Mike “Maz” Maher’s career has taken him around the world. He has worked in world famous concert halls, tiny jazz clubs, music festivals, recording studios, TV studios, and classrooms. He has been hired as a trumpeter, singer, backing vocalist, arranger, songwriter, lyricist, composer, film composer, and teacher.
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Mike is a long time member of the contemporary instrumental group Snarky Puppy with whom he has won five Grammy awards. Since 2004 he has toured the world with the group, recorded on 12 albums, and written four of the bands compositions. The band won Grammys in 2014 (Best R&B Performance for “Something” with Lalah Hathaway), 2017 (Best Contemporary Instrumental album for Sylva with the Metropole Orkest), 2019 (Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Culcha Vulcha), 2021 (Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Live at the Royal Albert Music Hall), and 2022 (Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Empire Central).
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Mike has released 3 recordings of his own music. Maz (2012), Idealist (2016), and Maz Flips the Script (2018). His latest single, "Just in the Nick of Time" was released in July of 2025.
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In addition to writing songs for his own band, Mike has also been enlisted to write for other artists as a lyricist. Most notably for Alina Engibaryan on her 2018 album, We Are, and for Jordan Peters on his song “Etude for Humanity” (2021).
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He is proud to have been a part of countless recordings as a trumpeter and backing vocalist. Notable recordings include Becca Stevens’ Wonderbloom (backing vocals), Michelle Willis’ Just One Voice (backing vocals), Banda Magda’s Tigre (trumpet), and Laila Biali’s Out of Dust (trumpet and backing vocals).
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He has also worked extensively as a trumpeter, vocalist and arranger from his home studio. Recording horn section parts, solos, backing vocals, and lead vocals. He continues to make himself available for this kind of work.
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Mike has taught at colleges, conservatories, and high schools in the U.S. and abroad, as a member of Snarky Puppy, with the “Snarky Horns”, and as a solo clinician and educator. He has instructed young musicians in trumpet playing, improvisation, music performance, ensemble playing, composition and songwriting. He also teaches private lessons in these subjects both in person and online.
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In July of 2024, Mike completed his training for certification in the Alexander Technique. For more information about his A.T. teaching, click here.
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Mike is a Yamaha trumpet and flugelhorn artist, and he endorses MXR effects pedals.
