Jeff Adams Music/h1>

 
by Jᴇғғ Aᴅᴀᴍs
 

Tempus fugit!

And as time changes, so does perspective and purvue…but it’s still me, Jᴇғғ Aᴅᴀᴍs. In past epochs, I was the leader of  the bands Tabula Rasa, Prescott Alley, and Frozen Pop. I wrote and arranged the music the bands performed; I was also the lead singer. I’m a man of hundreds of original songs, still actively performing within a wide range of dynamics — like the current acoustic duo project with Blended Folk .

 
 
I began writing songs, albeit keeping them to myself awhile, in 1981 and started performing in 1983. I experienced a huge surge in performances and recordings throughout the 1990s. Creative energy seemed to flow in such abundance within the scene of the time. It is a sense of freedom, and also a sense of the ethereal really – caught within the mystery, the revelations and results of the creative process.
 
 
My first live performance was for an International Club Dinner in April 1983 – a makeshift band of errant Germanophiles performing German Beatles songs, like “Sie Liebt Dich” (the German version of “She Loves You”) and “Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand” (the German version of “I Wanna Hold Your Hand”). This preceded some studio session work in Frankfurt, West Germany during a whirlwind European tour, but that was just an interlude – and a whole other story.
 
 
The first demo tape I recorded was in 1984, produced by AdZe MiXXe (†1997 RIP), known in his future as “Astrologer Extraordinaire”, of a song with a complicated history that I have yet to release.
 
 
My songs explore existentialism and questioning – of established norms, interpersonal relationships and experiences, and considerations from the whimsical to the dire. My music is ultimately an expression of my own internal passion. The emerging sound has been distinctly Indie Rock and Indie Acoustic Rock. Eclectic concepts and expressions combined with masterful arrangements and sound engineering allow for a resulting edgy, Indie vibe that satisfies the soul.
 
 
My earliest influences of music came from my mother’s insistence that I learn an instrument. First, it was violin lessons at age 8. Then, piano lessons at age 9. I taught myself the guitar, albeit slowly figuring it out, at age 12, approaching it with greater fervor throughout my teens. In between different instruments came poetic influences and literary references that spoke to my innermost being – like Robert Blake, Wordsworth, Poe, and Shakespeare, to name a few. My influences stem from poetry and literature alike; I’m attracted to remarkable creativity like a moth is attracted to a flame.
 
 

Totally Influenced by The Beatles, and…

I have been influenced by the song stylings of:
Doc Watson, Bill Monroe, Woodie Guthrie, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, The Ink Spots, The Andrews Stisters, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, Cat Stevens, B.B. King, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, David Byrne, Carly Simon, Neil Diamond, David Grisman, Ton Steine, Jeff Lynne, Eric Clapton, George Thoroughgood, Ric Ocasek, Willie Nelson, Jim Croce, Blondie, Robert Smith, Rob Dickenson, Dan Ceska, Aimee Mann, Merl Saunders, Nena, David Gilmour, and Neil Young, Of course, that is to just name a few! Over time, my list of influences has only expanded to include several other very impressive artists.

 
 
The Blended Folk Story
…and what in the world is Tabula Rasa?

 
Tabula Rasa began in 1986, the realization of my musical art of the era – jammin’ with some friends. We jammed for a year and a half here and there, coming up with what would be the first at-home studio-type atmosphere in which I would jam – and a very inventive one at that! I doubt any audio from that era exists, but I’ve said that before! Certainly none of that material has been heard since!

 
 
After some intensive songwriting, I’d brought (what was then) a fairly sparse catalog to Chris McDonough, the classically trained guitar genius; from there we performed as Tabula Rasa (I kept the name for a while from the old days!) ca. 1991 at an establishment called Rosie O’Grady’s in West Chester, PA, at Rob Dickenson‘s Open Mic Night (The Get Right Band, Life After Elvis, The Rob Dickenson Band) There were a few different performing and recording scenarios back then. Really, I was interested in taking these cool stylings to the next level in band-development. We recorded a full-band studio demo as Tabula Rasa with Ric Stanlee on bass and background vocals (as well as with added session players) in Aston, PA in 1991.
 
 
Chris’ function was primarily as lead guitar and rhythm accompaniment. He taught me quite a bit, and we did develop a collaborative style that is very jammy. His riffs are incredibly catchy! Chris has been an inspiration to me as an artist, challenging me to write more and to write better. As to most of the songwriting, I’ve been the primary songwriter. Chris and I did some basic collaboration on 5 songs for which he gets composition credit for guitar riffs that became undeniably a part of the actual songs. We also have 3 specific songs that were co-written compositions. Chris and I worked together on 20 sound recordings of individual tracks, published in different collections – 6 tracks of which Chris contributed to the music compositions, but was not featured on.
 
