George Adams (musician)

George Rufus Adams (29 April, 1940 Covington, Georgia - 14 November, 1992 New York City, New York) was an American jazz musician who played tenor saxophone, flute and bass clarinet. He was also known for his idiosyncratic singing.

He is best known for his work with Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, Roy Haynes and in the quartet he co-led with pianist Don Pullen, featuring bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Dannie Richmond.

George Adams's musical style was rooted in the blues and in American (especially Black) popular music. As a saxophonist his greatest influences seem to have been Rahsaan Roland Kirk, with whom he played in Mingus's band on occasion, as well as the adventurous edginess of John Coltrane and Albert Ayler. He played with tremendous intensity and passion, as well as lyricism and subtlety. At times he bent over backwards when playing, almost ending up on his back yet somehow staying on his feet, such was his physical power. His singing varied from wild wailing blues to heartfelt and moving ballads.

Adams and Pullen shared a musical vision and their quartet comfortably straddled the range from R&B to the avant-garde. (The quartet was sometimes known as the "George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet", and sometimes as the "Don Pullen-George Adams Quartet"). After Adams' death, Pullen dedicated to his memory the CD "Ode To Life", recorded by his "African-Brazilian Connection", and in particular the beautiful ballad "Ah George, We Hardly Knew Ya".

One of his last recordings was "America" on the Blue Note label. This album consists of classic American songs like "Tennessee Waltz", "You Are My Sunshine" and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" as well as a few original songs that articulate Adams's surprisingly positive view of his country and the gifts it had given him. It also includes "The Star Spangled Banner" and "America the Beautiful".

George Adams was a member of the band that played "Epitaph" by Charles Mingus.

elected discography

As a leader
*1975 "Song of Adams"
*1979 "Sound Suggestions"
*1988 "Nightingale"
*1989 "America"
*1989 "Paradise Space Shuttle" (at: Timeless Records), with the beautiful: "Send in the Clowns"
*1991 "Old Feeling"

George Adams - Don Pullen Quartet
*1979 "Don't Lose Control"
*1979 "All That Funk"
*1979 "More Funk"
*1980 "Earth Beams"
*1981 "Life Line"
*1983 "City Gates"
*1983 "Live at the Village Vanguard"
*1983 "Live at the Village Vanguard - Vol. 2"
*1984 "Decisions"
*1985 "Live at Monmartre"
*1986 "Breakthrough"
*1987 "Song Everlasting"

George Adams-Dannie Richmond
*1980 "Hand In Hand"
*1983 "Gentlemen's Agreement"

Charles Mingus
*1973 "Mingus Moves"
*1974 "Mingus at Carnegie Hal"
*1974 "Changes One"
*1974 "Changes Two"

McCoy Tyner
*1978 "The Greeting"
*1979 "Horizon"

Gil Evans
*1975 "There Comes a Time"
*1977 "Priestess"
*1981 "Lunar Eclypse (live in Europe 1981)"
*1984 "Live at Sweet Basil"
*1984 "Live at Sweet Basil, Vol. 2"
*1987 ""
*1987 ""

Phalanx (with James Blood Ulmer)
*1988 "Original Phalanx"
*1988 "In Touch"