Shai Maestro: »Interludes«

Shai Maestro began playing classical piano at age five and graduated with honors from the Thelma Yellin High School of Performing Arts in Givataim, Israel. He won the National Jazz Ensembles Competition »Jazz Signs« in 2002 and 2003 and received excellency scholarships for jazz piano from the America-Israel Cultural Fund and Berklee College of Music. 

In collaboration with the bassist Avishai Cohen and drummer Mark Guiliana, Maestro formed the Avishai Cohen Trio, with which he recorded four albums: »Gently Disturbed« (2008), »Sensitive Hours« (2008), »Aurora« (2009), and »Seven Seas« (2011). The trio toured the world and played at some of the world’s most renowned venues and festivals.  

In July 2010, Maestro formed his own trio and just a few months later, recorded their well-received first album, »Shai Maestro Trio«, for the French label »Laborie Jazz«. The trio began an intense schedule of touring the world, playing up to 80 concerts a year and sharing stages with groups led by Chick Corea, Tigran Hamasyan, Esperanza Spalding, and Diana Krall. In 2012, the trio released their second album for »Laborie Jazz«, titled »The Road to Ithaca«, making an even more personal and intimate statement, going back to the essence of their being: unedited and raw.  

Listeners and the media outlets alike, including »DownBeat Magazine«, NPR, BBC, JazzFM, TSF, and WBGO’s »The Checkout«, received the group’s following albums »Untold Stories« and »The Stone Skipper« with critical acclaim. With these albums, Maestro entered a new phase in his artistry: taking time, fearing less, daring more, and allowing the music to unfold organically, more than ever. 

Within the past couple of years, Shai reached two important career milestones: he signed with »Sony / ATV Music Publishing« and was invited to perform with Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Keitaro Harada at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theater.