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Behold the Mayo

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The jazz vocal tradition is always an evolving proposition, but rarely does that notion feel truer or more affirming than in the output of Michael Mayo. Fly, his sterling second album, captures the forces of energy and creativity that he brings to the art form, on reimagined standards as well as smart original songs. Michael stopped into WRTI during a recent swing through town, straight from the airport. We talked about his upbringing as the child of two busy backing musicians, and how he pursues a band ideal even as he’s shining out front. He also reflects on the state of jazz singing, and considers how a vocalist can sneak musical complexities into the mainstream. And he divulges some secret intel about a cult-favorite side project, Shrek is Love.

Greg Bryant has been a longtime curator of improvisational music as a broadcaster, writer, host and musician. As a young child, he began absorbing the artistry of Miles Davis, Les McCann, Jimmy Smith, James Brown, Ornette Coleman, Weather Report, and Jimi Hendrix via his parent's record collection. He was so moved by what he was experiencing that he took pride in relaying all of his discoveries with anyone who would listen.
Nate Chinen has been writing about music for more than 25 years. He spent a dozen of them working as a critic for The New York Times, and helmed a long-running column for JazzTimes. As Editorial Director at WRTI, he oversees a range of classical and jazz coverage, and contributes regularly to NPR.