Michael Mayo makes use of each muscle inside his throat when he sings. From his deep baritone chest to splendidly fluttering head voice, he joyfully bends notes to his will and for our enjoyment on the Tiny Desk.
I used to be first launched to Mayo’s voice when he participated in a grasp class with jazz titan Dianne Reeves in the course of the 2013 American Voices pageant on the Kennedy Heart. As he folded his voice round the usual “It Might Occur to You,” Reeves prompted him to comply with her as she started to scat. With out hesitation, Mayo harmonized and traded forwards and backwards with Reeves as if they’d rehearsed it (they’d not), completely impressing her and the viewers. As I watched from off-stage, I believed, “Oh, this cat has it.” He exists in a lineage of equally dexterous singers like Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau and Betty Carter.
Within the years since, Mayo has established himself as a presence within the intersection of jazz, soul and R&B. His albums, Bones and Fly, showcase his nimble vocals, considerate lyrics and complex compositions, and have generated collaborations with bassist Linda Might Han Oh and drummer Nate Smith, and touring alternatives with pianist Herbie Hancock.
Right here, Mayo presents a number of songs that invite you into his wondrous artistry. Alita Moses, India Carney and Tomás Cruz showcase their very own skillful vocal agility of their dealing with of Mayo’s vocal preparations. Pianist Andrew Freedman, drummer Robin Baytas and bassist Nick Campbell Destroys are locked in at each flip. As Mayo prepares to shift into the ultimate music within the set, he drops into an intricate scat, his voice hopscotching, bending, hovering, resting for a second and reigniting in percussive sound.
SET LIST
- “About Your Love”
- “Bag of Bones”
- “You and You”
MUSICIANS
- Michael Mayo: vocals
- Andrew Freedman: piano, keys
- Nick Campbell Destroys: bass
- Robin Baytas: drums
- Alita Moses: background vocals
- India Carney: background vocals
- Tomás Cruz: background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Mitra I. Arthur
- Director/Editor: Kara Body
- Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
- Host/Sequence Producer: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Kara Body, Maia Stern, Sofia Seidel
- Audio Engineer: Jay Czys
- Audio Combine: Maggie Luthar
- Manufacturing Assistant: Dhanika Pineda
- Photographer: Michael Zamora
- Sequence Editor: Lars Gotrich
- Tiny Desk Group: Joshua Bryant, Ashley Pointer
- Government Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Sequence Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
- VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
