Influenced heavily by Lester Young through John Coltrane and Joe Henderson to Chris Potter, Adrian studied jazz at the Leeds college of music.

He has gigged with various jazz/funk and rock influenced bands. He played in a reggae band horn section at the Glastonbury festival in1982, and played in several Big Bands, including at the Lama Tree Festival and music festivals in Germany, Spain and Gibraltar. He co-founded The Gareth Hunt Quartet with Gareth Hunt in 1995, and played at the City of London Jazz Festival in 2003.

Other work includes playing for summer seasons, shows, pantomime, clubs, bars and restaurants. Adrian also works as an instrumental teacher in schools.