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Henock Temesgen and Abegasu Shiota formed, in Washington, DC, ADMAS (which means "HORIZON" in Amharic, the Ethiopian language) in 1984. ADMAS, initially a backup band, went on to compose, arrange and produce music for most Ethiopian Artists working in the U.S., Europe and Ethiopia. Aster Aweke, world-renowned recording artist, approached ADMAS to arrange and produce her first two CD's that were released on Columbia Records.

ADMAS band members, Henock and Abegasu, enrolled at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. In 1995, they graduated and received BS degree in jazz composition and performance (double majors).

Upon graduation, they moved to Manhattan, NY becoming active in the local Jazz and African music scene. ADMAS toured the United States, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Canada with Ethiopian artists, and played at different festivals, including, The Montreal Jazz Festival and Summer Stage at Central Park.

In 1997, they were joined by Zakki Jawad a longtime friend and fellow musician. Zakki, an accomplished musician in Reggae and World Music circles, has been actively performing in the U.S. and abroad for the past 16 years. He has recorded and performed with several Reggae and African musicians, such as the ITALS from Jamaica.

Melvin Smith, a Jacksonville, Florida native, has been playing saxophone since the age of thirteen years old. Smith, a graduate of Berklee College of Music and Queens College, has been performing extensively since moving to New York in 1996. Melvin has had the pleasure of opening for Angie & Debbie Winans, Ce Ce Winans, and Donnie McClurkin. Smith has shared the stage with Norman Conners, Michael Henderson, and the legendary drummer Charlie Persip. A budding composer, Melvin has been a participant in the BMI Jazz Workshop. Smith tries to meld gospel, jazz, worldbeat, folk, & rock into his compositions. Melvin Smith is definitely an emerging voice on the music scene.

Robert Bonhomme was 8 years old when he first got a hold on some drumsticks. Studying classical percussion at a regional conservatory in France, he soon became member of their orchestra to play tympanis, snares, xylophone and the triangle. His first step as teenager was to form a pop band with his friend Alexander Jaffray that later became a major writer/producer in the French movies and commercials scene. 'Alex" still calls "bob" (Robert's nickname in France) for some work. Growing up, Robert focused more on drums that other types of percussion. He graduated from the Agostini school of music (Paris) while playing in different bands including the "Fred Calmeil" jazz trio, which won the first prize at the Avoriaz Jazz festival at age twenty-one. Robert decided that same summer to relocate to New York. In the U.S., he first kept on studying with various teachers like Chris Adams and Kenwood Dennard. After a couple of years, and at ease now with the cultural differences, Robert became a regular in New York City's pop-rock scene. He performed at the Modern Drummer festival with Kenwood Dennard, won a Bessie award for the best theatre-dance music composition with the band Fellahen, played in numerous clubs (SOB's, Knitting Factory, wetlands, CBGB…) with as many different artists. He also recorded many albums and soundtracks in New York, Paris and Los Angeles. Strangely (because Paris is much more involved in African music), but probably due to his eclectic work, it is in New York that Robert first started to play frequently with African artists. Then, he heard about and joined the ADMAS PROJECT…

The emergence of ADMAS as an original band comes on the heel of the establishment of their own independent label and production company, C-Side Entertainment, LLC. ADMAS' fusion of Jazz, Ethiopian and other African elements is the basis for their unique sound, which they hope to bring to worldwide audience. They believe their music is reflective of today's world, where globalization is defying geographic boundaries.

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