NEWS	BIO	PERFORMANCES	LISTEN	PRESS	CONTACT
	ADAM BIRNBAUM PIANIST, COMPOSER

 

Biography

Adam Birnbaum is emerging as one of the top young voices in jazz piano. Since arriving on the New York scene in 2003, he has become increasingly prominent performing in clubs and festivals around the world, working with artists as diverse as Greg Osby, Al Foster, Eddie Henderson, Carl Allen, and Wynton Marsalis. Adam has performed frequently in New York jazz clubs such as the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Birdland, the Jazz Standard and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, as well as in national and international venues such as the Gilmore Festival, The Kennedy Center, The Montreal Jazz Festival, and the Festival Dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy.

Adam's early education took place in Boston. After studying piano at the New England Conservatory of Music's Preparatory School he received a B.A. in Computer Science from Boston College. In 2001 Adam became a member of the inaugural class of Jazz Studies at the Juilliard School. After graduating in 2003, Adam won the American Jazz Piano Competition in May 2004 to become the American Pianists Association's Cole Porter fellow in Jazz. Since then Adam has established a busy performing career as a sideman and as a leader.

Adam was the first jazz pianist to present a recital at the prestigious Gilmore Rising Stars Recital Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in December 2004. In May 2006, Adam toured the Czech Republic playing solo piano concerts. In October, 2006, he received the first ever "special honor" prize at the Martial Solal Competition in Paris. The Adam Birnbaum Trio has opened for both Brad Mehldau and Herbie Hancock. Adam's quintet was in residence in July 2006 at the Festival Dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy. In early 2007 Adam toured West Africa as a part of the Rhythm Road program sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the US State Department. In July, 2007 Adam first began working with renowned saxophonist/composer Greg Osby. Since then Adam has become a regular member of Mr. Osby's ensemble, performing throughout the US and featured on Mr. Osby's latest record 9 Levels on the Inner Circle Music label. In 2008 Adam received a grant from Chamber Music America to commission a suite of music for his trio, to be premiered in late 2009. In March 2009 Adam began touring internationally with the Al Foster Quartet.

"Travels," Adam's debut as a leader for Smalls Records was released on October 14th, 2008. A Comme Amour," Adam's second trio album for Pony Canyon records in Japan, was released in November, 2006. His first album for that label, "Ballade Pour Adeline" received a Gold Disk award from Swing Journal as one of the top albums of 2006. He has studied with Kenny Barron, Danilo Perez, and Fred Hersch.

Adam Birnbaum's Discography