Gilad Hekselman Trio

You can get a good sense of Gilad Hekselman’s stature in today’s jazz scene by typing his name into a Google search and looking at the suggested auto-completes. The first suggestion is, of course, “Gilad Hekselman guitar,” which tells you what instrument he plays. The next two are “Gilad Hekselman transcription” and “Gilad Hekselman gear.” These tell you that Hekselman is not just a guitarist but a guitar hero—aspiring players want to figure out his endless and fluid lines, and how he gets his unique blend of warmth and distortion.If you need further proof of Hekselman’s reputation and prowess, check out this performance of the title track off his most recent album, This Just in (JazzVillage). When Hekselman takes the fleet and lyrical tune to a downright nasty place at the peak of his solo, he elicits a fair share of woos from the audience.While the typical guitar-bass-drums trio may be Hekselman’s home base, on Friday, January 10, Gilad will bring a different kind of trio to The Jazz Gallery, featuring Shai Maestro on piano and Obed Calvaire on drums. Like Hekselman, Shai Maestro is originally from Israel, and has spent the past several years touring with bassist Avishai Cohen’s group. In the video below, you can get a sense of the thrilling rhythmic interplay you’ll hear on Friday night.If the polar vortex is getting you down, come to the Gallery on Friday to hear Hekselman and company really turn up the heat.The Gilad Hekselman trio, featuring Shai Maestro on piano and Obed Calvaire on drums, plays at The Jazz Gallery on Friday, January 10. Sets are 9 and 11 pm. $20 general admission and $10 for members. Purchase tickets here.