Origin Records Artist Adam Nussbaum

For over four decades, drummer Adam Nussbaum has been a reliably swinging fixture on the scene, providing the syncopated pulse for a variety of artists...
Bill Milkowski, Downbeat

Adam Nussbaum was born in New York City and grew up in Norwalk, Connecticut. After five years of piano study, he got his first drum set when he was around twelve. He later studied music at the City College of New York, during which time he also played in local clubs.

In 1978 he joined Dave Liebman's quintet and did his first European tour with John Scofield. Nussbaum played with saxophonist Stan Getz in 1982-83, and in 1983 he also became a member of the Gil Evans Orchestra, touring Europe and Japan with it two years later.

He later joined the Eliane Elias/Randy Brecker Quartet, Gary Burton, and Toots Thielemans. In 1987, he began touring with Michael Brecker's band. He was a member of Brecker's Grammy award-winning album. "Don't Try This at Home." During 1992, Nussbaum was part of the Carla Bley Big Band and the previous year John Abercrombie hired him to complete his organ trio.

Nussbaum has kept active in a wide variety of groups and as a freelance drummer. His recording debut as leader was in 2018, with The Lead Belly Project on Sunnyside Records.

He has played with a virtual "Who's Who" in the jazz world. Longtime associates have included: John Abercrombie, Bob Berg, Michael & Randy Brecker, Eliane Elias, Gil Evans, Stan Getz and Mike Gibbs. Further, Nussbaum performed and recorded with Vic Juris, Lee Konitz, James Moody, John Scofield, Joe Sample, Ohad Talmor, 'Toots' Thielemans and Kenny Wheeler & NHØP. As well as freelancing with prominent artists of every generation, being a major asset no matter where he appears. Adam Nussbaum has joined forces with other musicians to form such groups as BANN (with Seamus Blake, Jay Anderson & Oz Noy), We3 (with Dave Liebman & Steve Swallow), The Impossible Gentlemen (with Gwilym Simcock, Steve Rodby & Mike Walker), The Nuttree Quartet (with John Abercrombie, Jerry Bergonzi & Gary Versace), and The ZZ Quartet (with Ratko Zjaca, Simone Zanchini & Martin Gjakanovski).