Early History
— Young Maury in high school. Maury Epstein grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and had an interest in playing the guitar at the age of seven. He took piano lessons for two years upon the insistence of his mother and began playing the guitar at age ten. By the time he was thirteen he was playing in a rock band with two of his classmates and within the next three years did two recordings with the group and won several battle of the bands. At age sixteen, with the break-up of his band, he began to take an interest in studying and performing jazz. He began playing in the school jazz ensemble and combo and also was accepted into the all -state jazz ensemble.
Also at age sixteen, he started his teaching career having many students on a weekly basis, teaching guitar, music theory, and improvisation. Before starting college, he attended jazz summer programs at Interlochen Center for the Arts, Berklee College of Music, Eastman School of Music (where he studied with guitarist Gene Bertoncini and pianist Bill Dobbins), Manhattan School of Music and the University of Massachusetts "Jazz in July." He studied with Cleveland jazz gurus guitarist Bob Fraser and saxophonist Howie Smith.
Education
After graduating from High School and receiving the "Louis Armstrong Jazz Award," Maury received the Marjorie B. Nichols Scholarship from Rutgers University and was invited to study with jazz guitar sage Ted Dunbar, and jazz piano icon Kenny Barron among others. While studying at Rutgers, Maury also had the opportunity to study with pianist and long time musical director for Dizzy Gillespie, Mike Longo, and jazz guitar star Russell Mallone. After studying for two years at Rutgers, Maury transferred to the world renowned jazz program at William Paterson University where he studied with renowned musicians including guitarist Vic Juris, and bassist Rufus Reid. In addition, Maury received a talent-based jazz scholarship and also received the "Downbeat Magazine" award for outstanding performance as a member of the New Jazz Ensemble. While in college Maury maintained an active performing and recording schedule, performing at NYC's famous jazz clubs "Birdland" and "Smalls" with such talents as Saxophonists Greg Tardy, Mark Turner, and bassist Essiet Essiet.
Maury with Mike Longo
— Maury with Mike Longo, jazz arranging and
improvisation teacher, 20-year pianist and
musical director for Dizzy Gillespie After graduating from William Paterson University, Maury was invited to appear as the guest artist at his alma mater for the Shaker Heights "Evening of Jazz," and soon resumed his studies pursuing a Masters degree in jazz performance from the prestigous Manhattan School of Music. There he studied with such jazz luminaries as guitarists Rodney Jones, Jack Wilkins, pianist Gary Dial, trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, composer/arrangers Manny Album and Mike Abene, drummer Bobby Sanabria, classical composer Ludmilla Uhlela, and also with world renowned jazz educator Justin Dicioccio.
While studying at Manhattan School of Music, Maury began to perform with extraordinary talents such as saxophonist Don Braden, drummers Billy Hart and Terry Clarke and Yoron Israel, bassists' Jamil Nasser and John Lee, and pianist Benny Green and also maintained a teaching career which included teaching a continuing education guitar class at Hoboken High School. Maury was also interviewed on the radio station of Columbia University and Farleigh Dickinson University. During this time Maury also began work on an album entitled "The Maury Story." The album features the phenomenal talents of tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, pianist Dave Kikoski, bassist John Benitez, and drummer Cecil Brooks III. The album was also produced by Cecil Brooks III and features three of Maury's originals as well as five choice standards. "The Maury Story" will be released on Bluejay Records.
Recent History
Maury with Jack Wilkins
— Maury with Jack Wilkins, former teacher
and Chairman of the Jazz Guitar Dept
at Manhattan School of MusicAfter graduating from Manhattan School of Music, Maury was contracted to perform as a member of the showband on the Celebrity Cruises brand new five star ship, "Millenium" on a tour that would include eighteen countries in Europe as well as over thirty five cities, which encompassed both the Mediterranean and Baltic seas. While performing on "Millenium," Maury backed up many well known vocalists, ventriloquist, comedians, and instrumentalists including vocalist Mark Preston of the famed group "The Lettermen." Since then, Maury has maintained an active teaching and performing career encompassing many music genres including a six week contract to perform with the Irish/Celtic band "Empty Hats" at the Sterling Renaissance Festival as well as teaching in the NYC public school system. Maury also has continued his studies coming under the tutelage of master pianist and educator Kenny Werner. In addition, he has performed at Merkin Concert Hall as part of the BMI Annual Jazz Composers Workshop Concert.
Maury completed his masters in music education at Teachers College, Columbia University, in 2006. During his time as an Ed.M student, he taught guitar lessons to students who received college credit. Between the years 2004-2006 Maury served as a faculty member in the music department at Middlesex County College, in Edison, New Jersey, teaching jazz appreciation and contemporary music history.
In 2006 Maury returned to his hometown, Cleveland, Ohio and served as the congregational song leader at Synagogue Anshei Chesed, serving over 3,000 families and continuing the rich heritage of Rabbi Arthur Lelyveld.
During that same year Maury acted as high holidays cantorial soloist at Cleveland congregation Tiferet Israel (for 500 congregants), the Synagogue of Rabbi Abba Hiller Silver. Following his service to the Cleveland Jewish Community, Maury studied at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and at Yeshiva Aish Hatorah in Jerusalem, Israel, for one academic year. The summer immediately after that he served as the head of music at the Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. Shortly thereafter Maury made aliyah to Israel. In Israel he studied Hebrew at Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu in the Jordan Valley, at the Mila Institute, and at Ulpan Morasha, both in Jerusalem. During his first two years in Israel Maury performed music at several festivals including Boombamela, Shemeshfest (in Ramat Beit Shemesh), The Yehuda Glantz Nachlaot festival (Jerusalem), Mevo Modi'in Carlebach Country Fairs, Nachlaot Lag B'Omer festival (in Jerusalem), and the Shem Speed Festival at the Lab (in Jerusalem). Maury performed extensively with the Meron Jewish world music band "Agadetahand "Pey Dalid." He also performed on Israel's Channel One TV station, Ofra and for the Itamar community as a member of Israeli Jewish music star Aaron Razel's band. Maury was also interviewed on Israel National Radio by Ben Bresky, as well as performing live for "Radio Free Nachlaot" with the "PurimmBand".
He also developed an association with the bassist Harvey Brooks of Miles Davis and Bob Dylan fame.
Maury performed at synagogue "Kol Rina" in Nachlaot, Jerusalem for Isralightwith Rabbi Mottle Wolf and performed with Rabbi Avraham Trugman for "Ohr Chadash" and the "Carpathian Mountain House" and he performed with Carlebach artists Benyamin Steinberg, Rabbi Shlomo Katz, Chaim Dovid and Rabbi Yehoshua Rubin (at AACI Jerusalem).
As a member of the Jerusalem Cantorial Institute Choir, Maury performed several times at the Yeshurun Central Synagogue and at other locations in Jerusalem and in the Tel Aviv region. His other performing experience in Israel includes venues such as Reshimu, Shoreshim, Cana'an and Mike's Place.
Maury continues teaching music privately for Bnei-Akivah, and for other organizations.