Adam Wexler is an American-Israeli musician, best known as the bassist for influential

Jewish rock Jewish rock is a form of contemporary Jewish religious music that is influenced by various forms of secular rock music. Pioneered by contemporary folk artists like Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and the Diaspora Yeshiva Band, the genre gained popularity ...

groups

Diaspora Yeshiva Band The Diaspora Yeshiva Band ( he, להקת ישיבת התפוצות) was an Israeli Orthodox Jewish rock band founded at the Diaspora Yeshiva on Mount Zion, Jerusalem, by ''baal teshuva'' students from the United States. In existence from 1975 to ...

and

Reva L'Sheva Reva L'Sheva ( he, רבע לשבע, "a quarter to seven") was an Israeli Jewish rock band formed in 1994 by lead singer Yehudah Katz. They released six studio albums before disbanding around 2006. On January 7, 2014, the band performed at Zapp ...

Biography

Wexler grew up in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

and started playing at age five. He is a cousin of singer-songwriter

Peter Himmelman Peter Himmelman (born November 23, 1959, in St. Louis Park, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter and film and television composer from Minnesota, who formerly played in the Minneapolis indie rock band Sussman Lawrence before pursuing a ...

. In 1975, Wexler became one of the founding members of the

, along with Avraham Rosenblum,

Ben Zion Solomon Ben Zion Solomon is an American-born Israeli musician, best known as a founding member of the seminal Jewish rock group Diaspora Yeshiva Band, for whom he played fiddle and banjo from 1975 to 1983. A disciple of Shlomo Carlebach, Solomon and his ...

, Simcha Abramson, Ruby Harris, and Gedalia Goldstein. The group, which played

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

and bluegrass with Jewish lyrics, was highly influential in Jewish music and released six albums before disbanding in 1983. Wexler was an associate of Rabbi

Shlomo Carlebach Shlomo Carlebach ( he, שלמה קרליבך; 14 January 1925 – 20 October 1994), known as Reb Shlomo to his followers, was a rabbi, religious teacher, spiritual leader, composer, and singer dubbed "the singing rabbi" during his lifetime. ...

, performing on several albums in the 1980s and early 1990s. Shortly after Carlebach's death in 1994, Wexler and fellow Carlebach devotee Yehuda Katz co-formed the band

. Combining a Carlebach influence with a

jam band A jam band is a musical group whose concerts (and live albums) are characterized by lengthy improvisational "jams." These include extended musical improvisation over rhythmic grooves and chord patterns, and long sets of music which often cr ...

rock sound, the band was a forebearer of the post-Carlebach

scene, preceding bands like

Moshav A moshav ( he, מוֹשָׁב, plural ', lit. ''settlement, village'') is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists between 1904 an ...

, Soulfarm, and

Blue Fringe Blue Fringe was an American Jewish rock band from New York City. Formed in 2001 by lead singer Dov Rosenblatt, the band's debut album, '' My Awakening'' (2003), sold more than 14,000 copies, an uncommon feat in the limited Jewish market, and bec ...

. The band released six studio albums before disbanding in 2004. In 2005, Wexler released his debut solo album, ''A Million Voices''.

Child molestation case

On December 23, 2004, Wexler was indicted and later jailed on charges he had sexually abused an eight-year-old girl in his neighborhood. The charges, most of which Wexler admitted to, included three instances of "rape, indecent acts, and indecent assaults" committed between 1994 and 1996.

Discography

Solo albums

*''A Million Voices'' (2005)

With Diaspora Yeshiva Band

* ''The Diaspora Yeshiva Band'' (1976) * ''Melave Malka with the Diaspora Yeshiva Band'' (1977) * ''At the Gate of Return'' (1978) * ''Live From King David's Tomb'' (1980) * ''Land of Our Fathers'' (1981) * ''Diaspora Live on Mt. Zion'' (1982) * ''Live at Carnegie Hall'' (1992) * ''The Diaspora Collection'' (2000)

With Shlomo Carlebach

*''Shlomo Sings with the Children Of Israel (Hiney Anochi V'hayeladim)'' (1989) *''The Gift of Shabbos'' (1995) *''Open Your Hearts (Music Made From The Soul, Vol. 1) (1986 Recordings)'' (1997) *''Holy Brothers and Sisters (Music Made From The Soul, Vol. 2) (1986 Recordings)'' (1997)

With Reva L'Sheva

*''Higia HaZman'' (1996) *''Kumu'' (1998) *''Etz Chaim Hee: Secrets'' (1999) *''Avahat Chinam: One Love'' (2001) *''10: Live'' (2004) *''V'Sham Nashir'' (2005)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wexler, Adam Jewish rock musicians American emigrants to Israel Israeli bass guitarists Shlomo Carlebach 1956 births Living people Musicians from Minneapolis Date of birth missing (living people) Diaspora Yeshiva Band members Reva L'Sheva members Guitarists from Minnesota American male guitarists 20th-century American guitarists Male bass guitarists