“It quickly becomes apparent that in the gray area between jazz, R&B, and soul, Tony Adamo is one of the top voices.”

“It quickly becomes apparent that in the gray area between jazz, R&B, and soul, Tony Adamo is one of the top voices.” Scott Yanow, Author of the Jazz Singers " Tony Adamo is like Lou Rawls fronting Tower of Power..." Stuart Hamilton, Amazon.co.uk Though Tony Adamo was born in San Francisco, he has strong family ties to the Bronx and Brooklyn New York and has spent much time on both coasts. Adamo has done a little bit of it all in the entertainment industry from attending the Actors Studio in New York City, being a Hollywood agent, radio DJ, radio commercial writer, voiceover artist, to a studio utility man who worked on movies and TV shows for MGM Studios, Culver City, California. All of these enriching career experiences helped Adamo realize what his life’s path would be…music. Adamo’s first break in the music industry came as a lead singer when he hooked up with a San Francisco Bay Area rock band. As the lead singer in a rock band, he performed on the Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe music circuits. Needing a day gig to make ends meet, he became an explosive handler at Concord Naval Weapons Station in Concord California. His boss was Bill Pesci, brother of Academy Award winning actor, Joe Pesci. While working at Concord Naval Weapons Station, Adamo recorded his first CD, WHEN LOVE COMES OVER YOU, on UrbanZone Records. When the gulf war (Desert Storm/Desert Shield) began, Adamo volunteered as a bomb-tech/explosive handler civilian to work for the Army, Navy, and Marines. It was during his deployment to the Gulf War that he wrote many of the songs and lyrics that would be on his future CD’s over the next twenty years. Concord Naval Weapons Station was beginning a close down so Adamo was transferred to the Marine Base at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California. His singing career took an expected turn when he connected with former members of Tower of Power, Mic Gillette and Skip Mesquite at a Bay Area recording session. Tony, Mic and Skip became fast friends. Mic and Skip played on three songs on his next CD, DANCE OF LOVE, on UrbanZone Records, which was recorded while working at Camp Pendleton. Mic wrote the horn arrangements for the songs and also brought in the co-founder of Tower of Power, Stephen ‘Doc’ Kupka to fill out the horn section. Adamo moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area where in 2007 he recorded his third CD, STRAIGHT UP DEAL on UrbanZone Records. This album marks the evolution of Adamo’s new hip/funk, spoken word style. Again, Mic Gillette, Skip Mesquite and Doc Kupka held up the horn section. The mixing and mastering on STRAIGHT UP DEAL, done by Al Schmitt and Ron McMasters of Capitol Mastering is nothing short of world-class. Between the recording of STRAINGHT UP DEAL and WHAT IS HIP, one of the songs Adamo wrote while at Camp Pendleton Marine Base, “Hey Lou,” was picked up by Herbie Hancock and the Headhunter’s, original base player, Paul Jackson. Jackson featured “Hey Lou” on his FUNK ON A STICK CD on Backdoor Records. In 2009 Adamo’s new hip/funk spoken word style was continuing to evolve on his fourth CD, WHAT IS HIP on UrbanZone Records. The recording of the song “What is Hip” on Adamo's new CD came from a suggestion made by Tower of Power (TOP) co-founder, Stephen ‘Doc’ Kupka. Doc suggested several TOP songs, “What is Hip,” and “This Time it’s Real,” that Adamo did cover on WHAT IS HIP CD. Doc brought in Tom E. Poltizer of TOP to fill out the horn section with which consisted of Doc, Mic and Tom. Both STRAIGHT UP DEAL and WHAT IS HIP CDs can be purchased on Doc Kupka’s Strokeland Records under Strokeland Jazz. In the summer of 2011 legendary drummer, Mike Clark (Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters) recorded with Adamo on a new cover of Tower of Power’s “Soul Vaccination.” It was at this session a music alliance was formed between the two and Clark became the music producer for Adamo’s new CD, MILES OF BLU. Clark had played on Adamo’s previous CDs. To complete the mix, Clark brought on board Tim Ouimette, the very talented and highly respected musician, trumpet player, big band leader and music arranger. Ouimette worked with Ray Charles for many years. As music industry insiders who have listened to some of the new cuts off MILES OF BLU have commented, this trio has come up with a fresh new sound in vocal/hip-spoken word laced with a funk musical attitude. Tim Ouimette said, “This project is so original and bluesy groovin’ and is sending all the right messages. I am just really happy to be involved.” Late in 2012, Scott Elias, owner or Random Act Records heard Adamo’s new music and signed him as a Random Act Artist. MILES OF BLU will be released by Random Act Record on May/20/ 2013. Artist’s that have recorded on Tony Adamo’s music: Tower of Power Horns: Stephen "Doc" Kupka, Mic Gillette, Skip Mesquite, Tom Politzer The Headhunters: Mike Clark, Paul Jackson, Blackbyrd McKnight, Rob Dixon, Gary Mielke, Bill Summers, Richie Goods, Jazz Greats: Eddie Henderson, Ernie Watts, Steve Gadd, James Gadson, Kenneth Nash, Neil Larsen, Freddie Washington, Delbert Bump, Derrick Gardner, Tim Ouimette, Bill Harris, Michael Wolff