Old Adam on Turtle Island
Photos Johan Janssen
John Dikeman – saxophone
Marta Warelis – piano
Aaron Lumley – bass
Sun-Mi Hong – drums
Old Adam on Turtle Island, aka OAonTI, is a new Amsterdam-based quartet consisting of Polish pianist Marta Warelis, American tenor saxophonist John Dikeman, South-Korean drummer Sun-Mi Hong and Canadian double bassist Aaron Lumley. Formed in early 2019, the group’s music combines fiery free improvisations with otherworldly sonic explorations and deep, fractured grooves.
Old Adam on Turtle Island is also the name of the compositional series composed for the quartet by John Dikeman. A recording of this program is due to be released in early 2024 by the USA label Relative Pitch Records.
The band initially began as Juniper Fields with Frank Rosaly in the drum throne. However, due to scheduling issues, Sun-Mi has filled that role. “Sunday at de Ruimte” was released in 2021 on Doek RAW showcasing the original quartet in a fully improvised setting.