NAT ADDERLEY JR. Releases “Superstar,”
the First Single from TOOK SO LONG,
His Forthcoming Debut Recording as a Leader
Stepping Out Front with a Jazz Trio Album,
Adderley Was Luther Vandross’
Long-time Musical Director and Arranger
NEW YORK, NY, June 18, 2025 – For four decades, pianist, keyboardist, composer, musical director and arranger Nat Adderley Jr. helped craft some of Luther Vandross’ greatest hits, including “Superstar,” the long form ballad first recorded on the1983 Busy Body studio album, and in 2003, Live at Radio City Music Hall. Today, 20 years after Vandross’ passing in 2005, Adderley, the son of jazz cornetist Nat Sr. and nephew of alto saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, releases his version of “Superstar” as the first single from his upcoming album, “Took So Long,” astonishingly, his first recording as a leader and jazz pianist.
“It seems that every 20 years or so, that song comes back to me,” Adderley says. “And I want everybody to know that Luther is still my buddy, still my boy, and I can't imagine him not having been a part of my life. And this song was so important. So, it's just kind of fun that this is my first single.” Accompanied by two long-time friends, bassist Belden Bullock and drummer Steve Johns, Adderley’s fleet-fingered version of “Superstar” changes the sonic zip code of the composition from its moody aura to a festive, Brazilian samba dance.
On Adderley’s new record scheduled for release in October, the pianist is also augmented by bassist Chris Berger and drummers Tommy Campbell, Dwayne Cook Broadnax and Vince Ector, playing a pleasing potpourri of standards arranged by the leader. Forthcoming tunes on the CD include “Old Devil Moon,” Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma,” Stevie Wonder’s “You and I (We Can Conquer the World)” and Carole King’s “You Make Me Feel Like (A Natural Woman). The title track is an intricate, Burt Bacharach style selection. “It’s the only original song I have on an album full of covers,” Adderley remarks. On all the tracks, Adderley's protean and profound pianism is informed by Herbie Hancock’s masterful harmony, Chick Corea’s hypnotic touch and Joe Zawinul’s earthy grooves.
But the question remains: Why did it take so long for Adderley to record his first album as a leader? “When Luther passed away, and I started figuring out what I was going to do, Mary J Blige’s management called me around 2009-2010 to be her music director,” Adderley says. “I really listened to her whole output from the beginning, and I fell absolutely in love with her and all her music, but at the same time, I realized that I would be miserable running around the country on tour… If I don't want to work for Mary J. Blige, obviously, I'm not trying to stay in R&B at all, and I figured out that I'm going to go after jazz for the rest of my life.” To that end, Adderley led trios and quartets in a slew of gigs over the last 15 years in the metropolitan New York area, honing his improvisational skills.
Adderley’s road to jazz was more circuitous than direct, given his lineage. Born on May 23, 1955, in Quincy, FL, he briefly lived in Queens, NY until he was five, and relocated to Teaneck, NJ, where he and his sister grew up. Although his father did not pressure his children to pursue music, Adderley studied classical music heavily as a child, and at the age of 11, at the urging of Olga Adderley, Cannonball’s wife, Nat started taking advanced studies at the Juilliard School of Music Prep Division. Later, Nat enrolled at the High School of Music and Art. “I was in a group in high school called Natural Essence and we released one record, In Search of Happiness, in 1973 before I went off to college.” Adderley had already gained valuable experience working with singer-songwriter Valerie Simpson, along with drummer Buddy Williams and bassist Francisco Centeno, and performed with Simpson at the Troubadour nightclub.
During his time at Yale University, where he majored in African-American Studies, Adderley played in a few local groups, performed with The Brothers Johnson on a West Coast tour produced by Quincy Jones, and opened for Natalie Cole in North Carolina, but he grew tired of the road, moved to Houston, where he worked as an accountant and played in a piano bar. Then Adderley got a call from an old high school friend named Luther Vandross, with whom he had worked in Listen My Brother, an ensemble composed of New York City kids who sang together at the Apollo Theater and on Sesame Street.
