Catching Up With Tony Adamo The Miles Of Blu Interview!Part 1& 2@CriticalJazz If there is a hipper cat on the planet than Tony Adamo, I would love to meet him! A recent conversation with Tony follows: Critics label artists because it's so much easier than having to actually "think" about the artist or where they or their music comes from. so who is tony Adamo? T.A. "I am a man who leads his life with great respect for others and demands respect in return. I have lived my life with that idea as the forefront of my existence. I have lost the friendship of musicians and producers because they did not respect the direction my music was going in and wanted to consistently change it to their liking. Mike Clark believed in my music and respected its unique newness. In the music world many people say you have to earn your just dues to earn respect. This outdated way of thinking just does not lay right with me. No matter what profession you are hip to in life, if you come up with a new hip way to write something, (song, play, movie, novel, invention) on the first take, you have my respect. There are those who think that in order to earn your just dues one needs to take years to be successful. I just don't dig that concept. On the first take is what I am all about!" Hip spoken word may be the most accurate descript ion of your art. Tell us about the record and where you wanted to go. I sometimes use the term beatnik poetry as your words seem to embrace what's happening today be it music, politics etc... T.A. "The thought and direction behind MILES OF BLU (MOB) took shape many years ago. I had no idea this would be a new genre of vocal/hipspokenword. Many of the lyrics I wrote from MOB were made up in studio as I was recording. My free form hipspokenword flow turned out to be better than the lyrics I had originally written. Dig this Brent, Mike Clark to this day has no idea that I started in music as drummer. While playing drums, congas, or other percussion instruments in various bands I belonged to, I would hear words in between the licks I was putting down. I was not hearing singing, but whole sentences of spoken words between my drumming notes. I never knew what beatnik poetry was until my early twenties. When I tried to dig Kerouac and all the heavy beat hipsters, their beatnik poetry was not jiving in my head. I had to come up with my own voice without being influenced by the great beat poets, Kerouac, Ginsburg and LaMantia. I stayed away from listening to Mark Murphy's spoken word and Gil Scott Heron's political sayings. About the only cat I really dug was not a musician at all. Lenny Bruce's comic delivery set me on my path. His timing and endless free thinking riff delivery on the spot, inspired me. An example from MILES OF BLUE would be "The Power of Funky Madness." Mike and his crew laid down the music tracks for "Funky Madness" without my vocal hipspokenword. That track collected dust for six months. Mike finally ended up adding horns and guitar in studio. Mike asked me if I had any lyrics yet. I said something like "Bro I have it covered" and told him to let the music roll. What you hear is a free form riff that came to me in the moment. I was being vibed across my creative mind by Mike's drumming. The Texas Shuffle he was laying down was my guide for the hip words that flowed from me. The recording of my vocal hipspoken word on "The Power of Funky Madness" was done in one take. I have no idea where the words came from. When I finished recording I had to listen to the playback in order to write down the words because I could not remember what I said. Oh yeah baby!" Producer/drummer and all around nice guy Mike Clark carries some serious weight. What was the most important thing mike brought to the table and what did you learn as an artist from working with him? T.A. "What Mike brought to the table wa

Catching Up With Tony Adamo The Miles Of Blu Interview!Part 1& 2@CriticalJazz If there is a hipper cat on the planet than Tony Adamo, I would love to meet him! A recent conversation with Tony follows: Critics label artists because it's so much easier than having to actually "think" about the artist or where they or their music comes from. so who is tony Adamo? T.A. "I am a man who leads his life with great respect for others and demands respect in return. I have lived my life with that idea as the forefront of my existence. I have lost the friendship of musicians and producers because they did not respect the direction my music was going in and wanted to consistently change it to their liking. Mike