Jazz saxophonist Michael Adkins has performed since late 2011 in New Orleans Louisiana, Little Rock Arkansas, and Mississippi, exploring blues and jazz currents and traditions, from New Orleans, through the Yazoo Delta, into Memphis. These influences, which rolled northward, as well as toward the gulf, remain vital in contemporary music. Recent work includes doctoral studies at New England Conservatory where he has performed with Jason Moran's Blues Project, Dave Holland Artist-in-residence series, and with many of the leading contemporary musicians.
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Michael Adkins Quartet Flaneur(hatOLOGY745)- Cadence Magazine's Top Ten critic's poll
Michael Adkins- solo release
Born in Sarnia Ontario, Adkins grew up listening to Stan Getz and the Beatles. He picked up the saxophone as a youngster, and by age 15 was playing in numerous local bands, as well as seeking out private studies with the best musicians in his area. It was in this period that Michael was introduced to the music of Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins. He moved to Boston, immersed himself in the burgeoning jazz scene there, and began formal music studies at Berklee music school. He also studied saxophone with former Miles Davis saxman Bill Evans, Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Frank Tiberi, and Charlie Banacos.
Michael then moved to New York city and performed continuously with many of the most in demand musicians and improvisers. He has also been active on many recording sessions, and has performed on numerous projects for the top animators of the Harry Potter movies, as well as a Maurice Ravel bio-documentary for PBS.
Michael has worked with HatHut recording artist Russ Lossing, ECM recording artist Mat Maneri, ENJA records' Mike Formanek, Ed Schuller(formerly w/Paul Motian), Kenny Wollesen(w/Bill Frisell), Stomu Takeishi(w/Myra Melford), Satoh Takeishi, Ian Froman(w/David Liebman), John Hebert(w/Andrew Hill), Ralph Alessi, Gerald Cleaver, Horatio Hernandez, Rez Abbasi, Chris Lightcap, Laszlo Gardony, Jim Black(w/Dave Douglas), Tom Rainey (w/Kenny werner), Antonio Sanchez(w/Pat Metheny), Toru Dodo, Avishai Cohen, John Lockwood , Matt Garrison(w/Herbie Hancock), and many others. Adkins' solo output includes his debut "Infotation" for Semblance records.