Solo guitarist Adam was born and raised in Harlem, New York. He started playing blues guitar at the age of 6, was mugged in front of his home at 10, played in a hard rock band when he was 12, was ripped off by a club owner on his first gig at 15, and by 18 he was rapping on a gold hit recording overseas.
He’s led a true musician’s life since his earliest days. By 19 he was playing guitar professionally and at 20 he was playing an after hours joint in Harlem on 137th street and Adam Clayton Boulevard, where the band leader regularly drank himself into oblivion. Adam has played throughout USA at every venue from the New York City subway to some of the most prestigious music rooms and concert halls around. You can hear that Adam has paid his dues - you hear it in his feeling for the music he plays, in his groove, in his touch.
Adam Rafferty has played as a first-call guitarist with some of the world’s greatest musicians at countless music festivals (US and Europe), concert halls with Dr. Lonnie Smith, The Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, L.A. Studio legend Bennie Wallace and bassist Bob Cranshaw to name a few. Students fly from across the USA and from Europe to tap into Adam’s brain for guitar knowledge. He’s taught countless workshops, written 2 books and has a new instructional DVD teaching fingerstyle versions of Stevie Wonder’s most popular songs.
This year – as well as at our own festival, Adam is performing at festivals and concerts in Thailand, Finland, Germany and Austria. We’re delighted to have this supremely talented musician play the Oxford Jazz Festival.
Among Adam’s musical innovations is the ability to play 2 simultaneous melodies on the guitar and do hip hop flavoured “human beat-box” with his mouth at the same time. Some say that his solo version of Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” sounds like three guitarists! It really has to be heard to be believed. His solo versions of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” are his most popular and requested songs. Bass lines, horn parts and vocals are replicated, and the groove will have your feet tapping and your body rocking in its seat (if you can get one).
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