Adam Holzman - Past News

PAST NEWS - TANK ON THIS

ADAM HOLZMAN
& BRAVE NEW WORLD
PLAYED AT MOOGFEST
IN SEPT. 2007!

The band backed up one of Adam's heroes, T Lavitz (keyboardist for the Dregs)!!!

Brave New World and T each did a 'mini-set' and then Adam and T jammed together for a surprise mini finale! It was great!!

BRAVE NEW WORLD TOURED EUROPE!
October 2006 Tour was a great success!!!

Brave New World finally got back on the road and went to Europe for an AMAZING Fall Tour in October to support the release of "Jazz Rocket Science"!! We were so glad to see all of our friends from Europe at these gigs!! The line-up for the tour was:

Adam Holzman: keyboards and noises
Mitch Stein: guitar
Alex Elena: drums
and special guests
Dave Johnsen on bass (from the Mahavishnu Project)
and Lorenz Hargassner on sax (he toured with us in 2001)

ADAM with the Mahavishnu Project Will Back Up Jan Hammer at MOOGFEST!!!!!!

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your lung fish!! The News of the Universe has arrived: the Mahavishnu Project (which Adam has been playing with since January of this year) will be backing up the Legendary Jan Hammer at MOOGFEST 2006. That's right folks -Adam will be performing with one of the all-time synth greats (and one of his personel Heroes) and he's pretty Psyched Up. Check out the Jan Hammer Tribute at jazz-rock.com.
The plan as of now is for the Mahavishnu Project to perform some classic Mahavishnu and Jan Hammer tunes featuring Adam on keyboards, then Jan will take the stage and the Mahavishnu Project (including Adam on back-up keyboards) will support him. We know it will be Earth Shaking and Life Threatening: Get Ready.

Because of this special concert the Mahavishnu Project will be performing a series of warm-up gigs in and around the Tri-State Area. Please check out the gig listings above for details.

ADAM NOW A MOOG ARTIST

Adam is very excited about recently signing an artist deal with Moog Music. He has just received one of the new, extremely hip Minimoog Voyagers, and he is currently foaming at the mouth over how great it is. (visit moogmusic.com)

2006 - ADAM PLAYS WITH MAHAVISHNU PROJECT!
www.mahavishnuproject.com

Adam will be playing with Greg Bendian's Mahavishnu Project in February and March. The Mahavishnu Project is a collective of excellent NYC-based musicians dedicated to keeping the classic jazz-rock of John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra alive. Alive, I tell you, ALIVE!! This will be a great chance to hear Adam in a unique context, performing classic killer tunes from the Golden Age. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to play this incredible music live. Also, I will be a playing a lot of Minimoog on this gig." All you Moog buffs out there, get ready for some action! Other musicians in the Mahavishnu Project include Rob Thomas on violin, Glenn Alexander on guitar, Dave Johnsen on bass and Greg Bendian on drums.

"Each Wednesday at the Iridium we will be performing a different Mahavishnu album in its entirity." The first gig, on Feb 7th, will feature "Inner Mounting Flame", Feb 15th, will feature "Birds of Fire," and Feb 22nd, will feature "The Trident Sessions." Come down and experience a Jazz-rock Moment of Truth!! I'm getting choked up just thinking about it.

OTHER 2006 PROJECTS
Adam played 2 very cool gigs; a performance at the Blue Note with DJ Logic's 'Project Logic', a great evening of vinyl grooves mixed with live musicians...also, a gig with Amir ziV's DROID, a live drum'n'bass project (which included Tim Lefevbre on bass) that is a cool mix of live grooves and electronica! (and laptops!)

Welcome to my Modern Studio, a jazz-rock laboratory of Swill and Defiance. This place is like a nerve center... if you can squeeze in!

2005 PAST NEWS
A FEW RANDOM NOTES

Moogfest was a big success! Adam and Big Bang Theory (plus Mitch Stein on guitar) played a killer version of the Billy Cobham classic "Stratus" as Adam's tribute to Jan Hammer. They ended their short set with a blistering version of "The Hot Zone." Adam got a great response from the audience and the Moogfest people. "I look forward to doing it again next year!"

