Whether Michael Mayo is performing with his band, as a guest, or alone with a looper pedal and a piano, the LA native’s commanding and other worldly vocalese has been gathering critical and commercial acclaim around the globe. Mayo attended the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance (now the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz), only the third vocalist to be accepted into the 20-year-old program, where he learned from the likes of Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock. Mayo, a veteran international performer, has been a featured vocalist at the White House, the Kennedy Center, and Renée Fleming’s American Voices Festival, while his own band has performed at The Hollywood Bowl, The Monterey Jazz Festival, The London Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival and the Atlanta Jazz Festival among many others. Most recently he has recorded and performed with Herbie Hancock, Jacob Collier, Scary Pockets, Lenny Kravitz, Josh Groban, and The War and Treaty. Signed to Mack Avenue/Artistry Records, Mayo’s debut record BONES, produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Eli Wolf (Norah Jones, Al Green, The Roots) was released in 2021. In 2022, Mayo was named “International Artist of the Year” at the Deutscher Jazzpreis (German Jazz Prize). Mayo’s highly anticipated sophomore release FLY featuring pianist Shai Maestro, bassist Linda Oh, and drummer Nate Smith, will be released on October 4th, 2024 on Mack Avenue.

The Los Angeles-based phenomenon creates from the heart without filter or pretense, allowing his voice to transmit raw emotion above an ever-evolving backdrop of jazz, neo-soul, and R&B on his second full-length LP, Fly [Mack Avenue Records/Artistry Music], and more to come.

“As improvisers, we sometimes talk about leaving space and following your second or third instinct,” he notes. “Lately, I’ve been trying to challenge myself by going with my first instinct and seeing what sticks. Fly has been a fun experiment in that. There were different emotional zones I wanted to occupy, but I started a lot of those sounds with improv and followed that thread. I have a tendency to overthink. I decided to stop that before it began. I didn’t rush, but I treated everything with an immediacy—which goes against my nature as an overthinker. To me, this album feels very, ‘Let’s go’.”

Born and raised in Los Angeles, music quite literally surrounded Mayo during his upbringing. As a sought-after background vocalist, his mom has worked with Beyoncé, Diana Ross, Luther Vandross and Whitney Houston. Meanwhile, his dad not only sang but also performed saxophone for Earth, Wind & Fire and horns for the likes of Sérgio Mendes. Among his most formative memories, Michael recalls “being backstage, watching Mom and Dad perform, and seeing them in their element.”

He laughs, “The first job I ever knew someone could have was a professional musician. That left a huge mark on me!”

Unlocking the power of his voice, he eventually attended the New England Conservatory of Music and at The Thelonious Monk Institute at UCLA (now the Hancock Institute of Jazz). 2018 saw him make waves with the single “No More” [with Amber Navran]. Following his graduation, he unveiled his full-length debut, Bones, in 2021 and cumulatively generated millions of streams accelerated by “The Way” and “You and You.” Earning critical acclaim, Jazzwise rated it “4-stars,” and JAZZIZ raved, “Michael Mayo has developed his own lush, neo-soul sound that adroitly showcases his clear tenor, which glides over luxuriant clouds of his multi-tracked vocals.” He captivated audiences worldwide, headlining his own gigs and touring with the likes of Herbie Hancock. Not to mention, he even garnered the Deutscher Jazzpreis (German Jazz Prize).

In October 2023, he relocated from Brooklyn back to L.A. Getting into a groove, he wrote the majority of what would become Fly at home. During January 2024, he retreated to Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, recording the album in just two days with pianist Shai Maestro as well as Linda May Han Oh on upright and electric bass, and in-demand drummer extraordinaire Nate Smith. Together, the musicians collectively harnessed their incredible chemistry during the sessions, giving the music gravity, muscle, and soul anchored by their performances.

Now, he introduces Fly with the single “Four.” On the track, he delivers a lively arrangement of the original Miles Davis melody of the same name. Opening up this world, jazzy piano gives way to steady claps. Michael alternates between fluttering vocals and a buoyant bebop-style harmony bouncing and surging with flare and finesse. A loose bassline propels the bridge, and his words strike a deep chord, “Of the wonderful things that you get out of life, there are four.”

“I like to ride the line in between new and surprising, yet still comfortable and familiar,” he observes. “The melody is the original by Miles, but it’s a surprising rhythmic pattern. It’s a fun take on an old song, and I enjoyed making it happen with the band. Nancy King and Fred Hersch recorded a version of it on their vocal-piano duo album, Live at Jazz Standard. It blew me away in college, and I always wanted to do it.”

He also breathes new life into the genre standard “Just Friends.” His warm delivery practically hovers over finger-snaps and soft keys. Piano twinkles, bass thumps, and an anthemic chorus takes flight. Originally, Michael intended for this take of “Just Friends” to be a rehearsal to warm everybody up, but the heat couldn’t be contained…

“The first take felt so natural between us, and it was so good that we decided to use it,” he recalls. “‘Just Friends’ was one of the first jazz songs I ever learned in high school. This arrangement is fun because it's so different from what you usually hear. The recording feels like I'm floating, and it's a nice, satisfying little trip.”

Composed by Michael, the title track Fly evokes a breezy energy. Horns and piano attempt to catch up to Michael’s sunny humming, speeding towards a bright crescendo teeming with light. “I care a lot about songwriting  and arrangements,” he says. “I also wanted it to feel more free, open, and maybe cheerful. Those elements of lightness, flight, and freedom were important throughout the whole album, but you can especially hear them on Fly.”

For the first time, he picked up a guitar in the studio for “Frenzy,” adding another shade to his sonic palette. “It started as a riff during the pandemic,” he recalls. “When I listen to it, I see beautiful images of nature. You feel the shift of the landscape as the song progresses. For me, it's about the imagery passing by and how it can shift.”

Snaps and harmonies set the tempo for the a cappella “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was.” He flexes his range, balancing laidback verses with a stunning high register. The song captures the moment love strikes lightning, “I didn’t know what time it was, then I met you.”

“It’s totally different from the rest of the album,” he smiles. “I love how the a cappella parts came together.”

The ride concludes with a frenetic drum-fueled reimagining of Wayne Shorter’s “Speak No Evil.” Michael’s voice weaves in and out of the beat as Shai Maestro’s fleet-fingered piano playing mirrors the dynamics of Nate Smith’s drum groove. It offers a worthy homage to a legend gone-too-soon.

“It’s definitely a love letter to the great Wayne Shorter for the effect his music had on mine and the legacy he left,” he elaborates. “I got to work with him as a student in grad school. He was an artist-in-residence, and it was such a gift to watch him and hear him and speak with him. When I made this record, I knew I had to do something for him. ‘Speak No Evil’ was always one of my favorite songs of his. I thought, ‘Why don't we shift it entirely and make it a fast tune?’ That’s what we did.”

Ultimately, Michael trusted his gut and delivered a definitive body of work.

“I’m excited for the journey to continue,” he leaves off. “There’s a clear difference in the way I felt recording this album. I have a better handle on who I am, how I feel, and what I have to say. I’m just trying to make as much music as I can with as many cool people as I can, travel the world, and bring a little bit of light along the way.”