Draft:Adrian Harpham

Adrian Harpham (born Adrian Geoffrey Harpham November 10th, 1968) is a North American session drummer, record producer, recording artist/songwriter and multi instrumentalist based in New York City. Born in Los Angeles, CA. He grew up in Southern California, Philadelphia and the Boston area.

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Adrian Harpham
Background information
Born	(1968-11-10) November 10, 1968 (age 57) Los Angeles, California, US'
Genres	Jazz, Rock, R&B, Soul, Hip Hop, Neo Soul, Alternative, Roots, Blues, Jazz-Fusion, New Orleans
Occupations	Record Producer, Session Musician, Composer, Artist
Instruments	Drums, Guitar, Keyboard, Bass, Electronics
Years active	1993- Present
Label	https://www.moderniconrecordings.com/
Website	https://adrianharpham.wordpress.com/

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Adrian's parents are Beatriz da Conceição Dejesus (1935-2022) and Geoffrey Harpham. Beatrice was a playwright from Macau, China (Southeast Asian/Mexican-Peruvian descent), Geoffrey is an academic from the Chicago area. Adrian was exposed to writers, Academics, music and visual art growing up. He heard everything from Art Tatum to the Beatles to Bob Dylan to Ricard Wagner to Duke Ellington. By the age of 9, he became interested in becoming a visual artist. However, by 9th grade, music took over.

He started playing drums at age 14, and was self taught rock drummer. After seeing a Miles Davis concert at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia, hearing Herbie Hancock's Headhunters album and Jeff Beck's Blow By Blow his interest expanded towards jazz, jazz/rock fusion and funk. Private studies with Russell Leach, Alan Dawson and Carl Mottola followed.

At age 20, he started attending Berklee College Of Music ; continued private studies with Ed Uribe, Gil Graham, Alan Hall. By 21, he became a pro drummer in the Boston area. Notable gigs from this time included: guitarist Bruce Bartlett, Tavares, Letters To Cleo and saxophonist Myanna.

At 25 he moved to NYC and became an in demand session drummer, sharing the stage and studio with a wide range of artists, including: Lucy Pearl(featuring Raphael Saadiq, Ali Shaheed Muhammed and Dawn Robinson),  Leo Nocentelli (of the Meters), Icons Of Funk(featuring Nocentelli, Fred Wesley, Bernie Worrell^[1] and bassist Bill Dickens),Chromeo, Amel Larrieux/Groove Theory, Dr. John, Henry Butler, Donald Harrison, Pee Wee Ellis, Thalia, Doug Wamble, Charlie Hunter, Imani Coppola, Brazilian Girls, Coolio, Tom Scott, Patti Rothberg, Leona Naess, Jen Chapin, Adam Cohen, Monday Michiru, Julian Coryell, Tre Hardson (from the Pharcyde), Jason Miles and DJ Logic/Global Noize, Screaming Headless Torsos, Reuben Wilson, John Tropea, Melvin Sparks, The Shirelles, The Chiffons, The Crystals, Tommy Roe, Billy J. Kramer, Gloria Gaynor, Popa Chubby and The Coasters. Additional highlights include: Anthony Jackson, High Duchess,^[2] Oz Noy, Matthew Garrison, Fred Wesley,^[3] Lou Marini, Maxine Brown, Ivan Neville, Jeff Buckley, Walter Wolfman Washington, Hiram Bullock, John Papa Gros, Rockin Doopsie, Butler Bernstein and the Hot Nine, Jon Batiste, Marcus Wolf,^[4] Joss Stone, KD Lang, Nona Hendryx , Jeff Golub, Nelson Rangell, Marion Meadows, Walter Beasley, Q-Tip, Schooly-D and The Goats to name a few.^[5] TV and jingle work include: Animaniacs theme, Parappa the Rapper, Evian, Coke and scoring trailer music for Y Tu Mama Tambien.

Adrian is also an active record producer and recording artist. He has produced over 30 independent releases, including 2 of his own. He is primary vocalist/composer and instrumentalist on 2010's “Music From The Mind’s Eye“( released on Amel Larrieux’s label, Blisslife) and 2014's: “On The Edge Of Change“, released independently. He was also mentioned in a book called "Pop-Culture Pedagogy in the Music Classroom: Teaching Tools from American Idol to YouTube" which referenced his experience and expertise in the music industry.^[6] Adrian was also featured in interviews such as The Jake Feinberg Show,^[7][8] The Sit-down Podcast with James Hurt,^[9] Ropeadope: Under the Sonic Hood,^{[10][11][12][13]} 21 Soul,^[14][15] Stir Crazy With Steve Jenkins, ^[16] and The Pace Report: "Funk Summit".^[17]

The collective, "Light Blue Movers" - he is a member along with keyboardist Deron Johnson, singer/guitarist Gabriel Gordon and Israeli bassist - Jonathon Levy.^[18] He is also the producer, co writer and mix engineer on their records. He is also a member of the instrumental NYC based outfit, MILK. This band includes Fred Cash jr on bass, Bruce Flowers - keys and guitarist, Marvin Sewell.

Modern Icon Recordings (created in 2017) is an Imprint label within Ropeadope that is curated by Adrian consisting of many artists he's producing/co composing or in collaboration with.