Adam Glasser

Bio

• South African harmonica player & pianist Adam Glasser toured with Dudu Pukwana's Zila in the mid '80s and was musical director of the Manhattan Brothers producing for EMIL their final CD ‘Inyembezi' in 2006.

• Performances/recordings with Sting, Eurythmics, Incognito, Zawinul Syndicate, London Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Abdullah Ibrahim & many film/tv sessions

• Accompanied Hugh Masekela at York University ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGO0lcOa160), Commonwealth Games Opening in Glasgow and Westminster Abbey.

• Performed/recorded with SA legends including Khaya Mahlangu, Fana Zulu, Mfiliseni Magubane, Simphiwe Dana, Dj Cleo, Rhythmic Elements as well as Standard Bank Award winners Nduduzo Makhathini and Bokani Dyer.

• Albums 'Free at First' ( 2010 SAMA Best Jazz Album) and ‘Mzansi' (nominated 2012 SAMA Best Jazz Album) - new album due for release 2019

• Selected Festival Appearances: Cape International Town Jazz Festival, “one the 25 Best Live Shows of the Year ( John Kelman - Editor www.allaboutjazz.com), Swaziland Bushfire Festival, Joy of Jazz, National Arts Festival Grahamstown, Scarborough Jazz Festival 2016, Trossingen World Harmonica Festival 2017, Brecon Jazz Festival 2018,

•Education Work: has led workshops in Gugulethu, Grahamstown, Sophiatown, Thembisa, Gauteng Jazz Academy, appeared on SATV Morning Live with students from Moses Molelekwa School and all over UK, Kingsdale Secondary School, London

• SA/UK Season 2015 - ’SA Jazz Standards Project' : Part 1 - performances, workshops at Grahamstown Festival and Gugulethu, Sophiatown Heritage Centre Conference attended by leading media broadcasters, musicians and the public. Part 2 - London Jazz Festival. Collaborated with Bokani Dyer & Gareth Lockrane to produce workshops at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall as well as a series of concerts in London.

• ‘King Kong Revisited’ July 2016 - Orbit Jazz Club Johannesburg and Sophiatown Mix - 9 piece band played arrangements based on recently discovered scores of his father Stanley Glasser was the original musical director.

• 2018 highlights: ‘Harmonica Stories’ - 4 x 30’ Radio shows for Resonance FM, Adam Glasser Sextet feat. Byron Wallen headlined the Brecon Jazz Festival 2018, taught on Aldeburgh Young Musicians’ Summer Course, harmonica recording with Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya November 2018

• April 2022 - Concerts SA performance at Nikki's Oasis Johannesburg with Fana Zulu, Rob Watson, Bhasi Mahlasela, Thami Mahlangu, Athi Ngcaba, Lwanda Gogwana

"Glasser's deep appreciation of South African music history made for a unique spectacle as he moved from maskandi to kwela, showing his expertise and making a case for the versatility of the great Mzansi songbook” Percy Mabandu City Press