Songs & Stories13 Dec 2025

Michael Mayo: Grammy Nominations, "Fly" (Deluxe), and the Architecture of Voice

Episode Summary: In this episode of Backstage Bay Area, host Steve Roby sits down with vocalist and composer Michael Mayo to discuss his whirlwind year. Fresh off two Grammy nominations—Best Jazz Vocal Album for Fly and Best Jazz Performance for "Four"—Michael opens up about the surreal moment he got the news in Paris. We dive into his viral NPR Tiny Desk Concert, his philosophy on using looper pedals versus acoustic arrangements,and his deep musical lineage. Michael also previews his upcoming year-end show at SFJAZZ, part of the Terence Blanchard-curated "UpSwing" series.

In This Episode:

The Grammy Moment: Michael shares his reaction to receiving two nominations while soundchecking in Paris.
NPR Tiny Desk: How he turned the audience into a choir and the importance of community in his performances.
Song Breakdown - "Four": Reimagining a Miles Davis classic by adding "mischief" and a new rhythmic feel without changing the harmony.
Song Breakdown - "Just Friends": Finding the universal heartbreak in a Great American Songbook standard.
Tech vs. Tradition: How Michael balances his signature looper pedal techniques with a traditional jazz quartet setup.
Musical Roots: Growing up with parents who worked with Earth, Wind & Fire and Diana Ross, and knowing from age three that music was his path.

Featured Music:

"Four" - Fly (Deluxe Edition)
"Just Friends" - Fly (Deluxe Edition)

Show Links & Tickets:

Live at SFJAZZ: Michael Mayo & Sasha Berliner (UpSwing Double Bill)
- Date: Saturday, December 27, 2025
- Venue: Miner Auditorium, San Francisco
- Tickets: https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/25-26/upswing-sasha-berliner-michael-mayo/

Connect with Michael Mayo:

Website: michaelmayomusic.com
Instagram: @themichaelmayo
Facebook: Michael Mayo Music
YouTube: Michael Mayo

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(333)

Take 6 Still Spreads the Love After Four Decades

Show Notes:Host Steve Roby sits down with Claude McKnight, founding member of the legendary a cappella group Take 6, ahead of their four-night residency at SFJAZZ. With 10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Award...

5 Aug 24min

Steven Bernstein’s Gumbo Homecoming

Steven Bernstein, the Berkeley-born trumpeter, composer, and bandleader, joins host Steve Roby for a wide-ranging conversation about five decades of musical exploration, his upcoming SFJAZZ residency,...

2 Juli 37min

John Beasley From Invisible Piano to Unlimited Miles

Pianist, composer, and arranger John Beasley joins host Steve Roby for an in-depth discussion about his extraordinary career, his new album Invisible Piano, and an upcoming all-star Miles Davis centen...

4 Maj 32min

Resilience, Roots, and the Road Ahead: A Conversation with David Weiss

Jazz trumpeter and composer David Weiss joins host Steve Roby for a wide-ranging conversation about a life built on music. From his early days in Queens, where he absorbed hard rock, fusion, and Europ...

30 Apr 51min

Sweden's Queen of Swing Comes to SF Jazz

Show Notes:In this episode of Backstage Bay Area, host Steve Roby sits down with Swedish jazz sensation and multi-instrumentalist Gunhild Carling — a trombonist, trumpeter, flautist, harpist, bagpipe ...

25 Apr 27min

Marcus Shelby Celebrates Miles Davis

Episode SummaryHost Steve Roby sits down with Bay Area bassist, composer, and bandleader Marcus Shelby to discuss his upcoming SF Jazz performance, a tribute to Miles Davis's landmark 1949–50 sessions...

23 Apr 37min

Daniel Ho’s Many Roads to SFJAZZ

Podcast Show Notes:On this episode of Backstage Bay Area, Steve Roby speaks with Daniel Ho, a six-time Grammy-winning musician, composer, producer, and slack key guitarist, ahead of his upcoming appea...

20 Apr 39min

Aaron Diehl Finds the Space Between

Show NotesPianist Aaron Diehl joins Backstage Bay Area to discuss the early musical influences that shaped his voice, his deep connection to Mary Lou Williams, and his work bringing her Zodiac Suite b...

18 Apr 25min