Adam Dunning

MT ELIZA musician Adam Dunning cannot explain how Brazilian music has overtaken his world.

But the 39-year-old bachelor, who is the face behind Honda power tool commercials, says whatever music he produces is in the laconic Bossa Nova style.

The former crime and media lawyer describes Bossa Nova as a Brazilian style of feel-good music that originated in Rio de Janeiro between 1959 and 1964.

“The music is a meeting of happiness and sadness,” he said.

“I don’t even try but my music just kind of turns out to be Bossa Nova in style - melancholy but also summery in feel.

“The only explanation I can think of is that my mother used to listen to Bossa Nova while she was pregnant with me, listening to an old LP of Sergio Mendes.”

Dunning will travel to Los Angeles this week to promote his new album Sunset Monkeys then on to Brazil to write with Bossa Nova legends such as Roberto Menescal.

Dunning’s album features a popular track called Mt Eliza, which he describes as a wistful yearning for home when you are away from it - “as the Brazilians call it ‘saudade”’.

“Promoting the album has been an interesting experience,” he said.

“It was while being in Tokyo that I experienced the Japanese earthquake standing on the top of a 14th floor hotel.

“It was like being in a cruise ship’s corridor in a storm at sea, swaying violently from side to side.”

In spite of the experience he left the country with a successful license deal for his album with the largest independent record label in Japan.

Dunning now shares his time between Melbourne and Brazil.

“Music is my life without a doubt,” he said.

“It is still a mystery how this Brazilian music found me. But who wouldn’t like music that reminds you of lazy holidays being covered in sand after swimming through to sunshine and mangrove trees.”
- Leader Newspapers

CD Review: Adam Dunning - Sunset Monkeys
It is amazing that Bossa Nova, a music style that started more than fifty years ago in the streets of Rio de Janeiro, still holds a strong fascination over a lot of musicians around the world. That is the case with australian native Adam Dunning, to the point that in Rio de Janeiro he is considered just another carioca.

Dunning album Sunset Monkeys is a collection of mostly originals songs full of beautiful brasil imagery like in "Leblon", "Sunset Monkeys" and "Mount Eliza" or romantic lyrics like "Summer Things". Sunset Monkeys also includes the cool sambas "Song of the Lagoon", "Green" and "Parabens ao meu amigo". Rodrigo Sha adds tight and impacable flute solos on "Green" and "Parabens".

Dunning recorded Sunset Monkeys in Rio de Janeiro with a little help from some brazilian friends. Roberto Menescal sings and plays guitar in the bossa "We and the Sea" and plays the electric guitar on Jobim's "Fotografia". Joao Donato sings and plays the piano on his own composition "Jungle Flower".

Brazilian singers Cris Delanno, Daniela Procopio and Laura Lagub add the femenine touch with their beautiful voices on "E preciso perdoar", "Fotografia", and "With You".

Another highlight of the album is Dunning wonderful version of Carlos Lyra an Vinicius de Moraes classic "Voce e eu" (You and me)

Listening to Sunset Monkeys, there is no doubt Bossa Nova music is in Dunning's blood.

Tracks: Leblon, We and the Sea, Sunset Monkeys, Jungle Flower, Mount Eliza, Green, E Preciso Perdoar, Song of the Lagoon, You and Me, Summer Things, Photograph, Parabens ao meu amigo, S Wonderful, With You Nunca Fui

Musicians: Adam Dunning - vocals, guitar, Ronaldo Cotrim - guitar, flute, piano, bass, vocals, Carol Futuro - backup vocals, Eduardo Santana - flugelhorn, trumpet, Naife Simoes - percssion, drums - Jazz Times

Review of the track, 'Happy New Year', the first of many to be released from Adam Dunning's eagerly anticipated second album, due out in February, 2012.

As we enter the time of year when artists rush to release their mediocre songs for the festive period, each one jostling to have theirs crowned the Christmas Number One single, cue the forward thinking and innovating Bossa Nova artist, Adam Dunning, who, instead, will release a New Year's single aptly entitled, 'Happy New Year'.

Instead of churning out the clichéd "Out with the old, in with the new" record, Adam brings you a thought provoking song that, surprisingly, strays from his usual Bossa Nova style. With a flamenco feel, heavy in percussion, balanced out with his acoustic guitar and trademark smooth, fluid vocals, Adam encourages the listener to take a bold step into the New Year, seize life and create their own destiny.

Born Out of Tragedy

The single, 'Happy New Year', was conceived out of one terrifying moment in Tokyo, Japan, earlier this year, when the capital was rocked by the biggest earthquake seen there since records began in the 1900s. Adam, there to promote his 2010 album, 'Sunset Monkeys', recalls the heart-stopping experience: "I was on the 14th floor of the hotel and the building swayed violently...(it was) terrifying; I escaped down the fire escape."

However, it was the Japanese people's remarkable inner strength and lack of dwelling on their devastation that gave Adam the inspiration to write the song. He saw how the people came together as one and firmly focused on how to build a better future. "I saw incredible strength in the people who I worked closely with, just days after the country suffered a national tragedy. It inspired me to infer human strength into one of my songs." What better song than one that instils the message of strength and hope, as summed up in the line, "Getting on and getting going and never really ever knowing, the world keeps on turning so here we go!"