Vandross wanted Adderley to work on material for his eponymously named group, Luther, and that collaboration produced a minor hit, “The Second Time Around” in 1976. Five years later, Vandross sang his first major hit, “Never Too Much” on the Epic label debut. From 1981 to 2005, Adderley was an indispensable music director for Vandross. Adderley’s compositions include “Stop to Love,” “Wait for Love, “Make Me a Believer,” “Other Side of The World” and the Grammy-nominated “Give Me the Reason.” His arrangements include “Here and Now,” “So Amazing,” “If Only for One Night,” “If This World Were Mine,” “There’s Nothing Better Than Love” and “Anyone Who Had a Heart.” Adderley produced “My Favorite Things,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Going Out of My Head” and “The Closer I Get To You” (a Grammy-winning duet with Beyonce). Adderley has also worked with Johnny Gill, Aretha Franklin, Kirk Whalum and Jay Hoggard.
But as that door to Vandross has closed, a whole new world has opened for Nat Adderley Jr. “Jazz,” he says, “There’s nothing like it!”
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On Adderley’s new record scheduled for release in October, the pianist is also augmented by bassist Chris Berger and drummers Tommy Campbell, Dwayne Cook Broadnax and Vince Ector, playing a pleasing potpourri of standards arranged by the leader. Forthcoming tunes on the CD include “Old Devil Moon,” Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma,” Stevie Wonder’s “You and I (We Can Conquer the World)” and Carole King’s “You Make Me Feel Like (A Natural Woman). The title track is an intricate, Burt Bacharach style selection. “It’s the only original song I have on an album full of covers,” Adderley remarks. On all the tracks, Adderley's protean and profound pianism is informed by Herbie Hancock’s masterful harmony, Chick Corea’s hypnotic touch and Joe Zawinul’s earthy grooves.
But the question remains: Why did it take so long for Adderley to record his first album as a leader? “When Luther passed away, and I started figuring out what I was going to do, Mary J Blige’s management called me around 2009-2010 to be her music director,” Adderley says. “I really listened to her whole output from the beginning, and I fell absolutely in love with her and all her music, but at the same time, I realized that I would be miserable running around the country on tour… If I don't want to work for Mary J. Blige, obviously, I'm not trying to stay in R&B at all, and I figured out that I'm going to go after jazz for the rest of my life.” To that end, Adderley led trios and quartets in a slew of gigs over the last 15 years in the metropolitan New York area, honing his improvisational skills.
Adderley’s road to jazz was more circuitous than direct, given his lineage. Born on May 23, 1955, in Quincy, FL, he briefly lived in Queens, NY until he was five, and relocated to Teaneck, NJ, where he and his sister grew up. Although his father did not pressure his children to pursue music, Adderley studied classical music heavily as a child, and at the age of 11, at the urging of Olga Adderley, Cannonball’s wife, Nat started taking advanced studies at the Juilliard School of Music Prep Division. Later, Nat enrolled at the High School of Music and Art. “I was in a group in high school called Natural Essence and we released one record, In Search of Happiness, in 1973 before I went off to college.” Adderley had already gained valuable experience working with singer-songwriter Valerie Simpson, along with drummer Buddy Williams and bassist Francisco Centeno, and performed with Simpson at the Troubadour nightclub.
During his time at Yale University, where he majored in African-American Studies, Adderley played in a few local groups, performed with The Brothers Johnson on a West Coast tour produced by Quincy Jones, and opened for Natalie Cole in North Carolina, but he grew tired of the road, moved to Houston, where he worked as an accountant and played in a piano bar. Then Adderley got a call from an old high school friend named Luther Vandross, with whom he had worked in Listen My Brother, an ensemble composed of New York City kids who sang together at the Apollo Theater and on Sesame Street.
Vandross wanted Adderley to work on material for his eponymously named group, Luther, and that collaboration produced a minor hit, “The Second Time Around” in 1976. Five years later, Vandross sang his first major hit, “Never Too Much” on the Epic label debut. From 1981 to 2005, Adderley was an indispensable music director for Vandross. Adderley’s compositions include “Stop to Love,” “Wait for Love, “Make Me a Believer,” “Other Side of The World” and the Grammy-nominated “Give Me the Reason.” His arrangements include “Here and Now,” “So Amazing,” “If Only for One Night,” “If This World Were Mine,” “There’s Nothing Better Than Love” and “Anyone Who Had a Heart.” Adderley produced “My Favorite Things,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Going Out of My Head” and “The Closer I Get To You” (a Grammy-winning duet with Beyonce). Adderley has also worked with Johnny Gill, Aretha Franklin, Kirk Whalum and Jay Hoggard.
But as that door to Vandross has closed, a whole new world has opened for Nat Adderley Jr. “Jazz,” he says, “There’s nothing like it!”
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