strokeland.com and CDBABY soon.
www.horndrivenradio.com will add songs into radio play.
Fred Harris
Los Angeles, CA
The recording of the song “What is Hip” on singer/songwriter, Tony Adamo’s new CD (entitled WHAT IS HIP) came from a suggestion made by the legendary horn player and Tower of Power co-founder, Stephen “Doc” Kupka. During a recording session with Adamo and his producer/guitarist, Jerry Stucker, “Doc” suggested several TOP songs Adamo might want to cover. Adamo choose “What is Hip” and “This Time it’s Real.” Kupka, along with jazz great, Eddie Henderson hold up the horn section on “Hip.” In the re-grooved “This Time It’s Real,” Mic Gillette, funk icon in his own right, wrote the horn arrangement and plays (trumpet & trombone) along with TOP horn member, Tom E. Poltzer (tenor sax). Poltzer plays lead solo with “Doc” Kupka on bari sax.
Talk about a kool struttin’ and soul funkin’ sound. Adamo is deep in the groove on these two Tower of Power hits. Producer/guitarist, Jerry Stucker loaded up the WHAT IS HIP CD with big city cool. Some of these great players include: Mike Clark (drums), Steve Gadd (drums), James Gadson (drums), Reggie McBride (bass), Richie Goods (bass), Freddie Washington (bass), Bill Summers (percussion), Robert Quintana (percussion), Blackbyrd McNight (guitar), Jerry Stucker (guitar), Neil Larsen (organ/piano), Rodney Franklin (piano), Melecio Magdaluyo (tenor sax/flute), Henry Hung (trumpet/trombone), and Sandy Griffith (background vocals).
Can you dig Adamo’s new conception of voice n’ funk with an infectious slice of soul? Get hip to WHAT IS HIP and be “souled” on the thirteen songs on his new CD.
WHAT IS HIP MP3’s are now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tonyadamo3 and hard copies will be available at www.strokeland.com and CDBABY soon.
www.horndrivenradio.com will add songs into radio play.
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