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Michael Adkins
Tenor saxophonist Michael Adkins has performed in a variety of settings, including work with the late Paul Motian and Alvin Fielder; Adkins most recent release is Flaneur, on HatHut.
About Me
MICHAEL ADKINS, a critically acclaimed jazz saxophonist and composer whose work bridges lyricism, swing, and deep improvisational inquiry. Raised at the juncture of Lake Huron and the St. Clair River, Adkins has lived and worked across Ontario, Michigan, New York, Boston, the Mississippi Delta, and New Orleans, developing a voice shaped as much by place as by people. His performance history includes collaborations with Paul Motian, Randy Brecker, Kenny Werner, Danny Gottlieb, John Medeski, Dave Holland, Jason Moran, John Hebert, Russ Lossing, Ben Street, Thomas Morgan, Larry Grenadier, Masabumi Kikuchi and a wide range of improvisers across the creative spectrum. Central to Adkins’ musical identity are long-standing relationships with master drummers, including acclaimed recordings with Paul Motian, tours and several critically applauded collaborations with Ian Froman, and five years of near-continuous creative partnership with the late Alvin Fielder, who famously summed up Adkins’ playing in three words: “He can swing.” Fielder—founding member of both the Black Arts Music Society and the AACM—was a mentor and close friend whose legacy deeply informs Adkins’ artistic outlook. More recently, Adkins has worked extensively with Ra Kalam Bob Moses, including performances throughout Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, Boston, and New York City, and six studio recordings with the iconic drummer, developed in part through their association at New England Conservatory. Adkins’ recording Flaneur (HATHUT Records), featuring Paul Motian, Russ Lossing, and Larry Grenadier, was named to Cadence Magazine’s 2019 Top Ten Critics’ Poll, with Jazziz calling it “a gift out of nowhere” and WIRE previously naming Rotator (HATHUT Records) its Jazz & Improv Album of the Year. As All About Jazz noted early on, Adkins’ music needs no adornment: “He just plays eight original tracks with his trio.” You might want to listen.