The Cellar Door Sessions, a Miles Davis 6 CD box set produced by Adam Holzman and Bob Belden, is coming out on Sony this September. This recording covers a week of the Miles band at the Washington DC nightclub the Cellar Door in 1970. Adam and Bob remixed the tapes, which also feature Keith Jarrett playing electric keyboards, Michael Henderson on electric bass, Gary Bartz on sax, Jack DeJohnette on drums and Airto on percussion. John McLaughlin performs with the band on the final two disks, which is where the bulk of "Live Evil" comes from.

TANK ON THIS

BIG BANG THEORY
ADAM'S NEW POWER TRIO

Happy New Year, Happy Crispness and Happy Hogwashing Day!! I hope everyone is doing great! I am pleased to announce my newest project: Big Bang Theory, a keyboard-heavy power trio featuring yours truly on electric piano, synths and acoustic piano, Freddy Cash, Jr. on bass and Rocky Bryant on drums.

Big Bang Theory is a loose, experimental playing vehicle that will be easier to keep going in town on a regular basis. That's right, folks!! Big Bang Theory will be playing regularly once a month at the Cutting Room in NYC! We had a Top Secret debut on the night of January 18th, one the COLDEST nights of the past decade. It was 9 degrees outside, but inside we warmed the place up pretty good!

(Note to concerned Brave New World fans: Big Bang Theory will not replace Brave New World. BNW will re-emerge soon, like a pheonix arising from the wreckage, and take over the world. It's all going according to my Master Plan!!!)

What are we doing musically? Well, we're covering a few old chestnuts like "Captain Wax" and "The Hot Zone" (both revamped for trio) just to get things started. We also have some new original tunes and we're doing some songs I've always loved, such as "Ralph's Piano Waltz" by John Abercrombie. Now that we're up and running I'm beginning to write some music specifically for the trio. I'm trying to mix up an organ/piano trio format with some jazz-rock and prog elements and, of course, real sonic weirdness. -Adam

PICKING THROUGH THE WRECKAGE

STEPS AHEAD CONCERT A BIG SUCCESS!

left to right: Adam, Mike Stern, Darryl Jones, Steve Gadd, Michael Brecker, Mike Mainieri. Image © jazzfusion.com

Adam has just returned from Japan playing at the Mt. Fuji Festival with Steps Ahead. It was a special Steps reunion with Michael Brecker, Mike Mainieri, Mike Stern, Darryl Jones, and Steve Gadd, with Adam on synths and piano. Adam says "it was a blast. Playing with those guys was great, and I loved performing classic Steps tunes like 'Pools' and 'Safari'. I hope we can do it again." Check out the JazzFusion site in Japan for some more cool photos...

FALL 2004

Adam went to Poland (in late September-early October) for a 10 city tour as featured artist with former Mona Lisa Overdrive comrade Steve Logan on bass, Krzysztof on drums and Polish guitarist Marek Napierkowski on guitar. "I enjoyed the quartet format, and I also had fun in Poland this time." One of the gigs was a special Miles Davis Festival in Kielce, where each year they try to present a Miles alum on the bill. "They even have a statue of Miles in the town square. How cool is that?"

l. to r. Krzysztof, Steve, Adam and Marek in Kielce

"Marek turned out to be a great guitarist. Krzysztof is a very versatile drummer, playing with everyone from Mike Mainieri to me to Hiram Bullock just this year alone! Of course, it was great to play with my old Mona Lisa Overdrive buddy Steve Logan. His bass playing was, as always, excellent, and his singing sounds especially good these days. We did a cool version of Robin Trower's "Bridge of Sighs" in the set featuring Steve on vocals." For more info check out www.walkaway.home.pl

After one week at home Adam was off to France and Italy with the Wallace Roney Quintet for a real heavy-duty Euro-romp, completely traversing BOTH of those countries in 9 days. A typical day would consist of 2 planes, 2 trains, a van and a 2-set gig. Then up at 5:30 the next morning to do it all again. Whew! The band topped off the tour in Paris with a live radio broadcast on France's Radio One.

SUMMER 2004

Adam will be playing a special Steps Ahead reunion concert at the Mt. Fuji Festival in Japan on August 29th. The band will feature Michael Brecker, Mike Mainieri, Mike Stern, Darryl Jones and Steve Gadd. This is the mid-80's version of Steps Ahead, with the exception of Gadd who only played on the band's earlier Japanese recordings. Adam was hired by Brecker and Mainieri to help "fill out the sound", mostly covering synth parts, etc. Adam is excited to play the classic Steps Ahead tunes, and is thrilled to be playing with these guys! Keep posted for a full report...

