Who Is Adrian James Croce and Why Should I Put Him In My Ears?The international music scene, like a menu of infinite pancake choices, can overwhelm you with its endless, dubious promises of fulfillment. Seedling Records recording artist A.J. Croce knows how you feel. He doesnt want you to fill up on empty carbs or predictable music. A.J.--considered one of our greatest young songwriters by David Wild of Rolling Stone--wants your ears satisfied, like they just ate the best pancakes ears ever ate, and with his tasty singing, songwriting, and musicianship, A.J. delivers.
I know what youre wondering: can A.J.s music be categorized as easily as it can be digested? Consider this: each of A.Js five CDs has hit the radio charts in a different genre. His debut, A.J. Croce entered the top ten U.S. jazz chart in 1993; the follow up
Thats Me in The Bar landed again in the top ten in 1995, but this time in the Americana and Blues chart; Subsequently, 1998s Fit to Serve placed again on the blues chart, but also on the AAA chart, and 2000s Transit garnered a spot again on AAA and also the American college radio chart. His single Dont Let Me Down, from his 2005 CD Adrian James Croce is the only song by an artist on an independent label to hit the US top 40 charts in 2005; and three of his songs remained in the European radio top twenty for six months straight during 2005.
Such diverse acceptance cannot be aimed for: AJ makes music he loves, grounded in his wide range of influences, and lets the chips hit the fan, confident, as he says, that an eclectic taste in music, is the foundation of versatility. This eclecticism has gained A.J. a reputation as a one man music festival, wholl pull an old barrelhouse boogie woogie stride piano jam out of one sleeve, a psychedelic pop gem or New Orleans funk groove out of the other. Imagine an American roadhouse nightclub on a warm summer night, poised between city and country, where folks of all ages and backgrounds come to dance, listen, drink, and occasionally start a romance or fistfight; AJ would go over in there. You would buy him a beer.
Diversity in music borne of adversity in lifeIn childhood, A.J. lost his father to a tragic plane crash and his eyesight to a brain tumor.
From the ages of four to ten, he gradually regained sight in his left eye, learned to play the piano, fell in love with the music of Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, and came into possession of his multi-platinum recording artist fathers weathered songbook and guitar. Raised by his mom Ingrid near the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, California, A.J. began writing songs and performing locallyfirst for $20 at a Bat Mitzvah and later as a sideman and bandleadereventually launching his recording and touring career, modeled after the epic tale of Gilgamesh. Having survived his challenging childhood, A.J. was able to overcome another unexpected obstacle as an adult: he blew out his powerful voice during the recording of Fit To Serve, had to learn to sing all over again for Transit, and is now in better voice than ever.Beyond Pancakes and Sea Otters: the Strange and Delightful journey of A.J. CroceAdrian James became A.J. as a young man in order to combine his two first names into one, making room for his new middle name: Adventure. From his days living in a London flat & playing local pubs to his climbing the Himalayas in 1987 & the Oldavai Gorge in 1989 (where he became interested in early man as an early man); from his performance before Czech president Vaclav Havel in Boston, with whom he exited through the kitchen of the theatre singing harmonies to Bob Dylan tunes, to his monkey levitation experiments in the Far East in the 1990s, A.J. has never stopped seeking new joys and possibilities for filling his life with life, and his humorous, fresh, and often touching songwriting reflects this passion. A.J.s recordings have traveled even further than he has, having been launched into the far reaches of our galaxy on two space shuttle missions. A.J.s goals these days include continuing to love and celebrate his wife, kids, family, friends, and fans, overcoming his fear of sea otters, and nourishing his label Seedling records as it sprouts a big dark forest full of delights. He is currently living in a hotel near you.Friends in all sorts of placesA.J.s wide appeal is no secret; take a look at some of the artists with whom he has performed and recorded:
On stage: Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Santana, Willie Nelson, Dave Mathews, Ben Harper, Lyle Lovett, Rod Stewart, Morphine, B.B. King, Pinetop Perkins, Honeyboy Edwards, John Fahey, Gangstarr, John Mayall, Buddy Guy, Lenny Kravitz, Bruce Hornsby, Toni Braxton, David Garza, Fastball, and Steve Poltz, and his childhood hero Ray Charles.
In the studio: producers T-Bone Burnett, John Simon, Jim Gaines and Jack Clement, Michael Vail Blum and producer/drummer Jim Keltner; Artists David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, Ry Cooder, Can, Robben Ford,Waddy Wachtel and jazz legend Ron Carter.Appearances in the Second and Third Dimension:Periodicals: AJ has been interviewed and written about in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Washington Post, People, and just about as many major publications as you can shake a stick at, if thats your idea of a good time; just this month (January, 2006) his song Baby Tonight was voted number one among the months top ten favorites in Mojo, wherein AJ was hailed as a young Maca on a good day.
Television: A.J. has appeared on television more than he has golfed or voted: these appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, Austin City Limits, Good Morning America, Late Night with Conan OBrien, CBS This Morning, VH1, MTV, The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight, E True Hollywood Stories, BBCs Later with Jules Holland, and the Cable News Network.
Live and In Person: Since 1992, AJ has toured Earth extensively. With the release of Adrian James Croce, AJ has continued to maintain a rigorous touring schedule, singing his songs--both as a solo performer and with his full band--in swanky joints and dance halls from here to Tucumcari, but mainly throughout the US and Europe.Seedling Records releases CANTOSAJs new CD Cantos will soon hit the stores and airwaves. This is AJs most intimate recording to date, with a pared-down, minimalist studio approach that highlights AJs increasingly mature and versatile singing, songwriting, piano-playing, as well as some surprisingly confident and assured guitar picking. Cantos features guest artists Ben Harper, Gregory Page, and Steve Poltz, among others, and though it marks a departure from the lush and dramatic orchestrations of his last two recordings, Cantos restrained simplicity elegantly frames AJs most emotionally affecting collection of songs to date. AJ has dubbed his first pressing of Cantos The Silver Ticket Edition; One and only one of the CDs in this pressing contains a silver ticket which entitles the bearer to a free performance by AJ in the bearers home, wherever that may be. The Silver Ticket Edition of Cantos will be released April 18th 2006.
AJs biography written by D.A. Kolodenko, Freelance journalist currently residing in Tucumcari, New Mexico.
