Pianist Yaron Herman Interviewed at AAJ

Pianist Yaron Herman, an Israeli now living in Paris, is one of the most talented artists of the Parisian jazz musical scene. He was a promising basketball player on the Israeli national junior team when he was cut short by a knee injury. He then decided to take up playing the piano at age 16. His teacher, the renowned Opher Brayer--famous for his methods based on philosophy and mathematics--taught him the craving for self-knowledge and discovery.

At 19, Yaron left for Boston to learn at the Berklee College School of Music, but quickly decided to return to Tel Aviv as it didn't satisfy his personal search. On the way back he stopped over in Paris, met some musicians during a jam session and decided to remain there. He has developed a theory of musical improvisation called Real Time Composition, which led to a series of lectures, given at the Sorbonne University in Paris.

Following the success of his two last albums, Time for Everything (2007) and Muse (2009)--the latter recently nominated for the French Victoires du Jazz award, and both released on the superb French label Laborie Jazz--Yaron Herman is pursuing a marathon-like tour that is taking him to the four corners of the world.

AAJ Contributor Jean-Marc Gelin spoke with Herman about his trio, working with American musicians, and his uncompromising view of what his artistry must be.

Check out Yaron Herman: An Urgent Need to Play at AAJ today!