Adam Simmons is a multi-instrumentalist playing the full range of saxophones (sopranino to bass), as well as clarinets and flutes, across a broad range of styles - jazz, avant-garde, new music, punk, latin, blues, funk, classical, techno. Based in Melbourne since 1990, Adam often tours around Australia, is regularly invited to New Caledonia, and has performed throughout America and Poland.
Adam has performed with international musicians including Odean Pope (USA saxophonist from Max Roach's Quartet), Ursel Schlicht (Germ/US), Scott Fields (USA), Tony Overwater (Nederlands), Deian McBryde (USA), Tom Mawi (Fiji) and Michel Benebig (New Caledonia); Australian ensembles and artists including the Australian Art Orchestra, The Engine Room (Sydney), The Barry Veith Big Band, Spiderbait, The Mavis's, Paul Grabowsky, Ted Vining, Niko Schäuble, Roger Frampton, John Pochee and Sandy Evans.
Major festivals include: Audio Art Festival (Krakow, Poland), Live en Aout (Noumea, New Caledonia - formerly Jazz en Aout), Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival (Australia's premier jazz event), Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Meredith Music Festival and Port Fairy Folk Festival.
In 2004 Adam received a special Award of Excellence from the Freedman Fellowship program facilitating three months in early 2005 in New York, Poland and Germany for a combination of professional development, performances, recording and networking, with additional Australia Council funding. This included perfoming as part of an international gathering of improvisers at the Kasseler Symposium zu Aktueller Musik, Kassel, Germany, study of Lawrence “Butch†Morris’s conduction techniques and separate recordings with Ursel Schlicht, Jacek Kochan and Tomek Pawlicki.
Also in 2004 Adam received Arts Victoria funding for a Victorian regional tour with the Adam Simmons Toy Band, and was commissioned by the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet to compose a 20-minute suite commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Eureka Stockade, which was performed in Ballarat - again with his Toy Band. Earlier that year Adam released his first DVD, “3 Concerts," featuring his Quartet, and pianist Ursel Schlicht (Germ/US).
2006 has seen The Adam Simmons Quartet release its second CD, "Metamorphosis," recordings with You Am I and the Legends of Motorsport, and performances at festivals such as the Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival, Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Adam was invited by Bar Open to present a major retrospective of his work - this was in conjunction with the 2006 Melbourne Fringe Festival - this featured over 200 musicians over 12 nights in 22 bands, 9 duets and 9 solos, covering ensembles and musicians from over 25 years of Adam's performing career.
Adam currently performs regularly with the Adam Simmons Toy Band, Adam Simmons Quartet, New Blood, Bucketrider, The Pearly Shells, Kynan Robinson's En Rusk, Oynsemble Melbourne, Bennetts Lane Big Band as well as performing solo and for special events with his large Creative Music Ensemble.
Adam has been invited to be the guest curator for Music Omi (US artist's colony) in August 2007.
For more info: www.adamsimmons.com
Also at MySpace:
Adam Simmons Toy Band - www.myspace.com/adamsimmonstoyband
Adam Simmons Quartet - coming soon
Adam Simmons Creative Music Ensemble - coming soon
New Blood - coming soon
