Clifford Adams’ Resume
TALENTS:
Trombonist, Vocalist, Composer, Arranger, Producer, Educator
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
I was educated in the Trenton NJ school system where I met my musical mentor Tommy Gryce, brother of the world-renowned jazz aficionado GiGi Gryce. My instrumental and vocal skills were developed simultaneously and this has played a very large part in my overall musical evolution.
My first road tour occurred in 1970 with veteran vocalist Patti Labelle and the Bluebells. In 1971, I made my recording debut on organist Charles Earland’s “Soul Story” album and toured with him domestically through 1972. During 1973, I toured with the pop group the Stylistics. I made subsequent tours with jazz artists Lou Donaldson, Johnny Hammond Smith and Groove Holmes.
I moved to New York in 1974 where I played with jazz great Rashied Ali at Ali’s Alley. Later, I played with Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Billy Taylor, Sonny Stitt, Jackie McLean, Clark Terry,The Roy Haynes Hip Ensemble,Charlie Rouse, etc. In 1976, I performed with Woody Shaw,Max Roach, the Ellington Orchestra, which featured vocalists Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams and Sarah Vaughn. I also had the opportunity to perform with Lionel Hampton during that year and with the Thad Jones and Mel Lewis Orchestra, featuring Nancy Wilson, at Carnegie Hall. I began playing with the pop group Kool & the Gang in 1977 and the association continues to the present time.
I have performed as a guest soloist at Princeton University, Duke University, Hartford University, Rutgers University, and Adelaide University of Australia. I have also played at numerous jazz festivals including Newark, Cape May, Philadelphia, Molde Sweden, JVC, Pori, and Trenton.
I have taught Master classes at Princeton University, Yale, Rutgers, Arizona,The Peddie School, Lawrenceville Prep School, Trenton State College, Duke University, Hartford University and Rowan State College.
I appeared with Kool & the Gang on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Saturday Night Live, Solid Gold, the Jenny Jones Show, Good Morning America, the HBO special “Sinbad Jamaica Jam,” “1996 Rockin’ on New Year’s Eve” with Dick Clark, and in numerous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades.
It’s gratifying to know that my solo work on “Joanna” and “Slam Dunk – NBA at 50″ helped expose pop-infused jazz to a new era of young audiences.
Write to Clifford Adams at this address: Cleveland Brown / c/o Koolzeum / 2816 Canal Rd Miramar,Fl 33025