 
Moving forward from the makeshift band schema, still recording as Tabula Rasa, Chris and I made a demo tape as an acoustic duo in West Chester, PA, at radio station WCHE-AM in 1992. Back then we performed anywhere we could, as often as we could – in coffee shops, open-mic nights, parties, and even in alleys!

 
We started jamming with Tom Zartler on bass guitar and Dennette Myers on Drums and Percussion by late 1992 on a regular basis, what became Prescott Alley. There are some old-school, analog recordings from that era that might show up somewhere at some point.
 

Our band then grew to include Carlyn Hurwitz on keys, background vocals, various percussion and occasional guitar, George Kalman took over on bass. It was then we became Frozen Pop, by mid-1993. Though that was only the beginning, with some of the original band members starting separate projects by late-1994. We recorded a demo on digital audio tape, what would be our first digital recordings, plus we have some decent analog soundboard recordings of our jams at this great spot called “The Parlor”.
 
 

Frozen Pop was an opening act for The Get Right Band, feat. John Lilley from The Hooters, as well as for Matt Sevier and The Ruins from Philly FM radio accolades of the time.
 
 

Since the band practiced, performed, and recorded my original compositions which were the backbone sound of the act, Chris and I continued forth –  first with Kevin Hughes on drums, and then as an acoustic duo for much of the 1990s, with the help of other friends from time to time, like Joe Habel (The ChAnge), Michael Rast (VHF and The Rob Dickenson Band), with many other cameo appearances from other acts filling different spots, still performing as Frozen Pop.
 
 

The goal in the beginning was to just write, jam, and create cool sounds. The thought of getting on the radio was the next step within the paradigm of the era – the right exposure, we thought, would lead to greater recognition. As that came to pass in varying degrees, the goal now – moreso than ever before – is continued creative and artistic exploration. Ultimately, the results of this have always held the most meaning. Still, recognition and acknowledgement of one’s art is an important aspect of the Creative (so listen, subscribe and follow please).

 
 
Though there were only me and Chris left of the original Frozen Pop when we hit the studio various times in California in the late 90s, I had initially promised, “we need to get Frozen Pop on the radio!” Mission accomplished. And the first time I heard a song I wrote played on the radio, it was a thoroughly sublime experience. I ended up blasting all the radios in my apartment at the time while frantically making phone calls to tell people! This was on WXPN-FM, University of Pennsylvania radio, June 2000, broadcasting to Philadelphia and Baltimore areas, on their Local Lunch (or a program of the like, showcasing local artists). Another radio station began playing this song too, The Fleeting Moment, feat. Chris McDonough, written by Jᴇғғ Aᴅᴀᴍs (self-released under Frozen Pop – another local artist showcase (originally on WSTW-FM in Wilmington, DE) called Hometown Heroes, hosted by Mark Rogers, from what’s known as the Delaware Valley.
 
 

We have, however, since stopped performing and recording as Frozen Pop. I’ve re-recorded and released much of this material under my own Artist Name (Jᴇғғ Aᴅᴀᴍs) and Label (Bucketstomp™ Productions), many tracks still featuring Chris McDonough, currently performing too as Blended Folk .

 
 
Chris and I have been recently jamming and performing quite a bit more again recently – we can  be found at  avant garde performances throughout the year. We’ve had some cameo and scheduled resurgence lately. The sounds are always expanding in beautiful ways, now performing as Blended Folk.
 
 

I perform solo quite often now too (including many more live, online performances), also in duos and larger acts — producing albums, writing, and performing all over the place with playlist and radio spins in grateful abundance, being played all over the world. Continuing forth…
 

My Studio Releases encompass my music spanning the entire time I’ve been composing, each LP and EP. Mostly everything I’ve published is streaming on all of the major platforms out there. There are even old-fashioned CDs still available on LPs before 2018. My favorite places to stream, and to recommend streaming, are YouTube and AppleMusic – though I also really like Spotify, SoundCloud, and others. Of course, there are many other options and everyone has their favorites!
 
 

While at one time I used to do quite a few podcasts, that is an endeavor that has shifted focus. I’ve been doing live video performances on all the socials; and, similar to the podcast framework, began with creative motivational videos for the YouTube series,
Yᴇ Oʟᴅᴇ Iɴᴅɪᴇ Dᴜᴅᴇ.

 
New Single Release, Out Now! “It Could Never Have Been”
☮️❤️🙂🎶

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