Elias Meister

Born in 1983 in Munich (Germany) guitarist Elias Meister is based in New York city since 2007. His numerous interests in different styles and ways of expression have led him to perform in a broad variety of musical settings. He leads his own groups, such as the Experimental Rock and Groove band Spacepilot with Leo Genovese and Joe Hertenstein, that performed at the Moers Festival and the XJAZZ Festival (Berlin) in 2017 among their shows in three tours to Germany and neighboring countries. They released their debut vinyl 'Exophonia' in 2016 (which the Süddeutsche Zeitung described as 'dancing and floating in zero gravity') and their second vinyl 'Particle Horizon' (feat. Grammy-nominated trumpeter Tim Hagans) in 2018.

He is also founding member of the live and improvised Techno and House collective N/UM, that has released three vinyls and performed at Output (NYC), Flash (Washington D.C.) and Mono (Mexico City) most notably. In early 2019 they toured in India and later that year performed at the renowned Fusion Festival (Laerz, Germany) and at famed Berlin clubs Kater Blau and Sisyphos as well as Burning Man and Cityfox Live.

In early 2017 Elias Meister joined 31-time Grammy winner Residente's new band (the artist with the most Latin Grammy Awards in history) with whom he has toured multiple times in Europe, the US, played to sold out stadiums in Central and South America, performed at the 2017 Latin Grammys and also filmed a concert for Austin City Limits TV. He recorded guitar for Residente's hit single 'Sexo' (now at over 90 million views on YouTube). In late 2019 they performed at Zocalo (Mexico City) for an audience of 200 000 people.

In 2019 he release the avant garde duo record 'Abiogenesis' with bass clarinetist Vasko Dukovski. The album features improvised pieces of intricate interplay between the heavily effected guitar and the advanced techniques and pipe extension of the bass and contra-bass clarinet.

Furthermore he is active as a contemporary jazz musician and has released three Rock-infused Jazz albums: Elias Meister's Miracle Box, Open for Business and Illumi's Journey. He is freelancing for different singer/songwriter projects and pop singers and performing music for modern dance companies. He also composed and produced Pop music for five movies by the major German production company 'Bavaria Film'.

Some of the notable players that Elias Meister has recorded and/or shared the stage with include George Garzone, Ben Street, Seamus Blake, Kevin Hays, Leo Genovese, Tony Royster Jr., Thomas Pridgen and Carlos Bica. His albums, recorded and/or mixed by multiple Grammy-awarded engineers Jeremy Loucas and Elliot Scheiner, have been lauded by the international press: 'Daring & Playful' ★★★★ Downbeat, 'Postbob with Rock attitude' NYC Jazz Record, 'Intelligent... powerful and sensitive' Jazzpodium.

Elias Meister holds a 'summa cum laude' Bachelor's Degree from the Berklee College of Music, which he attended as a scholarship student from 2004 to 2007.

The palette of sounds which Elias Meister is utilizing is vast: from the intricacy of Classical and Brazilian finger-picking over Jazz and sonic Improvisations to powerful Rock playing and heavily effected sounds using various electric, nylon and steel string guitars. Being open to new kinds of music and ways of creating sound with the guitar has always been an important part of his artistic strive and he continues to expand his musical means of expression. Show less