Omer Klein
A virtuoso pianist, an authoritative bandleader and a prolific composer, Omer Klein (29) is being marked by the media as one of the most exciting and original musicians on the international scene.

Since Klein embarked on his international career at age 23, he has released four albums that have received praising reviews in the American and European press. Klein has performed in more than 15 countries. His playing has captivated audiences in New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Milan and more.

The Omer Klein Trio, with bassist Haggai Cohen Milo and drummer Ziv Ravitz, has released the album 'Rockets on the Balcony' in 2010, on John Zorn's prestigious label 'Tzadik'. The album was chosen as an Editors' Pick for December 2010 in Downbeat Magazine. The Trio performed a successful European tour in September 2011, and recorded a new album in New York in October. Release is expected in 2012, accompanied by touring through the summer and fall.

Omer Klein has collaborated with renowned artists such as John Zorn, Lee Konitz, Jeff Ballard, Joel Frahm, Omer Avital, Johnathan Blake, Israeli music icons like Yehudit Ravitz, Eviatar Banai and Rona Kenan, and many more.

Omer was born in 1982 in Israel, and began playing and composing music at the age of seven. As a teenager, Klein studied Jazz at the famous Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts, and started playing concerts at age sixteen. In 2005, Klein moved to the US, where he attended the prestigious New England Conservatory. Klein's private teacher at NEC was the Grammy-winning pianist Danilo Perez.

He later moved to New York, where he played at the Blue Note and Carnegie Hall, among other venues. He has released four CDs to great acclaim: Duet (2007), Introducing Omer Klein (2008), the solo piano album Heart Beats (2009), and Rockets on the Balcony (2010), his first release on John Zorn's celebrated record label, Tzadik.

Omer is the winner of numerous awards, including the 1st prize at the Jazz Hoeilaart International Competition in Belgium. In 2011, Klein wrote the music for the play 'Lemon Tree' at the Schauspielhaus Theater in Düsseldorf.