Adrian Cunningham · Roger Mas piano · Giuseppe Campisi double bass · Joan Casares drums
Adrian Cunningham is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and world traveler. Originally from Sydney, Australia, based in New York since 2008 and currently living in Barcelona, he has established himself internationally as one of today’s leading jazz multi-instrumentalists, with fluent mastery of the saxophones, clarinet, and flute.
Since his arrival in New York in 2008, Adrian has quickly risen to become one of the most in-demand woodwind players on the New York jazz scene, having recorded and performed with jazz luminaries such as Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, Wynton Marsalis, and Herlin Riley, as well as Grammy Award winners Jon Batiste, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Vince Giordano.
Adrian is the recipient of the Hot House Saxophone Award for alto saxophone. He performs regularly at New York’s most prestigious venues, including Birdland, the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, and Dizzy’s Coca-Cola at Lincoln Center. A particularly notable moment in his career was his performance at Carnegie Hall with the New York Sinfonietta Orchestra in 2017.
Adrian is a proud member of Wycliffe Gordon’s DownBeat Award–winning ensemble, The International All Stars, with whom he has recorded three albums.
He maintains an active international touring schedule, appearing at festivals around the world, with notable performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, Johannesburg Jazz Festival, Snowball Swing Festival (Sweden), Swing Crash Festival (Como, Italy), and the Tokyo Jazz Festival.
Adrian is a recording artist for Arbors Records and, as a leader, has recorded with a true “who’s who” of jazz, including Fred Hersch, Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, Dave Kikoski, Clarence Penn, Randy Brecker, and Herlin Riley.
His most recent album, It’s About Time, reflects his love of composition, featuring many deeply personal works.
A deep scholar and passionate advocate of the jazz tradition, Adrian also leads a New Orleans–style band, Professor Cunningham and His Old School, winners of the international World Jam band competition held annually in Madrid, Spain, as well as the international Harlem competition held in Vilnius, Lithuania.
“Cunningham’s delicate clarinet work… epitomizes sophistication and elegance.” DownBeat Magazine
“Indispensable to the New York jazz scene.” Hot House Magazine, New York
“Adrian Cunningham’s saxophone solo genuinely made me moan from the front rows.” The Independent, London
“Adrian Cunningham’s clarinet playing saved my day.”The Star, Johannesburg
