AWARDS & PRESS – MAX HIGHSTEIN

Over the years, my work in film, music, and media has received recognition from numerous festivals, organizations, and publications. Below are some highlights.

  • One Earth Award, Clousine Music Award
  • Detaron Mag - Max Highstein's photography featured
  • Audiophile review - Tiptoes album
  • Jazzword - Music review, Tiptoes
  • Global Music Awards winner
  • Jazz Weekly - Max Hightein's Tiptoes album review
  • Lemonwire - Music Review, Tiptoes album
  • Mindfield Film Festival - Lamy-Holding The Light selected.
  • Gogi magazine - photography feature by Max Highstein
  • New Mexico Music Awards, Max Highstein music winner
  • Seedlings Film Festival, Lamy-Holding The Light, screening selection.
  • Roots Music Report, music review, Tiptoes, Max Highstein
  • The Sentinel, Max Highstein music review
  • Santa Fe Film Festival - Low Hanging Fruit, screening selection

    • Film & Video Awards

    • One Earth Award – Best Music Video: Jamby Jamby, 2023
    • Santa Fe Film Festival – Music Video Screening: Low Hanging Fruit, 2024
    • Mindfield Film Festival – Documentary Film: Lamy – Holding the Light – Semi Finalist currently under consideration for Finalist
    • Mindfield Film Festival – Music Video: Brave Wolfe – Semi Finalist currently under consideration for Finalist
    • Seedlings Film Festival – Documentary Film Screening: Lamy – Holding the Light – Selected & Screening, 11/15/25
    • Numerous other film festivals – Currently in the running and pending

    Music & Audio Recognition

    • Clousine International Music Award – Low Hanging Fruit, Highest Achievement, Instrumental Song, Spring 2023
    • Global Music Awards – Album, Gratitunes, 2020, Outstanding Achievement, Album & Composition/Composer
    • Roots Music Awards – Charting at #1, World Music Radio Play: Gratitunes, July 11, 2020
    • New Mexico Music Awards –
      • First Day Out – Best Children’s Song, 2023
      • To Ride A Red Horse – Best World Beat Song, 2010
      • Sheep Of Love – Best Novelty Song, 20210
      • Big TV – Best Novelty Song, 2023

    Press & Media Features

    • Press Articles Featuring Music Albums:
      • Keyboard Magazine – Review, Touch The Sky album
      • Mix Magazine (Recording Studio Feature)
      • The Jazz Word – Album Tiptoes, Review by Ferell Aubre
      • The Sentinel – Album Tiptoes, Review by Travis Rogers, Jr. “The Jazz Owl”
      • Jazz2Love – Album Tiptoes,  Jazz2love Review
      • Jazz Weekly – Album Tiptoes, Review by George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly
      • Lemonwire – Album Tiptoes, Review by  Dodie Miller-Gould
      • Audiophile Review – Album Tiptoes, Review by Paul Wilson
      • Take Effect – Album Tiptoes, Take Effect Review
      • RMR Music Report – Album Tiptoes, Review by Joe Ross
      • Valley Morning Star – Album Stars
      • Western Great Lakes Entertainment Guide – Album Stars
    • Detaron Mag, Fall 2024 – Editorial photography feature
    • Goji Magazine, Summer 2025 – Photo essay

    Book Reviews

    • Gratitunes (Album)

      “The outstanding performers are at ease with their material, and the meticulous sound design is attractive. I highly recommend this collection!” ~ Frederick Frahm, Composer, Publisher, Music Educator

    • Audiobook Recording

      “Max is great to work with. Professional, delivers on time and communicates clearly. We’ve had a few authors record with him over the yeas and all spoke highly of the experience.”  Mahar Sperling, Special Projects Manager, Inner Traditions * Bear & Company

    • Gratitunes (Album)

      “Exquisite melodies are what truly set Max Highstein’s music apart—so fresh, seemingly effortless yet rich, born of joy, that find a permanent place in my heart. And the performances are, as always, world class.” ~ Dave Kinnoin, Writer/producer Disney

    • Flying Not Falling (Album)

      “I am listening right now… and it is just stunning. Such thoughtful compositions, beautiful production, and the instrumentation is gorgeous.” White Sun (Gurujas Khalsa). Best New Age Album Grammy Winner, 2017.

    • Tiptoes (Album)

      “Max Highstein brings forth much more than musical ideas; A deep acumen of complexity and joy is entwined in each note. His latest release, Tiptoes, might be a lighthearted listen, but it is in its melodies we find the genius.” Jazzword Review by Ferell Aubre

    • Audiobook Recording

      You need gentle guidance from the person running things, a comfortable set-up, the proper sound environment, top-notch equipment, and patience, patience, patience. I found all that and more at Max Hightstein’s Desert Heart Recording Studio. – William deBuys, 7 Stories Press author

    • Audiobook Recording

      Max was incredibly friendly and a pleasure to work with, upholding a high level of professionalism throughout the process. I couldn’t be more thrilled with the quality of the audiobooks. – Marlene Seven Bremner, Inner Traditions Author

    • Gratitunes (Album)

      “Amazing arrangements, expertly and expressively played. That’s the stuff of Max Highstein, and he has done it again with this opus magnum. ” ~ Grant Maloy Smith, Billboard Top 10 recording artist

    • Gratitunes (Album)

      “The writing, artistry, and all aspects of engineering are polished to utmost shine! Another wonderfully uplifting achievement from Mr. Highstein” ~ Danaë Vlasse, Grammy-Winning Composer and Recording Artist. 

    • Audiobook Recording

      I hired Max to record the audio recording of my latest book. Max is a pro. He was reliable, professional, technically a Master and very tuned into me as the talent. I am very happy with my recorded book. – Rebecca Skeele, Author

    • Tiptoes (Album)

      “Tiptoes is a brilliant display of Max Highstein’s dexterity on such various instruments and a tribute to his profound but accessible compositional skills and talents. The melodies never miss—not once.” – Travis Rogers, Jr. “The Jazz Owl”

    • Tiptoes (Album)

      “This is a pushing forward, a clear new era for contemporary instrumental music.“ — Dodie Miller-Gould

    • Gratitunes (Album)

      “I could listen to Gratitunes continually and never tire of it. When they defined the word “joy,” they had Max’s music in mind.” ~ Jim Moeller, Founder of the music label “Serenity, Music to Awaken the Heart”

    • Gratitunes (Album)

      “Such a warm and rich tone. The playing is a joy to hear. Max Highstein has a wonderful voice on the soprano saxophone. The production is as elegant as the melodies, too. Bravo!” ~ Joe Giardullo, World Renown Soprano Saxophonist and Recording Artist.

    Interested in learning more or working together? Contact me here.