photo by Maya Keren
Maya Keren is a songwriter, improviser, and educator based in Brooklyn. They play piano, guitar, and sing. They are interested in music as a way to access the numinous: the feeling of being close to God, tuned into the lower frequencies, following the way. Maya believes creativity is an innate spiritual sensitivity and they are curious how to cultivate this both in themselves and in others. Maya has been influenced by Black radical feminism, Taoism, and the works of Ursula K. Le Guin. They are also intrigued by the questions posed by being an ambiguously gendered, mixed race Asian American, especially strange feelings regarding racial emptiness, passing, nostalgia, mirroring, and myopia.
Originally from Wyndmoor, PA, Maya grew up singing in choirs and playing jazz piano around Philly (notably, through Anthony Tidd’s Creative Music Program.) In college, Maya went on to study with Sumi Tonooka, Kris Davis, and Angelica Sanchez, before returning to songwriting as their primary practice. Maya has self-released two albums of songs which they recorded and produced: Blebba Grows (2023) and Slow Burn (2026), which Bill Frisell described as “music that gives me hope.” Maya also writes loops and songs for their band Careful In The Sun (with Emmanuel Michael, Anna Abondolo, and Eliza Salem,) who released their eponymous EP in December 2025 with Squama Recordings. Maya has collaborated with experimental music elder Henry Threadgill in his most recent ensemble, Listen Ship, for six guitars and two pianos, as well as for a commissioned piano duo with Rahul Carlberg. Most recently, Maya created a 16-week songwriting course with Camila Ortiz.
Maya has been part of several formative workshops, residencies, and coalitions, including the Banff Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music, Ruha Benjamin’s JUST Data Lab, Ravinia Jazz Workshop, and Avaloch Residency, and has performed internationally and in New York at venues like Public Records, Roulette Intermedium, National Sawdust, The Stone, Park Ave Armory, and Yamaha Hall. Beyond those already mentioned, they have collaborated with John Moran, Julian Miltenberger, Akiva Jacobs, Jeffrey Gordon, Maya Rabinowitz, Eden Girma, Lesley Mok, Isabel Crespo Pardo, Miranda Agnew, Julien Chang, Maya Stepansky, Claire Dickson, Celia Hill, Caroline Davis, Sarah Elizabeth Charles, and Maria Grand. When not making songs, Maya loves comics, cooking, sewing, running, and hooping.
Originally from Wyndmoor, PA, Maya grew up singing in choirs and playing jazz piano around Philly (notably, through Anthony Tidd’s Creative Music Program.) In college, Maya went on to study with Sumi Tonooka, Kris Davis, and Angelica Sanchez, before returning to songwriting as their primary practice. Maya has self-released two albums of songs which they recorded and produced: Blebba Grows (2023) and Slow Burn (2026), which Bill Frisell described as “music that gives me hope.” Maya also writes loops and songs for their band Careful In The Sun (with Emmanuel Michael, Anna Abondolo, and Eliza Salem,) who released their eponymous EP in December 2025 with Squama Recordings. Maya has collaborated with experimental music elder Henry Threadgill in his most recent ensemble, Listen Ship, for six guitars and two pianos, as well as for a commissioned piano duo with Rahul Carlberg. Most recently, Maya created a 16-week songwriting course with Camila Ortiz.
Maya has been part of several formative workshops, residencies, and coalitions, including the Banff Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music, Ruha Benjamin’s JUST Data Lab, Ravinia Jazz Workshop, and Avaloch Residency, and has performed internationally and in New York at venues like Public Records, Roulette Intermedium, National Sawdust, The Stone, Park Ave Armory, and Yamaha Hall. Beyond those already mentioned, they have collaborated with John Moran, Julian Miltenberger, Akiva Jacobs, Jeffrey Gordon, Maya Rabinowitz, Eden Girma, Lesley Mok, Isabel Crespo Pardo, Miranda Agnew, Julien Chang, Maya Stepansky, Claire Dickson, Celia Hill, Caroline Davis, Sarah Elizabeth Charles, and Maria Grand. When not making songs, Maya loves comics, cooking, sewing, running, and hooping.
say hello! mayapkeren@gmail.com