Introduction
Adam Kolker (born December 12, 1958) is an American jazz musician (woodwind instruments, composition) active in New York City.
Early life and education
Adam Kolker was born on December 12, 1958, in New York City. He was raised in Philadelphia.
Kolker received his bachelor's degree from the University of Miami, Miami, Florida, and his master's from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. During his master's, he was a member of the twelve-member ensemble Orange Then Blue since 1984. Later, he also recorded with them, until 1989.
Career
Kolker worked in various Broadway touring orchestras before he moved to New York in 1989. In New York, he was a member of Ray Barretto's band Ray Barretto & New World Spirit, until 2002. Barretto recorded at least four albums with Kolker: My Summertime (Owl Records and EMI France, 1995), Contact! (Blue Note, 1997), and Portraits In Jazz And Clave (RCA Victor and BMG France, 1999), Trancedance (Circular Moves, 2000).
In the following years, he worked with several well-known musicians including Gunther Schuller, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Maria Schneider, Kenny Wheeler, Bruce Barth, Rick Margitza, Luciana Souza, Judi Silvano, David Berkman, John Hébert, Peter Herborn, Billy Hart, Allan Chase, Bobby Previte, Bruce Saunders, Frank Carlberg, Matt Haimovitz, Marc Cohn, Lucia Pulid, Cecilia Coleman, Marty Ehrlich, Rob Garcia, and Mike Holober (Hiding Out, 2019).
In 1999, Kolker released the album Crazy Bird (Challenge/A Records) under his own name, with Tim Hagans (trumpet), Kevin Hays (piano), Jeff Ballard (drums), and Doug Weiss (bass). In 2003, he released his second album Sultanic Verses(Satchmo Jazz Records) with John Hebert (bass), Billy Hart (drums), Ray Barretto (percussion), and Bruce Barth (piano). This was followed by albums Flag Day and Reflections in 2008 and 2011, respectively (both on Sunnyside records.) Flag Day, with John Abercrombie, John Hébert, and Paul Motian, received critical acclaim from the New York Times, Jazz Times, Stereophile, and Downbeat.
His 2003 album Meditacions (Satchmo Jazz Records) co-led with Catalan drummer Xavi Maureta, received the award for "Best Modern Jazz CD" from the Catalan Jazz Society in 2002.
In 2017, Kolker recorded Beckon as a trio with Steve Cardenas (guitar) and Billy Mintz (drums). The following year, he collaborated with Russ Lossing on the album Whispers And Secrets.
Most recently, in 2020, Kolker released Lost (Sunnyside label) with himself on saxophone, Ugonna Okegwo on bass, Billy Hart on drums, and Bruce Barth on piano.
From 1999 to 2007, Kolker taught music at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.