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David R. Adler is an adjunct lecturer in jazz history at the Aaron Copland School of Music (Queens College, CUNY). He writes from his home in New York, covering jazz for JazzTimes, Philadelphia Weekly, Stereophile, The New York City Jazz Record (formerly All About Jazz-New York) and other publications.
His work has also appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Down Beat, Time Out New York, City Arts, Jazziz, The New York Times, The New Republic, Slate, Forward, Fairmont Magazine (Canada), La Tempestad (Mexico), GEO (Germany), New Music Box, All Music Guide, Global Rhythm, Signal to Noise, Coda, Jewish Currents and more.
David’s writing for the UK journal Democratiya (now a part of Dissent) has been featured alongside that of Michael Walzer, Todd Gitlin and other leading figures of the democratic left. His areas of interest include human rights, foreign policy, the politics of antisemitism and the defense of liberal democratic values.
David has spoken as a panelist at the Detroit Jazz Festival, the Vision Festival and the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) Conference. He has moderated panels for the Philadelphia Music Project and the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA), and conducted pre-concert artist discussions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and the Ars Nova Workshop concert series. He's also appeared as a guest lecturer at Hunter College, Baruch College, Fairleigh Dickinson University and the 92nd Street Y.
On the community service front, David sits on the JJA board of directors, and is the outgoing editor of the JJA's web publication JJA News (formerly Jazz Notes). His efforts with the JJA have also included mentoring and education initiatives as well as public advocacy on behalf of journalists, musicians and the jazz idiom in general.
In an earlier life as a professional guitarist, David worked with a wide variety of artists in settings including jazz, rock/pop, gospel, cabaret, musical theater and more. He gigged extensively with Tom Kitt — now a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner for "Next to Normal" — and performed in some of New York’s best-known venues, including Avery Fisher Hall, Roseland, Joe’s Pub, Fez, Mercury Lounge and the Living Room. During his tenure with the East Village band Keeta Speed (1996-1999), he recorded with the famed producers Dave McDonald (Portishead), Patrick Dillett (They Might Be Giants) and Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips).
Read about David’s trips to Fes, Morocco in June 2008; Dakar, Senegal in February 2008 (here and here); and Turkey/Iraqi Kurdistan in March 2006.
David’s Q&A profile at Normblog. And his "Writer's Choice" guest post on Orhan Pamuk’s Snow.
David’s 2006 review essay on Michael Moore (the filmmaker — not the reeds player, not the bassist).
David’s reflections on jazz and political protest.
What they're saying:
“Some of the finest prose I’ve carried.” - Alan Johnson, Editor, Democratiya
“Showing no signs of wackness whatsoever.” - hiphopmusic.com
“One of two or three music writers I don’t want to punch in the face.” - a New York bassist
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