Ari Hoenig Trio
Contemporary Jazz, Neo-bop, Post-bop (USA)
AVAILABILITY FOR EUROPE
2026 | April, July, October/November
Line-up
Ari Hoenig | Drums
Jean‑Michel Pilc, Kenny Werner, Pat Martino, Joshua Redman, Wayne Krantz, Richard Bona, Chris Potter, Shirley Scott
Gadi Lehavi | Piano
Ravi Coltrane, Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Ron Carter, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Eddie Gomez
Ben Tiberio | Double Bass
Joel Ross, María Grand, Veronica Swift, Immanuel Wilkins, Shai Maestro, Ben Wendel, Aaron Goldberg
Style
A drummer‑led trio where melody and rhythm are inseparable: Hoenig’s metric imagination sings from the kit.
Lehavi supplies a luminous, Jarrett‑to‑Corea‑tinged lyricism that floats yet speaks with intent.
Tiberio anchors with supple time, modern counter‑lines and a sonorous, singing tone.
Overall profile
Philadelphia‑born drummer/composer Ari Hoenig has long redefined the drum set as a melodic instrument; in this trio he crystallizes that vision with Gadi Lehavi (piano) and Ben Tiberio (double bass). Across Golden Treasures (2022) and Tea for Three (2024) the group frames standards and originals with elastic time, conversational counterpoint and a keen sense of narrative. The language is contemporary jazz—post‑/neo‑bop vocabulary, modal hues and polyrhythmic design—yet the touch remains song‑driven. Hoenig’s lines arc and resolve; Lehavi shades harmony with airy voicings and singing right‑hand rhetoric; Tiberio balances clarity and weight, often guiding form with melodic bass motion. The group’s “band DNA” emphasizes Rhythm/Groove (metric modulation; odd‑meter fluency), Interplay/Roles (leader as melodic voice; chamber‑like listening) and Harmonic Vocabulary (post‑bop with modal‑chromatic color). The result is a trio sound that moves from tight inner clock to widescreen lyricism, built for audiences that prize both sophistication and heart.
Member details
Ari Hoenig — Drums
Melodic drumming, polyrhythms and metric modulations are central to Hoenig’s compositional voice. With this working trio he refines a chamber‑like, dialogue‑first approach documented on Golden Treasures (2022) and Tea for Three (2024). Expect shifting forms, clear song shapes and drum melodies that sing. (“A convergence of three exceptional musical personalities whose creativity, connection and dialogic interplay deserve repeated opportunities.” — Artur Moral, All About Jazz, 2025‑05‑20)
Gadi Lehavi — Piano
Tel‑Aviv–born, New York–based pianist whose lyricism and touch align with the Jarrett/Corea lineage while remaining personal. A close associate of Ravi Coltrane and selected by Chick Corea for JALC’s “Musicians of the Future,” Lehavi brings floating time, luminous voicings and agile, singing lines. (“The lightest‑touch piano trio one can imagine… a case of the caress rather than the assault.” — Sebastian Scotney, LondonJazzNews, 2016‑05‑15)
Ben Tiberio — Double Bass
A modern, song‑aware bassist heard with Joel Ross, Veronica Swift and Immanuel Wilkins, and as a leader on Rare Peace (2021). His sound couples round acoustic presence with articulate counter‑melody; time feels both grounded and elastic. (“The bassist and composer Ben Tiberio delivers an exceptional debut here.” — Take Effect Reviews, 2022‑04‑01)
Discography
Golden Treasures — Ari Hoenig Trio (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2022)
Tea for Three — Ari Hoenig Trio (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2024)
Quotes
Ari Hoenig
“A convergence of three exceptional musical personalities whose creativity, connection and dialogic interplay deserve repeated opportunities.” Artur Moral, All About Jazz, 2025‑05‑20 — https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tea-for-three-ari-hoenig-fresh-sound-new-talent
“A big‑band celebration… as thrilling and cool as taking a deep dive in someone else’s pool… focusing a well‑deserved spotlight on Hoenig’s voice.” Ed Enright, DownBeat (Editors’ Picks), 2022‑05‑01 — https://downbeat.com/reviews/editorspicks/2022-05
