By: Nancy Ann Lee
JazzTimes
"Pianist-Vocalist Andrew Adair nods to various U.S. locales on this dazzling 10-tune tribute to American popular song. Collectively and individually, he and colleagues John Ellis (tenor sax), Mike DiRubbo (alto sax) and Erik Jekabson (trumpet) have lots to say, as you'll hear on their upbeat, Latinate reading of ‘Moonlight in Vermont,' a lushly romantic remake of ‘When It's Sleepytime Down South,' and three other tunes newly arranged by Adair. Throughout, Josh Ginsburg (bass) and Donald Edwards (drums) lend tight-knit, resilient support. They especially excel in trio settings with Adair, yielding a light, lilting version of ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco,' a gracefully subdued ‘My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night,' and a cleverly cadent ‘Back Home Again in Indiana.' A Juilliard grad and former barbershop quartet singer who relocated to New York after joining Donald Harrison's group in the summer of 1997, Adair possesses sterling piano and arranging skills, a matinee-idol voice (heard on two tracks) and showmanship comparable to that of Harry Connick, Jr. How Adair develops his burgeoning talents remains to be seen. But with this fascinating debut as a leader, he's surely on the right course to success."
All Music Guide
"The title of Andrew Adair's States is to be taken in a loosely geographical sense, as the track list quickly reveals. Inspired by old songs he used to sing with a barbershop quartet, pianist Adair sought to revisit them in a jazz setting. Together, the songs tell a compelling American story, ranging from the pre-Civil War era (Stephen Foster's "My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night") to post-World War II (Cory and Cross' "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"). Since Adair first encountered this material as a vocalist, it's fitting that he should sing "Stars Fell on Alabama" and "When It's Sleepytime Down South," sounding a bit like Harry Connick, Jr. Elsewhere, Adair performs either in a straightforward piano trio context, joined by bassist Josh Ginsburg and drummer Donald Edwards, or in the company of horns (trumpeter Erik Jekabson, altoist Mike DiRubbo, and tenorist John Ellis). His quirkier arrangements include a samba take on "Moonlight in Vermont," a modal, Coltrane-esque "Carolina in the Morning," and a bright 5/4 "Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis." To open and close he plays one-minute solo piano renditions of "Kentucky Home," tying up a rather ingenious program with a tasteful ribbon.