"Drummer Adam Snow has the right touch for all the grooves, whether they're evoking the spirit of Hendrix, Miles, or The Meters."
-Robin Tolleson, Modern Drummer
I've been making music for most of my life and over the years there have been many influences from across the spectrum. From orchestral percussion and modern percussion ensemble works to traditional West African drumming and singing......Big band jazz to bebop......Afro-Cuban to Hip-Hop.....Motown to Funk.......Zeppelin to Zappa......Roots Reggae to Brazilian.......on and on and on.......
Currently, I am involved with several different projects. My original bands are Green Light , (myspace.com/greenlightmusic) and Automatic Chi , (myspace.com/automaticchi). Both are projects I'm extremely proud to be a part of. These guys are all about making music a spiritual experience.
Green Light is a trio with the zen master Kevin Gill on guitar and guitar/bass player extraordinaire Dustin Hofsess. We started playing in 2000. Over the past 8 years we have truly found something special to tap into. We've had the opportunity to tour quite a bit playing great gigs in New Orleans at Jazz Fest and several times in NYC including a few shows at The Knitting Factory. We now have 4 full length albums. The sound is constantly evolving and these guys never cease to inspire me! It's with this band that I feel like I've been able to find my individual voice as a musician.
Automatic Chi is a new original project featuring members of the now legendary Charlotte band Bellyfull, and Green Light. In this group Dustin Hofsess plays guitar along with Dave Eatman. These guys compliment each other beautifully with textural sonic landscapes ranging from fluid harmonized lines to scary guitar madness. Dr. Dave Palmer plays keyboards adding lush sounds to the mix and Matt Pike lays it down on bass. This guy is truly one of the funkiest bass players you'll ever hear! We are playing in and around Charlotte regularly now.
Another project I'm involved with, The Soul Proprietors, includes Ashley Peeples on bass and vocals, Scott Dailey on keys and vocals, and Dustin Hofsess on guitar. We play funk, soul, r&b and classic rock mostly. We're working in and around Charlotte and Rock Hill.
I also play blues and jazz twice a week at Blue restaurant in Charlotte with my bros. Steven Engler on vox and gtr. and the good Dr. Johnny Wadsworth on bass. This is the band which hath no name....(actually we sometimes call ourselves the Mellow Fellows, aka the Beer Breath Boys, aka the Happy Lake Hobos etc..etc.). I also work with these boys, Dustin, and brother Ken Thomas, aka Kenny Deluxe, in another band, The Fabulous Swingin' Richards, crankin' out the funk. We have a great time.
Along with the groups I have listed, I've also had a lot of opportunities to freelance in and around Charlotte with many of the great musicians from the jazz community. We have a lot of great musicians in this area!!
I had the great opportunity to study percussion at Winthrop University with Dr. B. Michael Williams. Through this relationship I've expanded my horizons by leaps and bounds. It was there that I was exposed to the music of John Cage, Lou Harrison, and Steve Reich along with traditional frame drumming of North Africa, Djembe music of West Africa, Ewe drumming from Ghana, and Mbira music of Zimbabwe among many others.
Last year, I was honored to be included in the BataMbira project. This was the brainchild of B. Michael Williams and West Coast percussionist Michael Spiro. The group fuses traditional Shona mbira music of Zimbabwe with the Bata drumming traditions of Cuba. We were asked to perform at the Percussive Arts Society convention in Columbus, OH. The group included the one and only Jesus Diaz on Cuban vocals and Bata along with San Francisco's Colin Douglas and Spiro on Bata, NYC's Sylvain Leroux on tambin flute and Williams and myself on mbira. Check out cuts from the critically acclaimed disc at myspace.com/batambira.
As well as playing regularly, I also teach music. Currently I am on the faculty at both Winthrop University and Davidson College. I also teach privately and can be contacted for lessons through this page.
Here is a vid of Dr. Williams and myself playing mbira at Pura Vida in Charlotte, NC.
Come out and support international music and culture in Charlotte! Check out Jose Conde tomorrow at the Neighborhood Theatre for some great jazz, son, salsa, funk, and more!
Love and blessings to you, Mr. Snow. I sure hope all's is splendid in your world. You've quite the extensive calendar spread there, buddy. Glad you're staying busy snatching the vibes from the skies and be-boppin' 'em to our ears. ~Eric Crays
Yo Adam! I don't know if you remember me but I've talked with you a few times when you guys (Green Light) were at the Wildflower Cafe in Bethlehem, PA. Seriously some of the best live music I've heard to date. Congrats on the BataMbira project. I'm a huge fan of Michael Spiro's work with Mark Levine as part of the Latin Tinge. That must have been a blast. Hope to see you guys up in the Lehigh Valley again soon. Cheers!
