Featuring Mark Turner (tenor sax), Joe Martin (bass), Marcus Gilmore (drums) and Gilad Hekselman (guitar and composition)

A native Israeli, Gilad Hekselman has shared the stage with many international jazz greats and has played the Blue Note, The Jazz Gallery, Smalls, 55 Bar, Dizzy's Club, Minton's Playhouse, and toured in Switzerland, Japan, Scotland, Canada, Norway, Hungary, and Israel. He has also played in world famous jazz festivals such as Montreux JF, Duke Ellington JF, San Francisco JF and Tel Aviv JF.

Gilad is the Winner of the 2005 Gibson Montreux International Guitar Competition.
His recent quartet album, Hearts Wide Open (2011) received rave reviews globally and was featured in many Best of 2011 lists, including those compiled by The New York Times, Amazon, and iTunes.

"The feeling in a small club quickly grows intense when GILAD HEKSELMAN, an Israeli jazz guitarist in his mid-20s, steps up to improvise… a warm and clean guitar tone, clear articulation, crazily extended improvisational ideas, speed when he needs it, an advanced understanding of harmony, and the flexibility to go wherever his bands want...”
Ben Ratliff, New York Times

"Possessing a distinctive lyricism and easily embraceable artfulness that seems to reach beyond his years... Hekselman has a pristine, crystalline sound and a bright playing style that seems as natural and sustaining as air and water... Imagine a brightly lit day, sunlight on water - you are there. If Monet’s waterlily studies were music this could be it... Hekselman performs with a quiet assertiveness and expertise that is winning throughout..."
Laurel Gross, All About Jazz

“... some people are so damned talented at so tender an age. Move over Scott LaFaro, Charlie Christian, and Jaco Pastorius for Gilad Hekselman... demonstrated to any discerning guitar-centric listener that there is indeed room for another mover and shaker. I don’t think I can overestimate the 23-year old’s... talents... ability to express emotional force in a quiet setting... promising composer... In other words, this unassuming upstart seems to have it all... a mature, young man with the best intentions and a warm heart big enough to slay any giant on the horizon”
Charles Winokoor, Cadence Magazine