Cliff Adam, who led his own outfit at last Sunday’s Jazz Jamboree, begun in show business as a tap dancer. An operation put an end to that and Cliff took up the guitar. He left Perth in 1938 to try his luck in the Eastern States. Recognition soon came and he was a member of the band of the Capitol Theatre, Melbourne, and later, Sydney’s Prince Edward Theatre. Some years ago Cliff had the distinction of playing at a ball at Government House, Melbourne, in honour of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Royal party’s official entrance had to be timed to the split second. Afraid to trust the watches of the boys in the band, the Duke’s ADC produced an alarm clock. According to Cliff, the inevitable happened — some- one set the alarm clock to synchronise with the Duke’s entrance. He says it is surprising how difficult it is to switch off an alarm clock sometimes! Cliff names Andre Segovia and George Van Epps as the world’s greatest exponents of the guitar. [1]
[1] Mirro Sat 1 November 1952 page 6
JAZZ JAMBOREE 28 October 1951 Printed Program:
Cliff Adam (Guitar), Niddy Roberts (drums), Len Lynton (Sax), Don Vickers (Accordian), Harry Phillips (Trumpet), Hans Zietse.
“Three in One Jazz”, “Tico Tico”, “Twelve Street Rag”.
