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Mai Leisz

Mai Leisz (pronounced Lease) is a bassplayer and composer from the shadowland of the North: post-soviet country, Estonia, where she was born and raised. In 2010 she made the move to Sweden where she honed her craft as an electric bass player and composer. She started gaining wider exposure with her own jazz- fusion group MaiGroup as well as freelancing with different jazz bands and pop artists.

Her tireless work ethic, melodic bass playing and versatility has raised her name among the world’s top musicians. Mai is hailed as a music chameleon, moving effortlessly from pop, folk and country to jazz and blues.

In June 2015 she had couple of days off touring and was busking in the old town Stockholm with a veteran singer-songwriter Doug Seegers, when one of her favorite musicians in the world, multi- instrumentalist Greg Leisz - on tour with Jackson Browne - happened to walk by. He was very moved by what he saw and heard, took note of Mai’s distinctive Kraftsman bass and informed bass player Bob Glaub, who was also on the tour. The next day Mai was invited to sit in with Jackson and his band at Stockholm Waterfront and thus began a whirl-wind adventure for a girl, who started her life on an island, in a village of 250 people and who now found herself relocating to Los Angeles, recording, writing and touring with a two- time member of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - David Crosby; performing with Jackson Browne, Joan Baez, Jim Keltner, Charles Lloyd, David Foster and Seal among others.

MaiGroup has released three albums: “Luv” (2013), “You” (2015) and the third album “Metamorphosis” was released in April 2019 featuring world renowned guests such as Bill Frisell, David Crosby, Charles Lloyd and Greg Leisz.

Currently Mai is working on new material with her new and first band with American musicians: guitarist Michael Landau, multi-instrumentalist Greg Leisz and drummer Gary Novak. Listen to her new music on Spotify.

Awards

Nomination for Jazz Cat Newcomer award 2016 by Swedish Radio Alice Babs Jazz scholarship 2016 The Royal Swedish Music Academy - national jazz scholarship 2015 The Royal College of Music in Stockholm - outstanding student award 2013 The Royal College of Music in Stockholm - outstanding student award 2012 Uno Naissoo Composition Contest - best instrumentalist 2010 Tartu Jazz - biggest surpriser award 2008 Alo Mattiisen Music Days - grand prix 2004


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2
Album Review

MaiGroup: Metamorphosis

Read "Metamorphosis" reviewed by Chris Mosey


Metamorphosis, a word of Greek derivation, describes the dramatic change of physical form that occurs when, for example, a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. Estonian jazz bassist Mai Leisz (pronounced Lease) uses it to describe her own psychological transformation “as a person and as a musician, from a girl to a woman, from a music student to a world-touring musician, from the tiny Estonian village of Leisi to Los Angeles, from unhappy to happy." She says: “I no longer search for ...

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“Mai is a melodic bass player, which makes her really unique. It’s a difficult style and requires an enormous amount of talent and musical knowledge. It’s not something you hear every day. Even within the narrow field of melodic bassists, Mai’s sound is unique and impressive.” (David Crosby)

“Mai is everything a band looks for in a bassist - melodic, technically proficient, innately talented, and hugely dedicated to her work. She’s had great success with her own band (MaiGroup) and has also collaborated with some legendary artists, including David Crosby. She’s released two outstanding studio albums which she wrote and produced herself. Her talent and drive are truly inspiring, even to a fifty-year veteran of the music business.” (Jackson Browne)

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Metamorphosis

Independent
2019

buy

You

Unknown label
2015

buy

Luv

Unknown label
2013

buy

Monarch

From: Metamorphosis
By Mai Leisz

Videos

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