Smederij Jazz – 09-01-2024 – ADAM CRUZ drums, BARRY GREEN piano, JORIS TEEPE bass

Drummer, composer, and educator Adam Cruz was born in New York City and has been a vital creative force on the international jazz scene. He leads his own group, is an integral part of renowned pianist Danilo Perez’s trio, and regularly works with artists such as Tom Harrell, The Mingus Big Band, Joey Calderazzo, Chris Potter, Steve Wilson and Edward Simon. Adam currently  teaches at CCNY and the Berklee Global Jazz Institute.

As a drummer, Adam represents a unique place in the American jazz lineage. His mixed ethnic background informs his playing in ways that transcend easy stylistic categorization. The wealth of his rhythmic knowledge, his deep sense of swing, and his knowledge of Latin American rhythms, all coalesce into his personal sound, giving his playing a powerful depth and a rare and distinctive musicality.

Adam first emerged professionally in the early 1990’s, performing and recording extensively with saxophonist David Sanchez and the Charles Mingus Big Band. He toured with pianist Chick Corea, recording Origin – A Week at the Blue Note. He spent the end of that decade touring as a duo with guitarist Charlie Hunter, and then began his long-term association with pianist Danilo Perez in 2000, along with bassist Ben Street. He was first introduced to music by his father Ray Cruz, a renowned New York-born percussionist of Puerto Rican heritage. Adam later studied at Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts and The New School for Social Research, where he received his BFA and his teachers included Joe Chambers, Keith Copland, Kenny Washington, Frank Malabe, Victor Lewis, Lewis Nash and Portinho. In 2010, he was awarded a grant from the ACFM to record Milestone, his much anticipated-debut recording as a composer and bandleader. Milestone was released in 2011 on Sunnyside Records to great critical acclaim by the Los Angeles Times, Downbeat Magazine, and Jazz Times among others. The New York Times described the album as “Informed by several strains of Latin music but just as meaningfully by brisk post-bop and lyrically minded free jazz… featuring intricately shifting counterpoint” and “brilliant surging solos.”

Throughout his illustrious career as a drummer, Adam has toured and recorded with artists as diverse as Danilo Perez, Tom Harrell, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Pharaoh Sanders, John Patitucci, Eddie Palmieri, Joanne Braackeen, Chris Potter, Edward Simon, Steve Wilson, Charlie Hunter, and Lee Konitz. He continues to maintain a busy performing and teaching schedule, sharing his talent, knowledge and experience with appreciative fans all over the world.

---

About Barry…

Barry studied classical and jazz piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and now plays regularly in jazz venues all over the UK, including Ronnie Scotts, Pizza Express Dean Street, the 606 Club, The Wigmore hall, The purcell room and The Vortex. He has also played internationally in clubs and festivals in Germany, Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, Sweden, Norway, Croatia, Turkey, Italy and France. He has headlined at the Cork jazz festival with the Charles McPherson qrt, the Berlin jazz festival with Ingrid laubrock and in 2014 appeared at the North Sea Jazz festival with the Ian Shaw qrt.

Some musicians with whom he has performed and recorded with include: Dave Friesen, Bobby Watson, Perico Sambeat, Charles McPherson, Deborah Brown, Ben Street, Drew Gress, Chris Cheek, Martin Speake, Bobby Wellins, Ian Shaw, Anita Wardell, Tina May, Jean Toussaint, Tom Rainey, Christine Tobin, Adam Kolker, Marc Miralta, Gerald Cleaver, Anders Christiansson, Ingrid Laubrock, Richie Cole, Jim Snidero, Jeff Williams, Stan Sulzmann, Us3, Henry Lowther, Julian Argeulles and Bill McHenry

Barry has toured the Uk, France, Germany as a member of Ingrid Laubrock’s quintet, Laubrock’s two-piano nonet (featuring Tom Rainey and Liam Noble)also performed at Cheltenham Jazz festival and Berlin Jazz Festival. Barry has also headlined the Cheltenham jazz festival as part of bassist Larry Bartley’s trio (with Winston Clifford), and Larry’s Octet. He has toured Spain with the Pete King qrt, and the Charles McPerson qrt. And extensively toured Sweden with Emila Martensson.

Barry has extensively toured the Uk almost every year from 1998. With, amongst others, Bobby Wellins, Ian Shaw, Anita Wardell, Martin Speake and most recently the MJQ project (featuring Jim Hart, Steve Brown and Matt Ridley)

Barry is a professor of jazz piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.