Ira Stein is an American jazz and classical pianist, synthesist and composer from Los Angeles. He began classical piano training at the age of 10 and at 13 he began studying jazz and improvisation. In 1981 he traveled to Boulder, Colorado to take a class from Ralph Towner and met oboist Russel Walder. His collaboration with Walder produced three albums. He began a solo career in 1992 with the album Carousel before forming the Ira Stein Trio.