Before playing the piano, Yaron Herman played basketball in his native Israel, but a knee injury prevented him from pursuing the sport professionally. At 19, the young pianist, who had adopted his instrument only three years prior, landed in Paris. At 21, he developed a theory of musical improvisation, "Real Time Composition," which he presented in a series of lectures at the Sorbonne and demonstrated on his first solo album, Variations. In 2007, Herman's self-named trio, which includes double bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Gerald Cleaver, released its debut effort, A Time For Everything. Featuring an eclectic selection of covers from Björk to Britney Spears as well as original compositions, the album won over young audiences and jazz purists alike. Muse (2009) and Follow the White Rabbitt (2010) also combined self-penned material with inspired cover versions. Alter Ego followed in 2012.