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Adam Larson
Adam Larson (b. 1990) is an American saxophonist, composer and author. An endorsed artist for P. Mauriat saxophones, The Boston Sax Shop and Key Leaves, Adam began playing saxophone at the age of 11. Described by critic Howard Reich of The Chicago-Tribune as “a player for whom the word ‘prodigious’ was coined”, by Peter Hum of the Ottawa Citizen as “a saxophonist who brings Donny McCaslin and Mark Turner to mind”, and by Nate Chinen of The New York Times as “the sort of jazz musician who gets flagged early on as a promising talent and then hustles to meet every requirement for success”, Larson has garnered numerous awards that distinguish him as one of the most promising artists of his generation. Upon graduating from high school in 2008, Adam moved to New York City to pursue his BM and MM in Jazz Performance on full-scholarship from The Manhattan School, finishing his studies in 2014.
Larson has released seven albums; two for Outside In, one for Ropeadope Records, two under the Inner Circle Music label and two produced independently. Larson’s most recent record “With Love, From Chicago”, received a rare 4.5 Star rating from Downbeat Magazine and was featured in JazzTimes Magazine, among other national media outlets.
Larson keeps an active schedule with his own groups and as a sideman, having performed at several venues across the U.S. including The Green Mill, The Jazz Standard, Birdland, The 55 Bar, The Jazz Gallery, The Blue Note, The Village Vanguard, Smalls, Jazz at The Bistro, The Jazz Estate, The Jazz Showcase, Dazzle, Noce, The Jewell and several others.
Music has allowed Adam to see more of the world than he once thought possible, having toured Poland, India,Taiwan, Holland, and Germany as well much of the United States. Larson’s Trio received a South Arts “Jazz Road Touring Grant” in 2022 and In 2015 Larson’s quartet was selected as one of ten ensembles to tour on behalf of the U.S. State Department's "American Music Abroad" program and toured Africa for 35 days visiting The Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Benin and Ghana.
Beyond maintaining an active touring and recording schedule, Larson continues to be a sought after clinician and masterclass presenter and has been a guest at more than seventy-five Universities across the world. Appearances include visits to HKU Conservatory-Utrecht, Temple University, Yale, Manhattan School of Music, and University of North Texas among many others. Larson is currently on faculty at UMKC Conservatory where he teaches classes in the Arts Entrepreneurship program and previously taught jazz saxophone, music business and pedagogy. In addition to his duties at UMKC, Larson has a diverse private lesson studio of online students from the U.S. and abroad.
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Adam Larson: Listen With Your Eyes
by Dan Bilawsky
Listen with your eyes. Open your ears and look. What tenor saxophonist Adam Larson has to offer here is something truly extraordinary. With horn in hand he takes us on a journey, an unforgettable trip through his wiring that's as daring as it is direct, as complex as it is approachable, and as dynamic as can be. To see and hear is to believe.Serving as Larson's debut for Ropeadope and his fifth record to date, Listen With Your ...
read moreThe Adam Larson Trio: With Love, From Chicago
by Dan McClenaghan
The experience begins with the cover art, an old school black-and-white photo of Kansas City-based saxophonist Adam Larson with his hair swooped up in something of a modest 1950s pompadour, like an early Sun Records artist--Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley--sitting in the studio with his ax laid out in front of him. Except Larson's ax is not the guitar; it is the saxophone in the photo's foreground. And the Presley pompadour? It really isn't one; a ball cap pushed back on ...
read moreLittle Leaps and Sounds: 12 Intermediate Jazz Studies
by Dan Bilawsky
Little Leaps and Sounds: 12 Intermediate Jazz Studies Adam Larson 61 Pages Self Published 2021 When enterprising tenor saxophonist Adam Larson released Leaps & Sounds: 12 Contemporary Etudes For Jazz Saxophone (Self-Published, 2018), there wasn't anything quite like it in the educational market. Using contrafacts to push technique in surprising yet targeted directions, the book provided a serious workout likely to make even the most seasoned saxophonists sweat just a little bit. The ...
read moreJoshua Redman, Marc Copland and more
by Joe Dimino
This week we open the show with a very seasoned jazz saxophonist that recently moved to Kansas City, Adam Larson. From there we move to the UK scena and dig into new sounds from the Black Lab Beats and put a focus on great new jazz being released from the likes of Hendrik Meurkens, Peter Hand and Marc Copland. We round out this hour of music with a look into new material from Australian-born jazz guitarist Nic Vardanega and Poet/Singer ...
