Brian Shankar Adler ’05 Featured on the Cover of DownBeat Magazine
Brian Shankar Adler ’05 is featured on the cover of DownBeat magazine in a major new profile highlighting his duo project with renowned soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom. The feature centers on their debut album once like a spark (Adhyâropa), a striking percussion–soprano saxophone collaboration that explores intimacy, space, and global musical influences while pushing beyond traditional jazz boundaries.
The DownBeat article traces the evolution of Adler and Bloom’s artistic partnership, from their early improvisational sessions in Maine to the eventual recording of the album, which Bloom characterizes as both deeply connected and free. The duo’s chordless format foregrounds rhythmic dialogue, negative space, and spontaneous composition, drawing on jazz, contemporary music, and pan-ethnic traditions. Adler’s versatility on drum set, tabla, and chromatic percussion plays a central role in shaping the project’s distinctive sonic world.
The album’s title track, "once like a spark", holds special significance for Adler, as he composed the piece during his time as a student at NEC. Inspired by an e.e. cummings poem, the work reflects Adler’s early compositional voice and his long-standing interest in rhythm, improvisation, and layered musical narratives. The DownBeat cover feature not only celebrates the release of once like a spark, but also marks a major milestone in Adler’s career.
Way to go, Brian!
