Adam Niewood Quartet
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About
Adam Niewood has been involved in a variety of different creative projects over the past 30 years, in and around the New York metropolitan area. More recently having worked for 6 years in David Liebman’s “Elvin Jones Live at the Lighthouse” Band playing the “Tenor 2 book” once held by Steve Grossman in the early 1970s incarnation of the Elvin Jones Quartet. Also another long tenure as a member of the Pat Martino Quintet during Pat’s last years of recording & touring, Adam can be heard on Pat’s last album as a leader, "Formidable." While in another mode as a craftsman, making Saxophone mouthpieces for today’s virtual who’s who, of professional world-class Saxophone player’s like Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Dick Oatts, Mark Turner, Greg Osby, Ron Blake, John Ellis, Greg Tardy, Ben Wendell, Dayna Stephens, and countless others. It’s becoming arguable, exactly what Adam Niewood is most well-known for.
Adam comes from what some refer to as “an artsy family.” His father, Gerry Niewood, was a world renown jazz artist best known for his long association with Chuck Magionne. Saxophone studies began at age 3 (!) and by the tender age of 5, Adam had traveled on the road (tagging along with dad) with Simon & Garfunkel and Liza Minelli. While still in high school, Adam played tenor and toured in big bands that included Lew Soloff, Don Menza and Steve Gadd.
After early studies with his dad and a two year stint in Boston at Berklee, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree from William Paterson University under the tutelage of David Demsey. Upon graduation, Dr. Dempsey recommended Adam for a professorship at Montclair State University, where he instructed saxophophone, jazz history and small ensemble. Eager to continue his education, he received a full scholarship to attend Manhattan School of Music (earning a Master’s Degree). Subsequently, he became one of the first attendees of the jazz program at Juilliard (earning his Artist Diploma in May of 2010). More recently, Adam taught Drum Set at Lafayette College as a musical instructor. In addition, he has been a guest lecturer at William Patterson University, The Juilliard School and multiple jazz workshops.
Throughout his career as a freelance musician, Adam Niewood has played with an eclectic wide spectrum of various different artists ranging from: Renee Olstead, Ronnie Cuber, Andy Fusco, George Benson, Richie Cole, Tito Puente Jr., Bill Charlap, Joe Piscopo, Jim McNeely, Rufus Reid, Debbie Gibson, Warren Vache, Vic Juris, Steve Gilmore, Gene Bertoncini, Bill Goodwin, Phil Woods, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Dave Leibman, Gene Perla, Adam Nussbaum, Pat Martino, and many other accomplished musicians.
With now several recordings, under his belt, as a leader: Adam’s latest releases on Steeplechase Records – “Blue as a Whistle” and “Home with You At Last” – feature jazz greats John Scofield, John Patitucci, and Jack DeJohnette. (Check out the Music page for Adam’s select discography)Adam’s work as a craftsman on Mouthpieces, has evolved over years of study and apprenticeship. Having been “in-business” professionally for 20 years, he is now recognized as one of the most intuitive and serious craftsmen on the planet. His fascination with mouthpieces was inspired by the late Jon Van Wie, an acknowledged master of refacing. After Jon’s passing, Adam knocked on the door of the legendary Ted Klum (taught by the master Everett Mattsen) and became an apprentice of Ted’s, learning and perfecting the art of the mouthpiece – as well as establishing a lifelong friendship.
Since venturing on his own, Adam has crafted mouthpieces for Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Greg Osby, Dayna Stephens, Jon Ellis, Dick Oatts, Ben Wendell, Greg Tardy, and virtually almost all of the major sax players of the modern day age.
Playing the saxophone is a lifelong project and finding the right mouthpiece fit is something that changes over time. A person’s conception of sound will change as well. Adam’s work has enabled players worldwide to adapt and maximize their potential.Visit Adam's website:
niewood.com
Once upon a time, Eric Lewis was a decorated, up-and-coming jazz pianist, a sideman for Wynton Marsalis and Elvin Jones, among others, and the winner of the 1999 Thelonious Monk International Piano competition. A decade into his career, he had an epiphany. The songs he was playing weren’t speaking to him the way he wanted them to: while they were part of the traditional jazz repertoire, they weren’t part of his own emotional repertoire. On the other hand, there were contemporary rock songs whose lyrics meant the world to him. Lewis considered the landscape, drew the curtain, and reemerged as ELEW, a revolutionary artist who combines virtuosic skill on the grand piano with an unprecedented openness to modern pop and rock music.
Jazz pianists have always interpreted popular songs. Art Tatum did. Bud Powell did. But at some point, jazz detached from rock and roll. ELEW has fused the two together and, in the process, created a new genre, rockjazz. Over the course of two albums, ELEW has interpreted and reenergized songs by Coldplay, Nirvana, Radiohead, the Foo Fighters, The Bravery, Michael Jackson, and more. And the choice of material is only part of rockjazz. ELEW treats the grand piano the way a traditional rock front man treats the guitar, with an explosively physical style that includes entering the instrument to pluck the strings directly. Onstage, he is overtly theatrical, standing to play and even wearing specially designed pieces of forearm armor called vambraces.