Tipped to be an internationally successful hit, could this be the song to rival 'Auld Lang Syne'?

The Perfect Gift

Happy New Year is the first single to be taken from Adam Dunning's eagerly anticipated second album, due for worldwide release in February 2012, which, like his first album Sunset Monkeys, again sees him collaborating with the Godfathers of Bossa Nova and other great stars from Brazil. Watch this space for further news.

Till then, spread some festive cheer amongst your loved ones with the warm, fresh and uplifting song, 'Happy New Year', which is available for immediate download on iTunes or by visiting www.adamdunning.com
- Suite 101

What better way to ring in the new year with a new single from the king of Bossa Nova, Adam Dunning. Dunning appropriately released his new single just in time for the new year. The track has been receiving international attention from Cape Town all the way to Tokyo. Check it out below with a free stream. Follow the links to his website or to iTunes to purchase the new single. Happy New Year from everyone here at HypeTune.com. Get on the hype. - HypeTune

When Australian born Adam Dunning met and recorded his first album ‘Sunset Monkeys‘ with the Godfathers of Bossa Nova (Roberto Menescal & Joao Donato to name a few), who knew that he’d go on to create the atmospheric sound of “Bossa Surf” in second album ‘Glass Bottom Boat‘.

Recorded whilst drifting between homes in Rio de Janeiro and Australia, Adam takes the listener on a voyage of discovery, awakenings and awareness, tuning the listeners senses into the forces of nature and the beauty of the mystifying deep, in songs such as ‘Kiss of the moon‘, ‘Cabana‘ and ‘Samba from the sea‘.

Casting off with ‘Is it me‘ Dunning sets the album on a course of Brazilian samba beats with an essence of Summer Jazz, where guitar melodies and flute notes hang gently on the breeze and piano keys tinkle on the waves.

‘Glass Bottom Boat‘, the title track of the album, resonates the question, Do we really know what’s going on in the seas around us? by referring to both mythical mermaids and also the factual decline of our whale population. And if you want to hear what a mermaid singing sounds like, you need only listen to ‘Samba from the Sea‘ which includes the captivating and alluring voice of Cris Delanno.

There are so many great songs on the album that its hard to pick out just one as a favorite, take for instance ‘Surf‘ which although instrumental features the great skill of Roberto Menescal, on electric acoustic guitar. ‘Sofia‘, which seems like an ode to the stunning actress Sofia Loren, ‘The Amazonas‘ a beautiful song – quite George Michael in style and ‘Happy New Year’ a song born out of tragedy when Adam was caught up in Japan’s 2011 earthquake. But it’s Dunning’s flirtatious duet with Barbara Mendes on ‘Never Really Know‘ which is the real pearl in the oyster for me.

To download now head on over to iTunes or to get your hands on a physical copy of ‘Glass Bottom Boat’ visit Adam Dunning’s website. - Music Vein

Hyperbole: International jet-set
FIVE years ago, Adam Dunning quit his job as a lawyer in the City to go and live in Rio de Janeiro and make sweet bossa nova music with the likes of Roberto Menescal and João Donato.

In no way am I envious of this man’s talent, lifestyle and sense of purpose. Oh no. Absolutely not.

While people like Bebel Gilberto have done great things subtly updating the classic bossa sound with all manner of electronic trickery, Dunning goes back to basics, making truly beautiful and seemingly effortlessly authentic music that sounds like it comes from another era entirely. And the guy sings like a young Tony Bennett. No shit.

Dunning is currently back home in Melbourne finalising the details for the release of his forthcoming debut album, Sunset Monkeys. - Expletive Undeleted

Adam Dunning and his new album, “Sunset Monkeys”, gives credibility to the therapeutic power of music. “Sunset Monkeys” is a “a feel-good blend of Bossa Nova and summer jazz.” It is the ultimate relaxation music, fueled by elements of jazz and Bossa Nova. This is the perfect record not only for relaxing/lounging but for cruising. The Melbourne, Australia native, Adam Dunning, was born with music. He took extreme interest in Bossa Nova and Brazilian rhythms at a young age. Altough he went on to pursue a career in law, Dunning never gave up his love for music. He sang for the Melbourne jazz/swing band “The Swinging Lovers” at late night gigs. He later found himself in London working as a media lawyer surrounded by the fast moving pop-culture. These influences didn’t separate him from his passion in Bossa, and he began perfecting his art by playing the bossa nova guiar and taking Brazilian Portuguese lessons.
In 2005, Dunning left London for Rio de Janeiro. Since then, he has been working on this fantastic album, “Sunset Monkeys”. He has worked with some of the most talented musicians from the Bossa Nova era, many of whom appear on the album (such as Roberto Menescal). Dunning is known as the “Australioca” in Rio. Natives are aware of the Bossa in his blood. The record has been released and is receiving a lot of international attention. Be sure to check it out by sampling the full album below. Also, HypeTune.com was lucky enough to be sent a free download of the song “We and the Sea” (below). Get on the hype! - HypeTune