The band MAYA warmly invites you to take a seat in their musical living room.
Make yourself comfortable and help yourself — the table is richly set.

 

Served up is traditional Jazz and Jazz-Blues with a splash of Gospel. Accompanied by energetic Latin rhythms, spiced up with a touch of Reggae.

 

The jazz quintet, optionally enhanced with strings, is not only a multi-generational household in its lineup. Musically, it’s where old meets new, today meets tomorrow, and often yesterday as well. And, of course, all five musicians come together at the source of the greater whole, where the stories each of them has to tell are born.

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The storytellers:

 

Maya Sophia Kehren, born and raised in the Lower Rhine region, studied Jazz and Popular Music at the ArtEZ Conservatory in Arnhem (NL). After some ventures into Soul Music, Maya found her true love in Jazz, which led her to complete her studies. With the intention of giving her voice a home, Maya sings, lives, loves, and composes songs that emotionally connect, invite, and move your soul.

 

For her original compositions and arrangements, she sought musicians who share and live this love. She found them both during her studies with Marian Fricke (piano) and Daniel Vitalij Eberling (bass), as well as back home with Marc Küsters (drums), with whom she collaborates on composing and arranging. The sound is rounded out by percussionist Maxim Zettel.

 

Marc Küsters completed his Jazz studies in 1997 in Utrecht (NL). With a strong affinity for Latin American music, he is not only a drummer but also a bandleader, composer, producer, and specialist author. Since 1999, he has been running the Kleve-Kellen music school, making a significant contribution to training the next generation of musicians and fostering talent in Kleve.

 

Maxim Zettel also looks back on a twenty-year career. His musical roots lie in Samba, Bossa Nova, Choro, MPB, Salsa, Son, and Rumba. However, other genres like Pop, Funk, Latin Jazz, and Flamenco are also part of his repertoire. Since 2007, he has been a lecturer in Brazilian percussion at the renowned Codarts University of Music in Rotterdam, famous for its unique World Music department in Europe. Nationally and internationally active, Maxim can currently be found on stages with acts such as Roda de Samba do Alemão, ChoroTrio, Latin Jazz Sinfónica, Radius, Wojtek-Justinas-TreeOh!, BRAZZEU, and Sambaria.

 

Daniel Vitalij Eberling (DanVito) completed his studies in Jazz and Popular music in the summer of 2024. He currently lives in Essen where he is completing his Master's degree at the Folkwang University. Virtuosic improvisation is part of his identity, whether on electric bass or double bass.

 

Marian Fricke studies and lives in the Netherlands. After completing his bachelor’s degree in Jazz and Pop with a focus on piano, he is currently working on his master’s degree with a focus on vocals.