PinnedDavid R. Adler·Dec 12, 2020Seven Words to Live By: A Journey in MusicAfter a long time juggling careers as a music journalist and a guitarist, I recently added another. I’m pursuing a Georgia state…
David R. Adler·Aug 1, 2025Let Them Laugh: Self-Acceptance for the Young and OldB y way of a setup, I’m an American music teacher working part-time in Yorkshire schools in the north of England. My employment is stable…
David R. Adler·Jul 15, 2025Admire Greatness, But Remember: Making Music Is for EveryoneThose who can’t do, teach.” I heard variations on this sentiment among musicians when I was younger, all rooted in an exclusionary view of…
David R. Adler·Jun 26, 2025The Smearing of Zohran MamdaniI’m no longer a New York voter and I didn’t do all my homework. I was all-in for Brad Lander as I’ve said, and did not really vet Zohran…
David R. Adler·Mar 20, 2025A Guitar Named “Jen”Classical guitars are like violins: Regardless of price they tend to look the same, adhering to a very traditional design. I was looking…
David R. Adler·Mar 17, 2025Martin Carthy in the Peak DistrictClarinetist, guitarist and former Lounge Lizard Doug Wieselman turned me onto British folk legend Martin Carthy some years ago. A…
David R. Adler·Jan 13, 2025Figuring It Out: “Teacher” by Jethro TullWith Jethro Tull you’ve got to separate the wheat from the chaff, but that’s partly because they’ve put out a ton of music and are still…
David R. Adler·Jan 4, 2025Figuring It Out: “Heart to Heart” by Kenny LogginsWhen I started building a solo repertoire of cover songs on acoustic guitar (around 2010–2015), the idea was to earn some cash at…
David R. Adler·Jan 1, 2025Figuring it Out: “Biggest Part of Me” by AmbrosiaThe first social media anything I saw on New Year’s Day 2025 was a clip breaking down the production on Ambrosia’s 1980 smash hit “Biggest…
David R. Adler·Dec 27, 2024Full Circle on Pat Metheny’s “First Circle”I interviewed Pat Metheny for JazzTimes at length in 2005 and 2010, both for cover stories in the mag. And right in between that five-year…
