Biography
Guitarist Max Light earns recognition for his technical command as an improviser, evident in his sharp attack across the fretboard and his complex harmonic sensibility within post-bop jazz and fusion. After finishing second in the 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition, he appeared alongside bassist Kaisa Mäensivu, trumpeter Jason Palmer, and tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger, with whom he has documented multiple small-group sessions such as the 2020 album Contempt and the 2022 duo recording Songs We Love. Light first presented his trio on the 2020 release Herplusme and later rejoined Preminger for the 2023 quartet album Henceforth.
Raised in the Washington, D.C. area, Light developed his technique while attending Boston’s New England Conservatory, performing there in trumpeter Jason Palmer’s band at Wally’s Jazz Cafe. He subsequently completed a master’s degree at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College and taught at the Washington, D.C. Jazz Academy of Music between 2013 and 2016. Based in New York City, he has worked with boundary-pushing figures including Donny McCaslin, John Ellis, and Colin Stranahan, maintaining an especially close association with Noah Preminger across many of the saxophonist’s projects.
Light launched his recording career as a leader with the 2019 trio album Herplusme, which featured bassist Simon Willson and drummer Matt Honor. He returned to Preminger’s side for 2020’s Contempt and contributed to Kevin Sun’s 2021 release <3 Bird. Their 2022 duo album Songs We Love offered interpretations of songs by Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon, and others. In 2023 Light issued the quartet album Henceforth, again with Preminger plus bassist Kim Cass and drummer Dan Weiss, and joined bassist Kaisa Mäensivu’s ensemble Kaisa's Machine for the Greenleaf Music debut Taking Shape.
Raised in the Washington, D.C. area, Light developed his technique while attending Boston’s New England Conservatory, performing there in trumpeter Jason Palmer’s band at Wally’s Jazz Cafe. He subsequently completed a master’s degree at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College and taught at the Washington, D.C. Jazz Academy of Music between 2013 and 2016. Based in New York City, he has worked with boundary-pushing figures including Donny McCaslin, John Ellis, and Colin Stranahan, maintaining an especially close association with Noah Preminger across many of the saxophonist’s projects.
Light launched his recording career as a leader with the 2019 trio album Herplusme, which featured bassist Simon Willson and drummer Matt Honor. He returned to Preminger’s side for 2020’s Contempt and contributed to Kevin Sun’s 2021 release <3 Bird. Their 2022 duo album Songs We Love offered interpretations of songs by Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon, and others. In 2023 Light issued the quartet album Henceforth, again with Preminger plus bassist Kim Cass and drummer Dan Weiss, and joined bassist Kaisa Mäensivu’s ensemble Kaisa's Machine for the Greenleaf Music debut Taking Shape.
Albums
Singles
