Home » Jazz Musicians » Adam Nolan

Adam Nolan

Adam Nolan is a Free Jazz Saxophonist/Rapper/Music Producer and Writer based in Ireland. Known as one of the most fearless and authentic jazz musicians on the scene. Each album is completely concept improvised. Striving to create new scenes and landscapes with a bold edge. His authenticity comes from his modern approach with old school style concepts. A very interesting character and is completely in it for innovation and the pursuance for a new way of creativity to spread throughout the globe. Each show is completely different. These days he also raps on some of his line ups adding accesibility to his free jazz based roots. The shows are influenced by the energy of the environment and the audience. Perfect for festivals as the ever changing sound will never leave the listener bored. An adventure of a lifetime the world has been waiting for. Pure honest raw improvisation. Energy and meditation are the driving force in the philosophy and preparation in this story. 

Awards

30/30 Artist on Improvised Music Company (IMC) 2022- 2023

Jazzahead Bursary 2021 by Culture Ireland to participate on the Irish Team with Improvised Music Company (IMC)

1/1 In Major Jazz Performance Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) Institute 2016

Winner of Senior Saxophonist Competition Kilkenny Music Festival 2010


Tags

3
Take Five With...

Take Five With Adam Nolan

Read "Take Five With Adam Nolan" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Meet Adam Nolan Born on August 6, 1993, in Kilkenny, Ireland. Adam Nolan is at the forefront of modern free jazz. Each album is based on improvised concepts and styles forever growing and changing whilst maintaining flow-states achieved from meditation before the sessions and live performances. To date he has released over 15 albums and continues to change and develop his style. These days he has incorporated hip hop vocals and spoken word into the sets which has helped to ...

6
Album Review

Adam Nolan: Listen to Me Now

Read "Listen to Me Now" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Listen to Me Now evolves from a blank radar screen. At first glance, there's nothing there. Blank grid. Gray expanse. Then, suddenly, one blip, then another. In-breath-out-breath then another. Uncountable seconds later one's juggling a whole new multiverse. Action is demanded. Questions abound. Run for the exits or find the teachable moment? The learnable instant? “Roll the Dice," the starting pistol of Irish free jazzing saxophonist Adam Nolan's fearless new testimony, answers that question and other such inquiries as well. ...

3
Radio & Podcasts

Trios, Ivo and 'Trane

Read "Trios, Ivo and 'Trane" reviewed by Bob Osborne


On this show music from trios lead by Adam Nolan, Gerry Eastman and Fran Nava. There's another track from the newly released live version of John Coltrane with A Love Supreme Live in Seattle as well as further exploration of Ivo Perelman's Brass and Ivory Tales Box Set. Portland, Oregon also features, a city that inspires the music of Barry Deister.Playlist Adam Nolan Trio “Ancient Mayan Temple" from Prim and Primal (Self Released) 00:00 Barry Deister Quintet “The ...

6
Album Review

Adam Nolan: Prim and Primal

Read "Prim and Primal" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Whether stalking the perimeters or cutting to the bone, Irish alto saxophonist Adam Nolan's full throated assault on alternative facts takes you by storm on his fourth (and hopefully breakthrough) disc, Prim and Primal. Like Ornette Coleman, like Anthony Braxton, Nolan and his fellow non-shy improvisors—bassist Derek Whyte and drummer Dominic Mullan—keep the music stark. Impassioned. Jabbing darkly, waxing in and out of time and shadow. Animated. Keening. Upon their maiden voyage, Nolan, Whyte, and Mullan ...

4
Album Review

Adam Nolan: Prim and Primal

Read "Prim and Primal" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci


Tell you what. A lot of listeners have never been particularly big fans of free jazz. “It is difficult to understand." Really? “Formalism," said Sergei Prokofiev, “is the name given to music not understood on first hearing." This, recall, was a statement made in defense of Dmitri Shostakovich and his Fourth Symphony. This is not to compare Adam Nolan with Shostakovich. Yet one could imagine Stalin objecting mightily to the Kilkenny saxophonist's 2021 recording as “muddle instead of music." Because, ...

4
Album Review

Adam Nolan Trio: Prim and Primal

Read "Prim and Primal" reviewed by Jim Worsley


Prim and Primal is a cool name for a record. It does, however, take some balls to put out a record with such a title. It leaves listeners with deep expectations. To paraphrase the old saying, though, “It's okay to talk the talk if you can walk the walk." Alto saxophonist Adam Nolan has a pair of rhythm section mates, double bassist Derek Whyte and drummer Dominic Mullan, that step and groove to the same beats. Collectively they improvise from ...

Read more articles
16

Recording

Ireland's Adam Nolan Trio To Release 'Prim And Primal' On August 19, 2021

Ireland's Adam Nolan Trio To Release 'Prim And Primal' On August 19, 2021

Source: All About Jazz

Prolific saxophonist Adam Nolan will soon release his latest trio album featuring Irish jazz musicians Derek Whyte (double bass) and Dominic Mullan (drums). The concept is of two jazz personalities, the polite humble sweet sounding, and the aggressive wild punk rebel. Each track is a visceral experience combining fantastical imagery and unique scenarios. Before each piece was recorded images and ideas would come to Nolan's mind that he would explain to the new rhythm section. The trio moved beyond the ...

“It's more difficult to target the biggest influences on Nolan. They may be from outer space, as few earthlings have that kind of lung capacity. What he does musically inside those long winded furloughs is as remarkable as his open minded and creative note selections. All on the fly, improvisational, and indeed primal. Nolan reaches down into a guttural level that is somewhere between mind blowing and magnificent. He gets responses from his bandmates that at times have interplay logic or reactive quality. Just as often the return is starting up their own elements, adding them to the mix, and giving Nolan something else to play with, respond to, or not. The next note, the next exchange, is never obvious." - Jim Worsley (All About Jazz)

Read more

Kaoru Abe
saxophone, alto
Pharoah Sanders
saxophone, tenor
Ornette Coleman
saxophone, alto
John Coltrane
saxophone
Kenny Garrett
saxophone, alto
Charlie Parker
saxophone, alto
Chris Potter
saxophone, tenor
Sam Rivers
saxophone, tenor
Myron Walden
saxophone, alto
Melvin Butler
saxophone

Photos

Music

Videos

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.