Adrian Cho

Biography

Adrian Cho is well-qualified to draw parallels between the worlds of jazz, business, and software. A leader and innovative collaborator in the arts, he performs as a bassist and conductor and directs the Impressions in Jazz Orchestra, a unique, critically acclaimed symphonic jazz ensemble that brings together an impressive array of professional jazz and symphony musicians. Doug Fischer of the Ottawa Citizen labeled him “a musical missionary” while Melanie Scott of WHERE Ottawa described him as “one of our city’s most adventurous musical renaissance men.”

As a software development manager he applies over twenty years of experience to help teams deliver innovative solutions on time. Early in his career he consulted to a wide range of organizations including retail and commercial banks and research and development labs at Fujitsu and IBM. For the past fifteen years he has helped to produce multiple class-leading and award-winning software engineering and team collaboration tools. At IBM he manages the global development of Rational® Team Concert™ and Rational Workbench for Collaborative Lifecycle Management. As a manager of intellectual property for over ten years, he has played a key role in the Eclipse and Jazz® initiatives of open innovation.

Dubbed “a cool guide to hot jazz” by Alex Hutchinson of the Ottawa Citizen, Adrian is a passionate educator who loves to write, speak and perform. John Kelman of All About Jazz wrote, “Cho’s intentions were clearly to educate as much as entertain, and he succeeded on both fronts.” Combining his experiences in arts and business with a strong interest in collaboration, Adrian developed the Jazz Process, an execution-oriented framework for collaboration, innovation and agility that can help teams in any domain improve their performance. Adrian speaks and blogs regularly about high-performance teamwork and his book, The Jazz Process: Collaboration, Innovation and Agility, has been endorsed by a diverse collection of thought leaders.

Praise for Adrian’s work

“Cho’s intentions were clearly to educate as much as entertain, and he succeeded on both fronts.”

John Kelman, All About Jazz

“Cho a cool guide to hot jazz” “You couldn’t have asked for a better guide to the music.”

Alex Hutchinson, Ottawa Citizen

“From Wynton Marsalis to Adrian Cho, festival shows revel in repertory music”

Alex Hutchinson, Ottawa Citizen

“is it time that we start referring to Adrian as the Wynton Marsalis of Ottawa?”

Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen

“A musical missionary” “Adrian Cho always seems to have his fingers in a dozen pies. This spring alone, the Ottawa jazz bassist and bandleader premiered a bass and piano work written by composer Eldon Rathburn, recorded a solo bass soundtrack for a dance film, will perform Jewish Sephardic folk music, improvise on the bass for a dance show, play at a wine-tasting dinner and present jazz vespers in a Lutheran church. That’s not a complete list. It does not include the activity for which Cho is best known — leading the Impressions in Jazz Orchestra (IJO), an ambitious repertory ensemble he founded in 2005 to perform a broad range of what he calls “jazz-centric music,” taken from sources as far back as the 1850s up to the present day.”

Doug Fischer, Ottawa Citizen

“A brief note to congratulate you and your musicians for your wonderful performance last night. I thought it was beautifully put together and executed.”

Jacques Émond, Programming Director, Ottawa International Jazz Festival

“Great show last night. I enjoyed myself all the way. Adrian, your commitment and knowledge kept the audience with you right through the evening.”

Robert Cram, Founding Principal Flute, National Arts Centre Orchestra

“There is only one Wynton Marsalis, but Ottawa may have lucked out with its own individualist, Adrian Cho… Cho himself has more than little of the evangelist in him… It’s not hard to imagine him in a boardroom persuading business executives to let a little jazz into their deal-making, to feel the beat and let it carry them into more exhilarating commerce… One of Cho’s convictions is that jazz is humanizing, not only for business people. To that end, he believes in guiding his audiences towards deeper appreciation…”

Jack Chambers, author of Milestones, the definitive Miles Davis biography, writing for CODA, the Canadian jazz magazine

“Congratulations on the presentation last night, it was a most enjoyable evening. Again I was MOST impressed with the fabulous musicianship and of course your innovative ideas and leadership throughout. Everyone around me were having a wonderful time and thoroughly into the interactiveness of it all! I truly think that YOU are a GIFTED teacher, and I’m looking forward to your book publication. Once again KUDOs to you…Well Done!”

Sandy Faux, jazz vocalist

“Congratulations on the concert tonight Adrian! Your programming is so creative, it’s amazing!”

Olivier Henchiri, cellist

“I LOVE IT! Your work, vision, and love of music are an incredible gift to the world!”

Michelle McKernan, dancer

“Thank YOU so much for all your incredible work!!!”

Lina Allemano, trumpet soloist

“He cares deeply about bringing jazz to the people, and seeks to entertain his audiences. He also cares a lot about the history of jazz, and educating the public about the range of jazz music. His energy and enthusiasm carry the message in an engaging way, and many audience members have told me that they enjoyed learning about the pieces they were about to hear because it greatly enhanced their listening experience. Adrian’s also one of the few organizers I’ve worked with who seems to excel both in preparing a large-scale event, and also in adapting to new developments with creativity and a smile.”

Byron Alley, swing dancer, teacher and Director of Swing Dynamite

“It was a fabulous spectacle that was appreciated by all. His work is always well received. His aims and ideals are high and he consistently achieves them.”

Scott Florence, Artistic Director, Company of Fools

“I really admire what you have been trying to do in the city Adrian. I hope that you will be able to realize your vision.”

Adrian Harewood, Host of “All in a Day” on CBC Radio

“I have always been struck by his innovativeness and deep commitment to excellence. Adrian regularly produces one-of-a-kind productions using only the top local talent and does so with the flair of a natural-born leader.”

Bryn Morin, swing dancer and teacher with Swing Dynamite

“Congratulations on a great artistic success! Brilliant in concept and execution.”

Ron Sweetman, jazz writer and host of “In a Mellow Tone” on CKCU-FM