Here, the enigmatic and hugely versatile Yaron Herman plays a performance at the 2013 Ile de France Festival, showcasing just why he was already considered a maestro despite being in his early 30s at the time of the concert. The French-Israeli pianist built a solid reputation on the European jazz circuit in his 20s and rose to prominence in the broader mainstream through his masterful interpretations of pop tracks like "Toxic" by Britney Spears and "Heart Shaped Box," by Nirvana.
Here, at the beautiful Trianon theatre in Paris, he performed a set based on his lauded 2012 album, Alter Ego, combined with his signature improvisational flair, a technique he perfected while studying the piano through the lens of philosophy, psychology and mathematics. He is joined by a stellar cast including the renowned classical pianist Bertrand Chamayou; the modern icon of the drums and fellow Israeli, Ziv Ravitz; stalwarts of the French scene, saxophonist Emile Parisien and bassist Florent Nisse; the Icelandic producer and Björk collaborator, Valgeir Sigurðsson and Fredrika Stahl, a wonderful singer, composer and author.