Biography
Nick Adema is a Canadian trombonist (MA)/composer currently based in Amsterdam Nick is a Rath Trombones artist.
Exploring the plurality of sonic environments is Nick Adema’s forte. Using the modest nature of the slide to express his musical vigour, Nick is one of the most versatile trombonists coming out of Canada. Hailing from the nation's capital Ottawa, Nick quickly came onto the scene as a curious mind who embraced spontaneity and playfulness in his music. Nick is a musical wanderer, bringing his music on a 2024 January Canadian Tour featuring Noah Preminger to eight of Canada’s largest cities. Whilst in the Netherlands, Nick has been able to perform alongside a number of musicians including Ben van Gelder, and Reinier Baas in his Adema Adds concert series, and on several occasions with Tineke Postma. In addition to touring Canada, Nick Adema’s Urban Chaos has a Spring/Summer 2024 tour that visits Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Zeeland, Berlin, and Cologne. On October 4th Nick will release his upcoming album Urban Chaos with a Dutch Tour featuring Jasper Blom. Nick is also a sideman in the Netherlands, touring the country's largest jazz venues such as North Sea Jazz, Bimhuis, Lanteren Venster, Den Paard and others. Whilst in his studies in Amsterdam and in Toronto, Nick has been the recipient of a number of awards during his studies in Amsterdam and Toronto, such as the Keep an Eye International Jazz Competition Best CvA Soloist, the Holland Scholarship, the Albert and Wilhelmine Renewable Scholarship.
“Each of his compositions contains a myriad of ideas, gradually revealing themselves over time and yet all coming together to form a satisfying whole.” - Yoshi Wall (The Whole Note October 2021)
Nick currently has two records under his belt as a band leader entailed demiLAN and New Roots (with the Adema Manoukas Octet). Inspired by his mother, Nicholas used the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity to create a full length album demiLAN (released October 22nd 2021), in which he shows off his broad creativity as a writer, and creates a masterful performance. Coming on the heels of his first full-length album demiLAN, trombonist Nick Adema has teamed up with saxophonist Alex Manoukas for a new recording project with their newly formed band the Adema Manoukas Octet. These eight Toronto all-stars have been performing together in various combinations for years, providing an alternative perspective on the Canadian jazz sound.
Nick’s newest release Urban Chaos is set to be released in October 2024 with the Zennez label. Inspired by the climate of contemporary creative music, Nick has blended a series of compositions that is predicated on a frenzy of rhythmic and melodic questions. The players carry out the vision of this ensemble with clever intent, and meaningful dialogue. This project features famous New York saxophonist Noah Preminger.