Adam Topol: Percussionist to Jack Johnson, and Solo Artist on Creating Music With Intention, Being Authentic and Giving Back

Leave a review.

I am so stoked to share my conversation with Adam Topol. Adam is a professional percussionist best known as the drummer with the legendary singer-songwriter and surfer, Jack Johnson.

 This conversation took me on a journey through Adam's musical career, and his unwavering commitment to giving back to the community.

Adam let me dive in on the deep end of his mind to explore and we unearthed some fascinating topics that I could have talked about all day.

We traded thoughts on being creative from a place of intuition and emotion, and the importance of finding gratitude in the little things as an artist – which for many of us is challenging. We also talked about the music scene, rolling with celebrities, staying humble, and the importance of being a fan first so you never lose touch with the magic of music.

Professionally speaking, Adam spends a lot of his time touring the world and providing the heartbeat and rhythm behind Jack Johnson. Yet Adam’s musical collaborations reach far beyond the recognizable and super catchy drum fills in "Flake" and "Bubble Toes".  Adam has jammed with Joey Santiago and Ziggy Marley and collaborated with musical icons like David Gilmour and Jimmy Cliff and as you'll hear in this episode Adam also has rubs cheeks (literally) with another one of my favorites, Dave Matthews.

Topol also has several side projects that keep him busy. The most notable is Culver City Dub Collective which is known for its captivating blend of Jamaican roots reggae, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and West Coast bossa beats. Topol has also put out three studio albums as a solo artist, the latest one titled “Cuando” in which he collaborated with producer and fellow singer-songwriter Matt Costa.

It was abundantly clear from our conversation, that Adam Topol is all about giving back and being authentic. As a former public school teacher, Adam looks for ways to not only entertain but to leave the world a better place than he found it. 

Like his bandmate Jack Johnson, Adam believes in using his platform to make a positive impact on the planet and is deeply committed to volunteer service and connecting with others.

I felt the connection when talking to Adam too. He’s down to Earth, wears his heart on his sleeve, and is making art for the right reasons.

I went into this conversation not knowing which direction it would take and couldn’t be happier with the twists and turns of this exchange.

Adam Topol Links & Resouces

• https://www.adamtopol.com/
• http://culvercitydubcollective.com/
• https://jackjohnsonmusic.com/
• https://rootsEQ.com 
• https://instagram.com/topeywan
• https://open.spotify.com/artist/6JJAbURiO90Bk8k55qMWTG?si=5dR6S6tsR423jcKEs2S-og 

Connect with The Shifting Perceptions Podcast:
    •    Shifting Perceptions Website: http://shiftingperceptionspodcast.com 
    •    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiftingperceptionspodcast 
    •    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiftingperceptionspodcast/ 
    •    Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShiftingPodcast 
    •    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shiftingperceptionspodcast 
    •     
Connect with Jay Alders:
    •    Jay Alders Website: https://jayalders.com 
    •    Join  Jay’s Text Community: https://jayalders.com/text  or text 732-313-0513 
    •    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayalders 
    •    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayalders/ 
    •    Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayalders 
    •    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayalders 
    •    Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jayalders/ 
    •    NFT Collections: https://jayalders.com/nft-art 

** Contains affiliate links