Norden Farm jazz: Top harmonica player performs Great American songbook

Harmonica player, pianist and educator Adam Glasser will be exploring his love of the Great American songbook at Norden Farm this month - while throwing in some music from his native South Africa.

Adam has an international reputation as a champion of township jazz on the harmonica and piano.

Township jazz is music created by black people living in poor, racially segregated urban areas of South Africa.

Adam is one of the UK’s top session harmonica players - he has performed with Sting, Eurythmics, Incognito, Joe Zawinul and recorded for many film composers from Debbie Wiseman to Howard Shore. He has stepped in for Stevie Wonder twice on live television with Sting and Eurythmics.

He has also performed in live orchestral concerts and theatre productions, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Globe Theatre in London, and guested with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. 

Influenced by his father’s involvement in the South African musical productions King Kong and Mr Palja, he later moved to Paris to study jazz piano. By the mid-80s, Adam was working regularly with top alto players and played several festivals in Europe. 

Adam Glasser and Friends is at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts on Friday, June 20at 8pm. Tickets are £17.50.

Tickets can be purchased online at: norden.farm/events/adam-glasser-and-friends