Award winning pianist and composer Adrean Farrugia is one of Canada’s most distinct voices on the piano.
Since the late 1990s Adrean has been in high demand as a freelance performer and educator. Keeping a busy touring schedule, mainly as a sideman, Adrean has toured extensively across Canada and the United States as well as in venues across Europe, Australia, the UK, Israel and in Japan.
Adrean has performed/recorded with some of jazz’s greatest and most diverse artists including: Ernie Watts, Adam Nussbaum, Larry Carlton, Curtis Fuller, Tom Scott, Bob Brookmeyer, Randy Brecker, Eric Alexander, Cyrille Aimee, Molly Johnson, Jane Bunnett, Ron Blake, Joel Frahm, Matt Penman, Dafnis Prieto, Kinan Azmeh, Brad Goode, Kenny Wheeler, Darcy James Argue, Don Thompson, Lorne Lofsky, Kevin Turcotte, and Pat Labarbera.
Adrean currently performs/has performed with such diverse projects as saxophone legend Ernie Watts’ Band, the Matt Dusk Band, the Brad Goode Group (featuring Ernie Watts and Adam Nussbaum), The Ernesto Cervini group Turboprop (featuring saxophonist Joel Frahm), The Johnny Griffith Quintet, Heather Bambrick, Marito Marques, Violinist Drew Jurecka, Kiki Misumi, Tim Shia’s ‘The Worst Pop Band Ever’, the Bob Brough Quartet, Avery Raquel, and the Darcy Hepner Big Band. Adrean also works regularly with his wife, vocalist Sophia Perlman.
As a leader Adrean has released four albums. His second album ‘Ricochet’ was nominated for a 2011 Juno award for best contemporary jazz recording. As a composer Adrean has penned more than 30 works to date.
Adrean is currently on the faculty of Mohawk College where he teaches contemporary piano, ensembles and improvisation. He has also served on the faculties of York University and Humber College. He has also done workshops/clinics at the University of Colorado, University of Toronto, The University of Western Ontario, The Banff Centre for the arts, The Sydney and Brisbane Conservatories, and in Warsaw Poland as part of the Polish Jazz Society’s 35th annual Summer Jazz Workshop.
Adrean has been a contributing writer to piano guru Larry Fine’s publication “The Piano Book”, the world’s foremost publication on all things piano. Adrean has also been a performer and panelist at the 63rd, 67th, 69th and 70th annual Conference on World Affairs in Boulder Colorado.
Adrean is endorsed by Shigeru Kawai pianos.
