Adem Tesfaye

The impetus might be simple, but standing six foot six with a booming baritone, singer/songwriter Adem Tesfaye strikes an imposing presence. His hip hop inflected blend of acoustic soul, at once rootsy and lighthearted, is influenced as much by Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix as it is by the Native Tongues.

The Madison, Wisconsin bred artist was a state basketball player growing up, but soon left the court for the stage. He gained a large following on the regional music scene, playing with artists including Ben Harper, De La Soul, and Michael Franti of Spearhead. Tesfaye left Madison in 2006 for New York, eager to challenge himself in broader waters. He enters the studio in winter 2008 with veteran producer Manny Sanchez, known for working with Smashing Pumpkins, Rod Stewart, and Buddy Guy. Don’t call Tesfaye a recording artist, though. He prefers to see himself as a “life artist,” something he describes as “painting the picture of your life, the picture that you want to see, and how you want to be.” With a surprising openness, both in the topics that he presents onstage, and the from-the-gut drone with which he brings them to the surface, Tesfaye is the medium for a new blend of bluesy soul.