Adam learned to play guitar and sing in Quaker meetings held in the woods by the Chesapeake Bay. He continued playing in rock bands and then jazz groups throughout Philadelphia.
As a teenager, Adam studied jazz with Lovett Hines at the Philadelphia Clef Club and performed in venerable Philadelphia jazz clubs including Zanzibar Blue, Chris’s Cafe and Ortliebs. After studying privately with Jimmy Bruno he accepted a promising artist scholarship and enrolled at the University of the Arts.
Adam’s musical pursuits took him further to NYC where he performed in notable jazz and rock venues including Smalls, Cleopatras Needle, and Pianos while pursuing Jazz studies at New School University.
After graduating Adam worked in recording studios throughout LA and NYC as a multi-instrumentalist, engineer and composer and maintained a busy teaching and performance schedule.
Upon returning home to Philadelphia, Adam set up a private teaching studio and began studying classical guitar. He joined the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society and performed Bach’s Chaconne in D minor from memory at the members concert. He auditioned for Jason Vieux and David Starobin at the Curtis Institute and was named first alternate.
His instrumental and electronic compositions have appeared in films and television. As a teacher Adam has taught thousands of guitar lessons.
In 2018 Adam moved to Durham, North Carolina and began performing in jazz, country and bluegrass circles. He accepted a position as a Graduate Assistant at NCCU and earned a Masters degree in composition and arranging.
His latest recording project, “Vibes + Tribes” consists of original compositions and jazz standards. It represents the culmination of his diverse influences in an improvisational setting with musicians that he has formed close bonds with in the Durham jazz community.