Tony Adamo is a character - he’s been a rock drummer, a billboard guy, a TV set tech - but his true calling hit him while hanging with Mic Gillette and Skip Mesquite from Tower Of Power and mixing it up with drummer Mike Clark. Tony creates spoken word pieces, writing them out before recording, and then out comes a completely different riff as he hits the mic. he speaks of the greats, of a time past for most but still vibrant for some. His tone evokes a feeling of freewheeling abandon, of true independence as his band cooks with gas. His 2018 release, Was Out Jazz Zone Mad feature Mike Clark in peak form with special guest Roger Smith. The album is funky, and Tony’s poetry references not just the Jazz greats but the lyrical blues tradition.
2018 Countdown | Light Blue Movers
When a band that records from different locations finally gets the chance to be in the same physical space at the same time, something extraordinary is bound to happen. Light Blue Movers found themselves in that situation in Los Angeles last year and hit the studio; no songs, no charts, just common experiences after a challenging year and a desire to document the feeling. The result is Teleological Devolution (The Venice Sessions Pt. 1), a solemn reflection on the times we live in and the common desire to find, to make something beautiful to provide sustenance for all. Deron Johnson, Jonatan Levy, Gabe Gordon, and Adrian Harpham are serious cats, and Light Blue Movers is the common vehicle.
2018 Countdown | Yak Attack
Three cats with a deep sense of purpose, serious chops, and a desire to mix it up live - that’s Yak Attack. Staples on the PDX scene, Dave Dernovsek, Rowan Cobb, and Nick Werth take their Classical and Jazz backgrounds and flip the whole thing into a live looping session with real instrumentation. Their 2018 release Safety Third is a hugely addictive, groove based excursion into the late hours. These are the days when electronic music comes of age and sheds its futuristic stereotype, becoming a unique form of expression that fits into any mix. Yak Attack, please lead the way!
2018 Countdown | Ill Doots
We always love when the music comes home to Philly, and this time its a solid hometown banger. Ill Doots transcends the term collective in an open source, dynamic community of artists, educators, and musicians. They are from many places, assembled in the great city of Philadelphia, with a shared emphasis on the value of the process rather than the product. With an open flow like this, it is natural that the output takes varied forms. If we had to define it, we’d call it conscious and soulful Hip-Hop. Their self titled LP was praised by many, with the great curators over at WYEP adding it to their top albums of 2018 at # 3. Well played all around.