Adam Holzman

Adam Holzman is a musician. He was born on February 15 1958 in New York City. The son of Elektra Records president Jac Holzman, by the early '80s, he was working at a respected instrument store in Los Angeles where he became an expert in MIDI technology and synthesizer programming.

These skills which led to regular studio gigs. Soon, he attracted the attention of Miles Davis, who was interested in MIDI for his band. Holzman joined Davis' band in 1985 and stayed until 1989, spending his final year as musical director of the band.

After playing with Davis, Holzman went on to tour and record with musicians including Chaka Khan, French pianist Michel Petrucciani, and saxophonists Wayne Shorter and Kenny Garrett, who had also been a member of Davis' bands in the late '80s.

In the spring of 1997, Holzman joined Grover Washington Jr.'s band. By the late '90s, he was also playing with FM Tribe and Francis M'Bappe.

As a leader, Holzman led the Los Angeles-based fusion band The Fents with guitarist Ted Hall. The Fents released their first vinyl E.P. in 1979 (with original drummer Ed Marrow). Their debut vinyl LP "First Offense" appeared in 1982 (released the following year with different album art, and to larger distribution, and released on CD in 2001). This album features Larry Anderson on drums and Doug Hodges on bass. The Fents' second LP "The Other Side" was released on Passport Jazz in 1987. "The Other Side" featured extraordinary bassist Laurence Cottle and drummer Moyes Lucas, replacing Hodges and Anderson, respectively.

Holzman also formed the prog-influenced Mona Lisa Overdrive, who released a self-titled album in 1993. In the 1990s, he released several solo albums. "In a Loud Way" (1991), "Overdrive" (1994), "Manifesto" (1995) and "Big Picture" (1997) were released before the keyboardist formed his current New York-based band Brave New World who released their debut album "Jazz Rocket Science" on Nagel Heyer Records in 2005.

Adam Holzman recently collaborated with 11/8 Records and Cesare Dell'Anna, on the album "My Miles" where he features on three tracks of the album, playing keyboards and synth.