read moreThe Adam Larson Band: Listen With Your Eyes
by Phillip Woolever
Adam Larson may hail initially from Normal (Illinois), but there is absolutely nothing typical or average, in terms of style or ability, about the now-Kansas-City-based saxophonist. He has gathered a trio with comparable strengths and, behind his towering tenor, they create a showcase of prime progressive jazz. The ride begins with “Sleepers," a shape-shifting opener with nothing drowsy about it which flows through multiple motifs. Larson soars across impressively unique arrangements into segmented duets between pianist Fabian Almazan ...
read moreAdam Larson: Second City
by Mike Jurkovic
For those out there who love it when a saxophonist hits the ground running, immediately taking control of the proceedings with their eyes and ears set on the far horizon, then Second City twenty-seven year old Adam Larson's fourth disc--yes fourth!--is the thrilling disc to be hearing right now. Leading a punchy and tenacious quartet comprised of keyboardist Rob Clearfield, bassist Clark Sommers, and drummer Jimmy Macbride Larson's sax leaps and bounds over Chicago (where the Second City ...
read moreAdam Larson: Second City
by Dan Bilawsky
When you hear “Second City" and think about improvisation, comedy comes to mind before jazz. But this music is no laughing matter. Saxophonist Adam Larson is one serious talent, as this, his fourth album to date, makes clear. While Larson has called New York home for the past decade, Second City was recorded in its namesake locale--Chicago. It's an album rooted to Larson's Midwestern upbringing but a statement of maturity that could only emerge after some serious ...
read moreJazz this week: Adam Larson, Lettuce, Youngblood Brass Band, March Fourth!, The New Mastersounds, and more
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in and around St. Louis features a couple of different acts purveying instrumental funk, a saxophone phenom working in the modern jazz mainstream, a mutant marching band, and, as the saying goes, much, much more. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, October 14 Up-and-coming saxophonist Adam Larson will play the first of two nights with his quartet at Jazz at the Bistro. Originally from Normal, IL, Larson (pictured, top left) graduated ...
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Jazz This Week: Rich McDonnell Memorial Concert, Glendale Jazz Festival, Bluesweek, Adam Larson, and More
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
Memorial Day is traditionally a time of remembrance, so it seems fitting somehow that this weekend in St. Louis marks the final shows at the current version of Jazz at the Bistro, including a tribute to the late Richard “Rich" McDonnell. Before that, though, there's lots of other jazz and creative music on tap all weekend around town, so let's go to the highlights... Tonight, guitarist Tom Byrne plays solo at Evangeline's, and trumpeter Jim Manley returns for his weekly ...
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Adam Larson to Appear at Saxquest This Tuesday, May 24
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
Saxquest and Jazz St. Louis are teaming up to present a free performance and clinic by saxophonist Adam Larson (pictured) at 7:00 p.m. this Tuesday, May 24 at the Saxquest shop, 2114 Cherokee St on the south side. Larson, 21, is a native of Bloomington, IL who, according to JSL director of education Phil Dunlap “has made quite a name for himself, picking up reed and mouthpiece endorsements from companies despite his age of 21." At age 19 he was ...
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“…There’s no shortage of advanced, fresh playing on River Styx, the debut disc from the German-born, New York-based drummer Bastian Weinhold. He’s joined by tenor saxophonist Adam Larson, who brings Donny McCaslin and Mark Turner to mind…Speaking of Larson, he contributes an original, Space, to River Styx, and that go-get-’em track provides the CD with its catchiest, most tuneful moments…” – Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen
“…Weinhold is supported harmonically by pianist Fabian Almazan and finds an indispensable accomplice in saxophonist Adam Larson, who shares intricate, chopsbusting unison lines with the guitarist on “The Almost Too Loud One,” “Forgotten Plains” and “Dragonfly…”- Bill Mikowski, JazzTimes
Primary Instrument
Saxophone
Willing to teach
Beginner to advanced
Credentials/Background
Adam Larson Saxophonist/Woodwind Specialist Teaching Resume New York, New York www.adamlarsonjazz.com [email protected] (309) 533 2135 2012 • Clinician; Various schools in Germany • Saxophone Instructor; Afro Latin Jazz Alliance at Bronx School for Writers, Bronx, NY • Teaching Assistant; Birch Creek Summer Jazz Camp Session I; July 2011 • Master Classes in Taipei, Taiwan as an Endorsed Artist for P. Mauriat Saxophones • Private Instructor through Musika Organization; New York, New York • Private studio; ages 10-55; all ability levels • Lessons via Skype • Clinician at Quincy High School; Quincy, IL • Clinician at PM Woodwind; Evanston, IL 2011 • Teaching Assistant; Birch Creek Summer Jazz Camp Session I; July 2011 • Faculty; Illinois State University Jr
Photos
Music
Good Day Without You
From: Simple BeautyBy Adam Larson
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