MOOG FEST

Some of the inspiration for Adam's new musical direction came from attending the Moog Fest in May, a special tribute concert celebrating the work of Robert Moog, inventor of the Moog synthesizer. This special event, held at B.B. King's in NYC, featured Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson, Bernie Worrell and many other keyboard giants. "Although I didn't play, it was an Amazing Evening of Burning Keyboard Playing that has left me (still) reeling... It was also a great opportunity to meet and hang with some of my heroes and hear them play in a small venue." Only in New York City!

OUTREACH

Adam will be teaching and playing again this year at the Outreach Music workshop in Schwaz, Austria, from August 4th to August 16th. It's a great workshop (like a music 'summer camp'), located in the Alps, and it's also very affordable (only thing is you have to fly to Austria). Come for a hang and a jam! Special Plus: this year, Adam's wife, guitarist Jane Getter, will be leading an instrumental clinic with drummer Cindy Blackman aimed at women musicians called "Girl Power!".

Other Jane Related News:

"See Jane Run", Jane's 2nd CD, has just been released on Astarte records. The CD also features James Genus on bass, Keith Carlock & Rodney Holmes on drums, Thulani on vocals and Adam on keyboards. Adam plays some hot mini-moog solos on a couple tunes! Check out Jane's current feature on our sister website, www.jazz-rock.com!

DOWN THE ROAD

Later this year Adam hopes to complete several projects outside the Brave New World format. One idea is a Special Power Trio project inspired by some of the Classic 'Keyboard Wizard' albums of the 70's. Already in the works is an electronic music collaboration with Abstract Truth's mastermind (and longtime friend) Dana Vlcek. The project is Extremely Experimental and is in the spirit of Stockhausen and Brian Eno. The duo plans to complete a 2 CD masterpiece! Stay tuned for more info on this sure-fire Chart Topper!!

SPRING 2004

Adam was recently in the studio working on Wallace Roney's next project for HighNote records. Wallace recorded one of Adam's songs, "Secret Identity". Other musicians appearing on the album include Matt Garrison on bass, Antoine Roney on sax and Geri Allen on piano. The project was recorded at Sony Music Studios in New York and will be released very soon. Some US gigs with Wallace might be coming up in the next few months and a European fall tour is in the planning stages.

Now for something completely different: Adam and (old friend and filmmaker/percussionist) John Pritchard have recently launched Jazz-Rock.com, a website completely devoted to everybody's favorite in-door sport, Jazz-Rock! Jazz-Rock.com will include interviews with notable Jazz-Rock Cult Heroes, record reviews and commentaries, a huge selection of Fun Links and other assorted oddities. The site currently features Bill Bruford, drummer extraordinaire, and a video interview is already up on the site. Check it out, and please email us comments and suggestions. Remember, we are only in the beginning phase here....So, Make Jazz-Rock.com a regular stop on all your web travels, no matter what you are doing!

NOVEMBER 2003

Adam just got back from gigs in Greece and Turkey with Wallace Roney. Now he is off to Poland to do a tour with Polish drummer Krzysztof Zawadzki. Also in the band is Mitch Stein on guitar and Steve Logan on bass. On the new Brave New World CD front: some big-wigs are STILL MULLING IT OVER. We've had a good response from some international labels, and we will let everyone know what's happening with the new CD as soon as we know! We will have a more detailed News Update soon! Thanks for tuning in to the Jazz-Rock Manifesto!!!

"LIVE IN PARIS" CD NOW AVAILABLE!

Wa-lah! Another amazing "Alive" CD has just been released, documenting Brave New World's triumphant 2-day return to the Sunset Club in Paris. "Across the Asteroid Belt: Live in Paris 2002" was recorded on our most recent European tour, and features current Brave New World line-up Adam Holzman on keyboards, Aaron Heick on sax, Freddy Cash Jr. on bass, Alan Burroughs on guitar and Alex Elena on drums. SPECIAL PLUS: This CD contains live versions of 4 new Brave New World songs!! Yes-sir-ree-bob! In addition to this 'sneak peek' at the next Brave New World studio album, "Across the Asteroid Belt: Live in Paris 2002" also includes some new jams and other surprises! Un bon soiree!!!

