This week’s edition of Mondays with Morgan is an interview between jazz journalist Morgan Enos and sought-after drummer Adam Cruz. Cruz has two upcoming London performances: the Vortex on 13 January, and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club on 19 March. A link to his website and booking links can be found at the bottom of this article.

The swinging, nuanced jazz drummer Adam Cruz has performed with the likes of McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Pharoah Sanders, and many more. The son of Puerto Rican percussion great Ray Cruz, he’s accrued an impressive legacy as a sideman, along with his lauded 2011 album as a leader, Milestone. As he looks forward to two gigs in London, he’s considering what he learned from his elders.

LondonJazz News: Tell me about the bands you’ll be playing with in London.

Adam Cruz: Joris Teepe is playing bass. A few years ago, in the Netherlands, he started a college jazz program [in Groningen] where he brings over New York musicians to be guest, visiting artists, I think almost every week of the semester. So, just before the London gig, he’s bringing me over to the Netherlands.

He has a working relationship with pianist Barry Green. We have a couple of concerts in the Netherlands, near the school; I’ll be spending a week with them.

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Then, I go on a tour in March with [another] trio: [pianist] Danilo Pérez and [bassist] John Patitucci. We’re playing Ronnie Scott’s on 19 March, which will be mostly the newest music. I’ve worked with Danilo for many years, in his trio with bassist Ben Street. We did a tour of Europe last year with that same trio, so I’m really looking forward to coming to Ronnie Scott’s with that group.

LJN: Can you tell me about your connection to London over the years, and your perception of that scene across the pond?

AC: I haven’t spent a lot of time in London, but my very first trip to Europe was to London, actually. When I was in my early 20s, many years ago. I went for a week to play at Ronnie Scott’s with the great pianist Hilton Ruiz.

Ronnie Scott’s is legendary — one of the oldest clubs in the world, not just in London. So, I’ve always loved going there, and I’ve gone many, many times to Ronnie’s over the years — with [trumpeter] Tom Harrell, with the Mingus Big Band, with Danilo Pérez.

I haven’t had too much time to explore the city, but it always feels great going over there. And I look forward to being at the Vortex, which I hear is one of the happening clubs on the scene nowadays.

LJN: Can you talk about the potential you perceive in this new trio with Joris and Barry?

AC: I think it’s going to be beautiful to explore some music with these new friends. We’ll do some of Barry Green’s music, and I think we’ll do a piece of mine as well.

I also look forward to playing some music of the masters. We’ll play Thelonious Monk, and I always love throwing some Charles Mingus in there. We might play a piece of Tom Harrell’s; I’ve worked with the great Tom Harrell for many years, and he’s such a wonderful composer.

There’s something from Max Roach that I think we might approach. So, I’m looking at it as a nice chance to explore some of the classic, standard repertoire with this trio. That’s kind of a meeting ground for the three of us.

LJN: For these gigs – or any gigs – what’s your methodology as to balancing originals with tunes?

AC: Everything depends on the circumstances and context. I feel like it’s an opportunity to find my own take on the classic trio, and our own pathway into the standards.

Balance is the key word for me: incorporating the familiar, but also taking a risk in entering some unfamiliar territory. It’s about what the audience wants to hear, but truly it’s also about what I want to experience while playing, and what we want to share in terms of material that’s both relatable and challenging at different moments.

LJN: You caught my ear when you talked about working with Patitucci.

AC: He’s a great friend – full of high-spirited energy, on and off the bandstand. He’s such a positive individual, which is really inspiring to be around, and his enthusiasm is really infectious.

He’s also a really serious practitioner – serious about the instrument, the history of the music, his craft, and showing up at the highest level very consistently. He’s a great composer, and virtuoso, of course.

I’m really glad he often calls me for some of his own projects here in New York, so I get a chance to play with him a fair amount.

And this trio – we both have really deep relationships with Danilo Pérez. So, it’s great to connect with Danilo’s music. That gig at Ronnie’s in March will be mostly Danilo’s music, I believe, like we did last year.

He has really beautifully intricate and lyrical pieces, but also all of this rhythmic depth. Both Danilo and John are like playing with other drummers, their rhythm is so deep.

LJN: And can you expound on the importance of Tom Harrell? I love the exquisite, fragile beauty of his playing.

AC: As soon as he plays one note, there’s a portal to a feeling of magic, you know? Something about the elements and the atmosphere changes, and I feel an elevation happen spiritually when Tom plays.

He’s so rooted in the present moment; there’s no affectation. Every single note he’s playing, there’s this heightened sense of presence. It makes everybody who’s playing with him rise to their best. I cherish every moment I’ve gotten to play with him.

Adam Cruz will perform at the Vortex on 13 January and Ronnie Scott’s on 19 March.

LINKS: Vortex Bookings
Ronnie Scott’s bookings
Adam Cruz’s website
The New York Jazz Master’s Programme at Hanze University in Groningen