Clark believed in my music and respected its unique newness. In the music world many people say you have to earn your just dues to earn respect. This outdated way of thinking just does not lay right with me. No matter what profession you are hip to in life, if you come up with a new hip way to write something, (song, play, movie, novel, invention) on the first take, you have my respect. There are those who think that in order to earn your just dues one needs to take years to be successful. I just don't dig that concept. On the first take is what I am all about!" Hip spoken word may be the most accurate descript ion of your art. Tell us about the record and where you wanted to go. I sometimes use the term beatnik poetry as your words seem to embrace what's happening today be it music, politics etc... T.A. "The thought and direction behind MILES OF BLU (MOB) took shape many years ago. I had no idea this would be a new genre of vocal/hipspokenword. Many of the lyrics I wrote from MOB were made up in studio as I was recording. My free form hipspokenword flow turned out to be better than the lyrics I had originally written. Dig this Brent, Mike Clark to this day has no idea that I started in music as drummer. While playing drums, congas, or other percussion instruments in various bands I belonged to, I would hear words in between the licks I was putting down. I was not hearing singing, but whole sentences of spoken words between my drumming notes. I never knew what beatnik poetry was until my early twenties. When I tried to dig Kerouac and all the heavy beat hipsters, their beatnik poetry was not jiving in my head. I had to come up with my own voice without being influenced by the great beat poets, Kerouac, Ginsburg and LaMantia. I stayed away from listening to Mark Murphy's spoken word and Gil Scott Heron's political sayings. About the only cat I really dug was not a musician at all. Lenny Bruce's comic delivery set me on my path. His timing and endless free thinking riff delivery on the spot, inspired me. An example from MILES OF BLUE would be "The Power of Funky Madness." Mike and his crew laid down the music tracks for "Funky Madness" without my vocal hipspokenword. That track collected dust for six months. Mike finally ended up adding horns and guitar in studio. Mike asked me if I had any lyrics yet. I said something like "Bro I have it covered" and told him to let the music roll. What you hear is a free form riff that came to me in the moment. I was being vibed across my creative mind by Mike's drumming. The Texas Shuffle he was laying down was my guide for the hip words that flowed from me. The recording of my vocal hipspoken word on "The Power of Funky Madness" was done in one take. I have no idea where the words came from. When I finished recording I had to listen to the playback in order to write down the words because I could not remember what I said. Oh yeah baby!" Producer/drummer and all around nice guy Mike Clark carries some serious weight. What was the most important thing mike brought to the table and what did you learn as an artist from working with him? T.A. "What Mike brought to the table wa

As the business and cultural landscape of improvisational music has evolved over the last year or two I am starting to notice a slight trend toward the inclusion of poetry and spoken word passages on some recordings and with incredibly mixed results. Tony Adamo is releasing a spoken word recording or "beatnik jazz" that is way outside my personal wheelhouse but when you toss in drummer Mike Clark, pianist Michael Wolf and horn ace Stephen "Doc" Kupka you end up with the next generation of hip. Sort of a deconstructed Miles Davis Birth Of The Cool amped up to the new millennium. Adamo is much in the same way as Miles, a visionary. Tony's unique vision has opened up yet another sub genre on the jazz family tree being commonly referred to as "HipSpokenWord." Personally I like "Beatnik Jazz" better but to each his own. Jazz / funk drummer Mike Clark is the producer and lends his prolific talents to help elevate Adamo's game to the next level. When you have the former musical director for Arsenio Hall in Michael Wolf and Tower of Power veteran "Doc" Kupka then you know people are indeed buying what you are selling. Adamo's words are powerful, topical and guaranteed to make you think while expanding your musical horizons into a well defined poetry for the culture today. "JB" kicks off and pays tribute to the hardest working man in show business while "America R We Free?" is a more personal