ZASKA

ZASKA plays feel-good jazz-infused neo-soul with a touch of funk. Max Zaska is an Irish guitarist, songwriter, musical director, and producer known for his collaborations with Irish artists, including Hozier.

Max Zaska blends influences from Hiatus Kaiyote, Snarky Puppy, Tom Misch and Nubiyan Twist with a style that pulls from guitar greats Wes Montgomery, John Scofield, and Carlos Santana to create a sound uniquely ZASKA.

The most recent ZASKA project is a collection of new songs co-written in Paris, Dublin, and Cork with Irish vocalists and songwriters Gemma Dunleavy, shiv, Melina Malone, and jarjarjr blending the collaborators’ roots in jazz, soul, R&B, pop, and hip-hop into an upbeat fusion of Irish neo-soul. Five songs will debut on the upcoming Live At The Triskel EP. ZASKA’s third studio album featuring these and more collaborations will be released this autumn.

Released in late 2022, A Better Way is ZASKA’s second studio album that explores sustainability in culture and the environment, highlighting infectious rhythms textured with horns and strings. “Notes of pure optimism coursing throughout,” The Irish Times. Tracks were featured on BBC Radio 1 Introducing, Spotify’s ‘A Breath of Fresh Éire’ and Japan’s ‘Monday Spin,’ KCRW, and British Airways & Aer Lingus ‘Next Big Thing.’

ZASKA’s critically acclaimed 2019 debut album, It Takes A Village, featured over 25 performers and boldly expressed the complex emotions of becoming a father. It was named Album of the Year by RTÉ 2XM’s Peter Curtin and multiple songs appeared on Spotify’s New Music Friday UK.

With high-energy and engaging live shows, ZASKA leaves audiences buzzing with performances described as “masterful” (BBC Radio One’s DJ Spoony), “incomparable” (Hot Press), and “joyous” (GoldenPlec). ZASKA has had sell-out shows upstairs at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s jazz club, and has thrilled audiences at the Mladí ladí jazz Open Air Festival in Prague, the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, and Electric Picnic.

“One of the most unique and exciting albums in recent memory.” (Earmilk)

“Zaska plunders the worlds of neo-soul, funk, hip-hop, rock, and jazz, making for an enjoyably idiosyncratic listen.” (Hot Press)

“A benchmark example of the talent that exists in this country.” (The Irish Times)