Adrian Peek
Drummer/Percussionist, Film & TV Composer, Arranger & Orchestrator, Music & TV/Video Producer, digital video Editor, and college-level Instructor Adrian Peek brings a wealth of varied expertise to all his many associations and projects. (“ It may seem like a lot to some, but all this came from my wanting to be a combination of Elvin Jones, Buddy Rich, Duke Ellington and Leonard Bernstein”.) A resident of Los Angeles since 2004, Adrian has been nationally and internationally recognized as a major contributor in television, recorded and live music concert performance for many years.
Adrian’s most recent project is his first EP release as the leader of THE MERLIN Zs. The as-yet-untitled EP features performances from several international recording artists and will be released Spring 2012. Other recent projects scoring the independent film DATE WITH A BLACK WIDOW, writing and producing PULLIN’ FLOWER PETALS and THE DEFINITION OF LORD SHAVOZ, by LA hip hop artist LORD SHAVOZ (currently available on iTunes, etc.). Adrian also composed spot music and did voiceovers for the online radio show COFFEE TALK JAZZ RADIO, heard in all of North America and 33 other countries.
Adrian Peek w/The Merlin Zs
Adrian is a featured artist on American jazz guitarist Doug Lauber’s upcoming latest CD, to be initially released in France, Germany and the UK later this year (2012).
Adrian is the regular drummer for Chester Whitmore’s Opus One Big Band and the Central Avenue Dancers, R&B/Smooth Jazz Artist Larry Williams, and is Lead Drummer for H. Dominique’s New Orleans Traditional Jazz Band. Peek is quickly developing a reputation as a “go to guy” for last minute subbing with (THE actor/singer) Jack Black, (composer) Richard Tuttobene, (trombonist/violinist) Dan Weinstein and (vocalist) Mike Tortoricci. He’s performed with (saxist) Zane Musa, (guitarist) Bruce Lofgren, (LA music legend) Jimmie Maddin, (trumpeter) Everett Turner, and The Esquires and Jim Scott Big Bands.
Adrian produced The Brothers Curtis’ “It’s You That’s Got To Go” CD that won the “Best Produced Independent Blues Album” W.C. Handy Award in 2005.
Adrian’s music publishing, production and digital record company, “Peek Of Artertainment”, began operations in 2006. He is also currently composing music for television, film and video game music for a major production library and recording internet remote drum sessions in his own studio. He also does music layback-to-picture and Hi-Def video editing for independent Los Angeles productions.
Before relocating to Los Angeles, Peek spent over a decade as a first-call staff musician and composer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) based out of Winnipeg, Canada.
While there he recorded prolifically with Gary Bartz, Eddie Henderson, Arturo Sandoval, Maestro Bramwell Tovey (London/Vancouver Symphony Orchestras), Marilyn Lerner, Larry Roy and many others. Adrian also performed at the Montreux and Umbria Jazz Festivals in Europe. Peek has appeared at several editions of the Festival Internationale de Jazz de Montreal, Du Marier, Winnipeg Folk and Vancouver International Jazz/Folk festivals. He was a featured artist on many Radio-Canada Internationale broadcasts. While in Canada, Adrian taught Music Analysis/History/Scoring classes, and was Director of Percussion Studies at the East Campus of Professional Musicians’ College in Winnipeg.
The Opus One Big Band @ The Cicada Club Los Angeles
He was a featured artist at drum clinics, served as an adjudicator on arts councils, and conducted his own percussion ensemble, “HeartBeat” on numerous TV programs for the CBC, CTV and Global networks.
As a TV writer/producer Peek has had a number of successes with “Prairie Soul, Black Rhythms from The Heartland”, “Iced Jazz” and “Tracking The Beat”. “Prairie Soul” was broadcast on PBS and Bravo! Cable channel. It won a 1993 PBS nomination for Best Independent Documentary, and is currently being used by Yale and York Universities in their curricula. An episode of “Iced Jazz” won the 1997 Blizzard Award, and “Tracking The Beat” consistently beat network programming in its time slot. Adrian Peek has been a certified AVID editor since 1999. “Being an editor helps me to better understand what Directors need from a composer as far as supporting the picture with music is concerned”, says Adrian. “Knowing something about how camera angles, lighting and editing work to tell stories helps me to ‘hear’ a supportive score quicker and better!”
Adrian with The Larry Williams Band
In Chicago, Adrian was first-call session drummer for Soto Sound Studios, and did many sessions with top producers Paul Howard and Vince Willis. He gigged with Jerry Wilson, Bill MacFarland and the Chicago Horns, (bassist) Eldee Young and (pianist) John Young, Peek spent two years touring and recording with Blues Legend Mighty Joe Young, and instructed selected private students on a limited basis.
Peek spent a number of years performing and recording in West Africa. He replaced (on very short notice) the great drumming legend Bernard Purdie on (vibist) Roy Ayers’ recording with Afro Beat star Fela Anikulapo-Kuti on Cotillion/Decca Nigeria entitled “Africa, Center Of The World”. In addition, Adrian’s drumming and original songs on (Nigerian superstar) Emma Dorgo’s “For You Only” was credited for propelling the record to a Nigerian Grammy Award in 1980. Another act Peek performed with, The Soul Messengers, received nominations for the Eurovision music contest, winning the “Honorable Mention” category in 1978.
Adrian @ his composer “rig” in his studio
Originally from the small town of Asbury Park, NJ, Peek attended university on a double-major scholarship. (Over time, he has earned both his B.A. and M.A. in percussion and music composition and has ongoing private orchestration studies with a top Ph.D. in Los Angeles.) Being close to Manhattan, Adrian performed and recorded with Chuck Berry, Jungle Rat and Caravan. The recordings were a logical continuation from Peek’s first hit recording, “Yes, I Really Love You”, by the Equations in 1968, done while he was still attending the local high school.
Adrian’s years of experience have taught him two things that are very important for anyone desiring a good music business career should know and guide themselves by;
‘Nothing is more detrimental to the integrity of music than the nearly talented’, and ‘One MUST grow and change as the industry does’ are two phrases Adrian had heard “from just about every good mentor I every had and it’s so true it almost hurts!” It is with this attitude that Adrian Peek continues to survive and navigate through the ever-changing landscape that is the 21st Century international music industry.
Adrian Peek is a member of several professional organizations, and his publishing company, Peek Of Artertainment is a BMI affiliate. He is also a BMI-affiliated composer.
Adrian w/The Jim Scott Big Band
Adrian’s Composer Demo Reel link;
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