Wawau Adler
Josef Wawau Adler, born 1967 in Karlsruhe, Germany, began playing the guitar at the age of nine and gave his first concerts at thirteen. Until the age of nineteen he devoted himself to jazz manouche or gypsy-swing in the tradition of Django Reinhardt. He later explored additional jazz styles including mainstream, bebop, jazz rock and jazz house.
In 1991 he released his first CD, “Wawau Adler – With Body and Soul”, featuring mainstream, jazz rock and gypsy jazz, published by Bella Musica.
Between Classical and Jazz
Wawau Adler occupies a distinctive position in German guitar culture: a musician trained to the highest classical standard who has committed to building a crossover career that encompasses jazz improvisation, composition, and multimedia performance alongside the classical concert stage. His approach — rooted in classical technique but responsive to jazz harmony, rhythm, and spontaneity — reflects a conviction that the guitar's voice is broad enough to hold both traditions without compromise. He has collaborated with jazz musicians, jazz orchestras, and has developed his own compositional voice in the space between formal classical writing and the freedom of improvised music.
