Shai Maestro Trio

Shai Maestro originally made a name for himself as a pianist in the band of his fellow Israeli Avishai Cohen, of which he was a member from 2006 to 2011. Since then he has been playing in a trio formation: the other members are Peruvian bass player Jorge Roeder and the Israeli percussionist Orif Nehemya, who joined the trio just recently. The New York-based trio plays jazz with classical structures and oriental folk motifs that has a strong emphasis on harmony. Shai Maestro possesses a subtle touch with which he can convey a whole range of fleeting feelings in a single phrase. Maestro’s music is an example of how jazz can still take a political stance even today. In the song »What Else Needs to Happen« from his latest album »The Dream Thief«, Maestro uses excerpts from speeches given by Barack Obama to express his opposition to the everyday use of firearms in the USA.