In addition to his groundbreaking recordings and performances, ELEW has collaborated with a host of other artists. He joined forces with platinum-selling rapper Lil Wayne, providing the piano background for “IANAHB,” the opening track on Lil Wayne’s 2013 album “I Am Not a Human Being II.” Last year, Complexions Contemporary Ballet Co-Artistic Directors/Founders Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson announced a five-year partnership with ELEW that named him Composer in Residence at CCB. This partnership will yield a new work every year through 2017; the first fruits of the collaboration were presented in November 2012 at Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s New York Season at the Joyce Theater. Perhaps the most exciting development in ELEW’s evolution as an artist is his burgeoning career as a DJ. While turntable artists combine songs with the aid of technology, ELEW is able to present them simultaneously with his own mastery of the piano. The result is yet another unprecedented hybrid—this time, the ingredients are not rock and jazz, but rather vinyl and ivory, the concert and then the afterparty.
As a result of his records and his performances, his devotion to both the history of jazz and the importance of redirecting that history, ELEW has earned a legion of prominent fans, including Josh Groban (who he supported on Groban’s “Straight to You” tour of more than sixty North American arenas), Dave Matthews, Naomi Campbell, Forest Whitaker, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brooke Shields, and Woody Harrelson. He has performed at the behest of Google, Fendi, Disney, and Mercedes Benz. Donna Karan included his music on her iPhone app. And ELEW has even taken rockjazz to the White House, where he played for Barack and Michelle Obama in the East Room.
This artist does not have a bio yet.
BEN PEROWSKY is an American drummer, percussionist, composer, and music producer. He is the drummer on stage in the 8 TONY award winning Broadway musical Hadestown. Perowsky leads the Ben Perowsky Trio, Moodswing Orchestra and Upstream Trio with Chris Speed and John Medeski. He is a founding member of the electric jazz group Lost Tribe. A prolific sideman, Perowsky has performed with Roy Ayers, James Moody, John Scofield, The Lounge Lizards, Joan As Police Woman, Elysian Fields, Darryl Jenifer (Bad Brains), Uri Caine, Dave Douglas, Mike Stern, Bob Berg, Walter Becker (Steely Dan), Tegan and Sara, Steven Bernstein, Anonhi, John Zorn and more. Ben has been prolific as a leader all the while, with many releases as producer including the co-led band Lost Tribe records in ’92, ’93 and ‘98Ben Perowsky Trio ‘99 from which the title Segment was used for the movie Talegega Nights. JazzKey records
Camp Songs in 2003, John Zorn’s Tzadik label.
El Destructo: Volume I, 2006, El Destructo Records
Moodswing Orchestra, 2009, El Destructo Records
Esopus Opus, 2009, Skirl records.
Upstream, 2019 El Destructo Records
please visit http://www.perowsky.com for more info
Adam comes from what some refer to as “an artsy family.” His father, Gerry Niewood, was a world renown jazz artist best known for his long association with Chuck Magionne. Saxophone studies began at age 3 (!) and by the tender age of 5, Adam had traveled on the road (tagging along with dad) with Simon & Garfunkel and Liza Minelli. While still in high school, Adam played tenor and toured in big bands that included Lew Soloff, Don Menza and Steve Gadd.
After early studies with his dad and a two year stint in Boston at Berklee, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree from William Paterson University under the tutelage of David Demsey. Upon graduation, Dr. Dempsey recommended Adam for a professorship at Montclair State University, where he instructed saxophophone, jazz history and small ensemble. Eager to continue his education, he received a full scholarship to attend Manhattan School of Music (earning a Master’s Degree). Subsequently, he became one of the first attendees of the jazz program at Juilliard (earning his Artist Diploma in May of 2010). More recently, Adam taught Drum Set at Lafayette College as a musical instructor. In addition, he has been a guest lecturer at William Patterson University, The Juilliard School and multiple jazz workshops.
Throughout his career as a freelance musician, Adam Niewood has played with an eclectic wide spectrum of various different artists ranging from: Renee Olstead, Ronnie Cuber, Andy Fusco, George Benson, Richie Cole, Tito Puente Jr., Bill Charlap, Joe Piscopo, Jim McNeely, Rufus Reid, Debbie Gibson, Warren Vache, Vic Juris, Steve Gilmore, Gene Bertoncini, Bill Goodwin, Phil Woods, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Dave Leibman, Gene Perla, Adam Nussbaum, Pat Martino, and many other accomplished musicians.