statement involving the p.o.v of America being built on the blood sweat and tears of the middle class. While not necessarily agreeing with Adamo's politics, I would be the first to applaud his fearlessness in putting himself "out there." A former editor would often caution me on gratuitous self references but whether you are a writer or a vocal artist, a shared perspective is just that and what the audience chooses to do or make of it is strictly up to them. "Sun-Ra Rockets To Mars" has a more ambient vibe and spatial integrity reinforced by the relentless groove of producer Clark. With the exception of only a handful of traditional rap artists, most creative vocalists are lacking the substance and stamina to put an entire recording on their backs in an effort to either spread their message, music or both. Tony Adamo makes it look effortless and with a virtual all star line up he gains the freedom to let his imagination soar. Sometimes stepping outside your musical comfort zone is a good thing and Tony Adamo makes it an enlightening experience! 4 Stars for creativity and ingenuity alone! Tracks: JB; Miles Of Blu; Funkin' At The Chickn Shack; America R We Free?; BBQ; The Power Of Funky Madness; Soul Vacation; Don't Change Horses; Ain't That A Groove?"; Jack Kerouac, Jack!; Sun-Ra Rockets To Mars; What Is Hip?" The Other Side Of Time; Ticking Clock. Personnel: Tony Adamo: vocals, hipspokenword; Mike Clark: drums; Tim Ouimette: trumpet / trombone; Bill Harris: bari / alto / tenor sax; Richie Goods: bass; Delbert Bump: organ; Steve Homan: guitar; Gary Mielke: bass / keyboards; Rob Dixon: tenor / alto sax; Derrick Gardner: trumpet; Stephen "Doc" Kupka: bari sax; Brett Palm: bass; Bill Summers: percussion; Kati Mac: background vocals; Tom Guarna: guitar; Michael Wolf: piano.

Website: http://randomactrecords.com/ Music: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CMFU448/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk1 5.0 out of 5 stars Grooves Galore! A new Genre!!!, May 21, 2013 This review is from: Miles of Blu (Audio CD) Tony Adamo is a hip cat, a bad cat! His rhymes and rhythms will have you grooving for life! His words are pure truth -- He has invented an entirely new genre: "HipSpokenWord!" He sings a bit, but his main thing: The hip words. Produced by master drummer Mike Clark, of Wolff & Clark Expedition and HeadHunters fame, Tony is backed by an all-star aggregation of musicians. Players like bassist Richie Goods, trumpeter//arranger Tim Ouimette, organist Delbert Bump, pianist Michael Wolff and even Tower of Power's own funky doctor Stephen "Doc" Kupka all burn and groove on every track. Tony pays homage to James Brown ("JB"), discusses his country's ills ("America R We Free"), talks through a couple of Tower of Power tunes (a shuffling "Don't Change Horses" and the ever popular "What is Hip?"), speaks of Miles, Monk and bebop, and even zooms to Mars a la Sun-Ra! This is compelling stuff, inspired by the Beat Poets like Kerouac and Ginsberg, singer/songwriters like Gil-Scott Heron and Mark Murphy. Adamo deserves to be in their midst; he carries the torch admirably. This is thoughtful, grooving, burning music that is good for your head, your heart and your SOUL! BRAVISSIMO TONY!

JB From Tony Adamo's New Cd Miles of Blu/Street date 4/16/13 Another jazzy spoken-hop tour through the musical past—this time dedicated to James Brown. Tony Adamo, who seems to have become the undisputed heavyweight historian and champion of all things jazzy and funky, here spends only about a third of the song doing his uniquely usual thang: spoken-word-scatting on the significance and greatness of The Hardest Working Man in Show Biz. And just when you think maybe Adamo ought not ot be singing—Gotta get up! Gotta get up!—the strength and the passion—always an infectious passion, which is the key to Adamo—bursts through on “Weeellll!” And then Adamo graciously steps off, giving the spotlight up, first to guitarist Steve Homan, who lays down an especially jazzy riff (while his bandmates keep up the JB references underneath) and second to organ master Delbert Bump. Bump’s solo takes up a good half of “JB”—a really good, very impressive, and super mellifluous song. The line up for JB. Tony Adamo Vocal/Hipspokenword-wrote lyrics Mike Clark-Drums Trumpet,Trombone-Tim Ouimette Bass-Richie Goods Bari Sax-Bill Harris Organ-Delbert Bump Guitar-Steve Homan Devon Jackson has written about music and film for a variety of publications from Entertainment Weekly and The Village Voice to Rolling Stone and Details