Adam Ippolito’s Musical Journey

By Robert Brune

CATSKILLS — Adam Ippolito’s musical history is that of a person who has long and intriguing paths crossing with many of the greatest legends of rock and roll. Delaware County is privileged to count him as a full-time resident sharing his gifts of music with local venues throughout the area. Ippolito had grown tired of traveling but performs often for crowds that are both fans and many are friends here in the Catskills.

Ippolito began his life with his family teaching him about music, “I was very lucky that I was born into a musical family. My father and grandfather were both drummers. They taught me to keep time on the snare drum when I was three years old. When I was about seven, I moved onto the accordion because we had been up in the Catskills on vacation, and I saw a trio and I saw the accordion for the first time” His godfather gave him free accordion lessons from the age of ten through his senior year of high school in Bergenfield, NJ. Ippolito also played trumpet and then the tuba. He performed in Giants Stadium and in the Macy’s Day Parade. For a brief period, he taught high school students and found it very rewarding and kept in touch with several of his students through the years. Upon receiving a scholarship to Ihtaca, he discovered rock and roll.

Leading up to Ippolito’s college days in Ithaca, he was playing trumpet and accordion in jazz bands. Then he discovered his true passion for rock music. Ironically Ippolito admits he wasn’t a fan of the Beatles at first. At this point, he had transitioned from Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis to the musical stylings of Eric Burden and the Animals and the Rolling Stones, “When I got to rock and roll all doors opened. I got into college, it was all keyboards and got my first organ when I was in college in 1965. I fortunately moved onto a B3 and had an RMI that was really cool, but then when I was in the Elephants Memory with John Lennon, I had a Lawrence portable electric piano which wasn’t really portable.”

Ippolito’s professional career took off as he explains, “I was in the band Elephants Memory and we were the band of the east coast liberal political movement We played Mayday in DC in 71 and ‘Impeach Nixon’ demonstration and rally also in DC The NYU riots and were in with SDS and the bombers, who were also associated with Jerry Rubin. Jerry talked John and Yoko into doing a tour of the country and signing up and recruiting young voters since the voting age had dropped to 18. Through Jerry we met John. He loved us as a band and was impressed with our style, originals, and energy. Then we played with Chuck Berry on the Mike Douglas show where John and Yoko were guest hosts for the week. Afterwards Chuck had us record an album with him.” After Ippolito had made a name for himself, he went on to work with the Joffrey Ballet for 8 years in NY and did several shows on Broadway.

Anyone who endeavors to be a musician dreams of traveling. Ippolito talks about his favorite experiences on the road, “I loved San Francisco. People in the south and mid-west would travel hours to go to a concert. There were great crowds. Played the LA Coliseum, loved Chicago: Soldiers Field and great clubs. Loved playing festivals in the early 70’s. Played with so many great bands at festivals. Wound up not going on the road in the 80’s and just did studio work mainly.”

After a lengthy career, Ippolito indulged in his love for the NY Catskills, “In the mid-eighties my wife, Marilyn, and I started to bring our kids to Belleayre to ski each winter. Then they went to Frost Vally YMCA camp, and we started to come here a number of times a year. We bought our house in Denver-Vega 22 years ago.” Now that he has settled down in Delaware County, Ippolito spreads his musical wings for the local crowd, which was a great experience for everyone attending this past Saturday at the Union Grove in Arkville. The attendees cheered his band on and danced through the night, “Love playing locally, leading my own band, singing and playing whatever I want. No pressure. Playing for friends and people I know is like going to a party. I spent most of my professional career as a sideman and now I only have to listen to myself and play what I want!” Witnessing the joy from Ippolito and everyone attending this past weekend is an experience that continues as he has lost no passion to create great moments for himself and those around him.