With now several recordings, under his belt, as a leader: Adam’s latest releases on Steeplechase Records – “Blue as a Whistle” and “Home with You At Last” – feature jazz greats John Scofield, John Patitucci, and Jack DeJohnette. (Check out the Music page for Adam’s select discography)Adam’s work as a craftsman on Mouthpieces, has evolved over years of study and apprenticeship. Having been “in-business” professionally for 20 years, he is now recognized as one of the most intuitive and serious craftsmen on the planet. His fascination with mouthpieces was inspired by the late Jon Van Wie, an acknowledged master of refacing. After Jon’s passing, Adam knocked on the door of the legendary Ted Klum (taught by the master Everett Mattsen) and became an apprentice of Ted’s, learning and perfecting the art of the mouthpiece – as well as establishing a lifelong friendship.
Since venturing on his own, Adam has crafted mouthpieces for Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Greg Osby, Dayna Stephens, Jon Ellis, Dick Oatts, Ben Wendell, Greg Tardy, and virtually almost all of the major sax players of the modern day age.
Playing the saxophone is a lifelong project and finding the right mouthpiece fit is something that changes over time. A person’s conception of sound will change as well. Adam’s work has enabled players worldwide to adapt and maximize their potential.Visit Adam's website:
niewood.com
Once upon a time, Eric Lewis was a decorated, up-and-coming jazz pianist, a sideman for Wynton Marsalis and Elvin Jones, among others, and the winner of the 1999 Thelonious Monk International Piano competition. A decade into his career, he had an epiphany. The songs he was playing weren’t speaking to him the way he wanted them to: while they were part of the traditional jazz repertoire, they weren’t part of his own emotional repertoire. On the other hand, there were contemporary rock songs whose lyrics meant the world to him. Lewis considered the landscape, drew the curtain, and reemerged as ELEW, a revolutionary artist who combines virtuosic skill on the grand piano with an unprecedented openness to modern pop and rock music.
Jazz pianists have always interpreted popular songs. Art Tatum did. Bud Powell did. But at some point, jazz detached from rock and roll. ELEW has fused the two together and, in the process, created a new genre, rockjazz. Over the course of two albums, ELEW has interpreted and reenergized songs by Coldplay, Nirvana, Radiohead, the Foo Fighters, The Bravery, Michael Jackson, and more. And the choice of material is only part of rockjazz. ELEW treats the grand piano the way a traditional rock front man treats the guitar, with an explosively physical style that includes entering the instrument to pluck the strings directly. Onstage, he is overtly theatrical, standing to play and even wearing specially designed pieces of forearm armor called vambraces.
In addition to his groundbreaking recordings and performances, ELEW has collaborated with a host of other artists. He joined forces with platinum-selling rapper Lil Wayne, providing the piano background for “IANAHB,” the opening track on Lil Wayne’s 2013 album “I Am Not a Human Being II.” Last year, Complexions Contemporary Ballet Co-Artistic Directors/Founders Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson announced a five-year partnership with ELEW that named him Composer in Residence at CCB. This partnership will yield a new work every year through 2017; the first fruits of the collaboration were presented in November 2012 at Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s New York Season at the Joyce Theater. Perhaps the most exciting development in ELEW’s evolution as an artist is his burgeoning career as a DJ. While turntable artists combine songs with the aid of technology, ELEW is able to present them simultaneously with his own mastery of the piano. The result is yet another unprecedented hybrid—this time, the ingredients are not rock and jazz, but rather vinyl and ivory, the concert and then the afterparty.
As a result of his records and his performances, his devotion to both the history of jazz and the importance of redirecting that history, ELEW has earned a legion of prominent fans, including Josh Groban (who he supported on Groban’s “Straight to You” tour of more than sixty North American arenas), Dave Matthews, Naomi Campbell, Forest Whitaker, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brooke Shields, and Woody Harrelson. He has performed at the behest of Google, Fendi, Disney, and Mercedes Benz. Donna Karan included his music on her iPhone app. And ELEW has even taken rockjazz to the White House, where he played for Barack and Michelle Obama in the East Room.
This artist does not have a bio yet.
BEN PEROWSKY is an American drummer, percussionist, composer, and music producer. He is the drummer on stage in the 8 TONY award winning Broadway musical Hadestown. Perowsky leads the Ben Perowsky Trio, Moodswing Orchestra and Upstream Trio with Chris Speed and John Medeski. He is a founding member of the electric jazz group Lost Tribe. A prolific sideman, Perowsky has performed with Roy Ayers, James Moody, John Scofield, The Lounge Lizards, Joan As Police Woman, Elysian Fields, Darryl Jenifer (Bad Brains), Uri Caine, Dave Douglas, Mike Stern, Bob Berg, Walter Becker (Steely Dan), Tegan and Sara, Steven Bernstein, Anonhi, John Zorn and more. Ben has been prolific as a leader all the while, with many releases as producer including the co-led band Lost Tribe records in ’92, ’93 and ‘98Ben Perowsky Trio ‘99 from which the title Segment was used for the movie Talegega Nights. JazzKey records
Camp Songs in 2003, John Zorn’s Tzadik label.
El Destructo: Volume I, 2006, El Destructo Records
Moodswing Orchestra, 2009, El Destructo Records
Esopus Opus, 2009, Skirl records.
Upstream, 2019 El Destructo Records
please visit http://www.perowsky.com for more info
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