Sam Yahel

A distinctive voice among a new breed of Hammond B-3 organ players on the jazz scene, Sam Yahel has earned the top spot in Downbeat’s International Critics Poll as a Talent Deserving of Recognition for many years in a row. Equally at home on the piano as on the organ, Sam belongs to a rare breed of multi-instrumentalists. Since moving to New York in 1990, Yahel has worked with a string of notable jazz artists including tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, alto saxophonist Maceo Parker, guitarists Peter Bernstein and Bill Frisell, vocalists Norah Jones (on her Grammy-winning Come Away With Me) and Madeleine Peyroux, among others. Sam has also toured the world with his organ trio as an opening act for Steely Dan, at the request of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. As a solo artist, Yahel has made his most personal statements as both composer and player. His album "Truth and Beauty" was selected on the New York Times top 10 jazz albums of the year, and his latest album, "From Sun to Sun " garnered critical praise for its unique perspective in combining both his voice on piano and organ into one seamless thread. Sam has performed with his trio both domestically at places such as the Village Vanguard as well as overseas at prestigious festivals such as North Sea Jazz.