In keeping with the "Alive" series low pricing, "Across the Asteroid Belt: Live in Paris 2002" is only $16.00, including shipping in the U.S.!! The best deal in jazz/rock!! (see left column for all albums in the "ALIVE SERIES".)

NEW BRAVE NEW WORLD STUDIO CD FINALLY FINISHED

That's right folks, we just finished mixing! Hoola-hoop! In a bold move, Brave New World went back into the studio (this time Manhattan Center) at the end of May and recorded three hot new tracks! The new material captures the intensity of Brave New World at full power. The new songs, in addition to the seven tracks recorded at Sony, will complete the next Brave New World CD. It will be a bold statement!!

Of course, the hard part now is getting the record released properly. As you read this, several high-falutin' record executives are listening to some of the new tracks, mulling over Brave New World's infinite possibilites... We hope to have the record out before the end of the year. In the meantime, please check out "REBELLION", our homegrown studio improv album which is still available from this website and our new "ALIVE SERIES" of live CDs.

ALBUM TITLE POLL

Adam is considering calling the next Brave New World album "Science Fiction". Yes, it is a little obvious, but no one has used that phrase as a title in the jazz-rock realm (except for Ornette Coleman a while back, and it wasn't quite the same thing). However, do YOU have any great suggestions for the title of the next Brave New World CD? Email Adam with your brilliant ideas! (...Imagine the personal THRILL of knowing you came up with the title for the next Brave New World album!!!!)

PAST NEWS and the "jazz-rock manifesto"

*In August, Adam went to Schwaz, Austria to teach at the Outreach music workshop in the Alps, headed up by trumpeter/composer Franz Hackl. Check it out at www.outreach-schwaz.at/outreach.php

*Adam was featured in the recent (winter 2003) issue of Korg's magazine Proview, discussing the amazing Korg Karma. Check it out! (This issue also has a Peter Gabriel interview).
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*Adam played at the Metropolitan Cafe with Joe Caro & Friends in April, a great blues-jazz-rock band featuring Joe Caro on guitar and vocals, Bob Malach on sax, Anton Fig on drums and Tim Lefevbre on bass. Adam has been doing this gig off and on for the past few years and it is a lot of fun.

*Adam performed with his wife, guitarist Jane Getter and her band (which will feature drummer Rodney Holmes and bassist Tim Lefevre) last October 22nd at the Metropolitan Cafe, @ First Avenue and 53rd street, NYC. The Jane Getter Band is a killer mix of jazz and heavy rock, with some vocal tunes. It will be a fun gig!

*Last August Adam spent two weeks teaching at a jazz workshop in the Austrian Alps, at the Outreach program run by Franz Hackl. The workshops turned out great, and Adam also performed at several concerts with fellow instructors Mino Cinelu, Gene Jackson, Andy McKee, Dave Stryker, John Clark and others.

*Adam criss-crossed the globe in June 2002 with trumpet star Wallace Roney, with performances in Porto, Portugal (May 25), Ocho Rios, Jamaica (June 15) and Philly (June 20 @ the Zanzibar club). The band also featured legendary musicians Gary Bartz (sax), Buster Williams (bass) and Lenny White (drums). A new recording project with Wallace is supposed to begin soon (when he gets off the road with Herbie Hancock!)...

*Adam performed a successful solo piano concert (!) in May 2002 at the Museum Of Contemporary Art in San Diego, as part of their "Artists On The Cutting Edge" series.

* Earlier in 2002 Adam recorded some songs with former Genesis members Ray Wilson (singer) and Nir Z. (drummer) for Ray's upcoming solo album "Change" to be released in January 2003. Some gigs in Europe and the U.K. have been discussed (sometime in 2003), with the band to perform Ray's material and, possibly some 'unplugged' versions of classic Genesis songs. For more info, check out: www.raywilson.co.uk/backstage/stageleft.htm

For some true musical, counter-terror insight, check out Adam's "jazz-rock manifesto" page and visit his "custom comic" site at bigfuncomics.com ...also, don't forget to take a look and give us some feedback on the new jazz-rock.com site.