“The trio… a fluid, unified vibe… all elements leaping together into the fray… while still swinging.” Dusty Groove (album blurb), 2024‑12‑13 https://www.dustygroove.com/item/221596/Ari-Hoenig%3ATea-For-Three
Gadi Lehavi
“The lightest‑touch piano trio one can imagine… the caress rather than the assault.” Sebastian Scotney, LondonJazzNews, 2016‑05‑15 — https://londonjazznews.com/2016/05/15/round-up-review-second-day-of-inntoene-2016-austria-al-foster-quartet-gadi-lehavi-trio-marcio-faraco-ruthie-foster-bruno-heinen-and-kristian-borring-etc/
“A major rising force on piano… known for revelatory work with Ravi Coltrane.” Rusty Aceves, SFJAZZ — On The Corner, 2024‑07‑18 — https://www.sfjazz.org/onthecorner/articles/five-things-you-should-know-about-gadi-lehavi/
“Israeli‑born prodigy… invited at thirteen to play with Coltrane at the Village Vanguard and Birdland.” All About Jazz (SFJAZZ review), 2022‑05‑10 — https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ravi-coltrane-at-sfjazz-center-ravi-coltrane
Ben Tiberio
“The bassist and composer Ben Tiberio delivers an exceptional debut here… a diverse and well thought‑out listen.” Take Effect Reviews, 2022‑04‑01 — https://takeeffectreviews.com/april-2022/2022/4/1/ben-tiberio
“Tiberio plays mostly upright bass… I really love that sound.” Sea of Tranquility, 2021‑12‑27 — https://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?id=23414&op=showcontent
Personnel on Joel Ross’ KingMaker: Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax), Jeremy Corren (piano), Benjamin Tiberio (bass), Jeremy Dutton (drums)… DownBeat (review credits), 2019‑05‑03 — https://downbeat.com/reviews/detail/kingmaker
Reviews
Ari Hoenig: Tea For Three — Album Review / All About Jazz / Artur Moral / 2025‑05‑20 / https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tea-for-three-ari-hoenig-fresh-sound-new-talent
Editors’ Picks May 2022: Ben Markley Big Band with Ari Hoenig — Ari’s Funhouse / DownBeat / Ed Enright / 2022‑05‑01 / https://downbeat.com/reviews/editorspicks/2022-05
Pared‑back jazz drumming from Ari Hoenig and his fine trio / Marlbank / — / 2024‑12‑20 / https://marlbank.net/2024/12/20/pared-back-jazz-drumming-from-ari-hoenig-and-his-fine-trio/
Tea for Three — Album page / Fresh Sound New Talent (Blue Sounds) / — / 2024‑12‑13 / https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/ari-hoenig-albums/57444-tea-for-three-digipack.html
Golden Treasures — Album page / All About Jazz / — / 2022‑01‑06 / https://www.allaboutjazz.com/album/golden-treasures-ari-hoenig
Ari Hoenig: Golden Treasures / Jazz Journal / François van de Linde / 2022‑08‑30 / https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2022/08/30/ari-hoenig-golden-treasures/
ROUND‑UP REVIEW: Inntöne 2016 — Gadi Lehavi Trio / LondonJazzNews / Sebastian Scotney / 2016‑05‑15 / https://londonjazznews.com/2016/05/15/round-up-review-second-day-of-inntoene-2016-austria-al-foster-quartet-gadi-lehavi-trio-marcio-faraco-ruthie-foster-bruno-heinen-and-kristian-borring-etc/
Five Things You Should Know About Gadi Lehavi / SFJAZZ (On The Corner) / Rusty Aceves / 2024‑07‑18 / https://www.sfjazz.org/onthecorner/articles/five-things-you-should-know-about-gadi-lehavi/
Ravi Coltrane at SFJAZZ Center / All About Jazz / — / 2022‑05‑10 / https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ravi-coltrane-at-sfjazz-center-ravi-coltrane
Ben Tiberio — Rare Peace (review) / Take Effect Reviews / — / 2022‑04‑01 / https://takeeffectreviews.com/april-2022/2022/4/1/ben-tiberio
Tiberio, Ben: Rare Peace / Sea of Tranquility / — / 2021‑12‑27 / https://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?id=23414&op=showcontent
Vibraphonist Joel Ross to release debut KingMaker / Blue Note (press) / — / 2019‑03‑29 / https://www.bluenote.com/vibraphonist-joel-ross-to-release-debut-album-kingmaker-out-may-3/
Complete Discography — Ari Hoenig / Official site / — / 2025‑10‑03 (accessed) / https://www.arihoenig.com/complete-discography
