London-based veteran pianist and harmonica virtuoso, Adam Glasser recently dropped his new album, “Adam Glasser: SA & Beyond”.
The 13-song album features compositions from several iconic South African jazz legends including, Themba Mkhize, Jimmy Dludlu, Caiphus Semenya and Bheki Mseleku among other iconic jazz artists.
Independent Media Lifestyle had the opportunity to chat with Glasser during his recent visit to South Africa.
“So far, it’s been wonderful. I’ve come to make connections and promote the album. I also did a harmonic workshop in Soweto and went to a jam session in Melville. So it’s been busy, but I’m enjoying it,” said the renowned musician.
Glasser, the son of South African-born British composer, Stanley “Spike” Glasser, shared the story of how he has followed in his late father’s footsteps.
“It’s always been in my blood. I moved to London when I was 19, there were a lot of expatriate South African musicians. All of these people captured my imagination.
“My dad dissuaded me from going into music because of it being a tricky business and because I hadn’t had the conventional music training.”
Glasser’s training came from performing at events in the ‘80s and ‘90s in London. Later he took to playing the chromatic harmonica, which was a Christmas gift from his dad.
“I practised it and started playing it during jam sessions, and I got my big break when I was asked to do a film score on ‘Hard Rain’.”
After that Glasser performed with Sting on his “Brand New Day” album as well as performed at other major music concerts and events like the BBC Concert Orchestra.
One of his career highs included performing in New York last year, when the late jazz maestro, Hugh Masekela was inducted into the Ertegun Hall of Fame.
“This is my first album in a long time ... Because I started so late, I feel like I still have a lot to say as a musician.
“I have this unique history of connection to both the South African and the UK music scenes, so I feel like there’s lots more for me to do.”
On the new album, Glasser said that he’s got a choice of songs that will appeal to people.
“The composers that I am representing, all of them are great South African composers but there are certain tunes of theirs that people don’t know, so that was the essence of what I was trying to do on this album.
“I also wanted to represent it with a combination of UK and South African musicians, so that it will appeal to fans here and abroad.”
Through the various tracks, Glasser said that he is trying to show people what can be done on the harmonica.
“It’s a strange instrument. It’s got all the black and white notes of the piano and that takes a bit of time to wrap your head around.
“I’m trying to introduce the harmonica to people. When you hear a famous jazz standard from South Africa played on the harmonica, it’s quite different.”
“A lot of people have been listening to the tracks and enjoying them. I know there’s an audience for this music, and I am not competing with amapiano.
“I think my music speaks to an older audience as well as younger jazz students. I think this album will be of interest to them,” Glasser ended.