MIT Vocal Jazz Ensemble: Spring has Swung! Featuring Michael Mayo
Laura Grill Jaye, Director
For their inaugural concert in the brand new Thomas Tull Concert Hall, MIT's Vocal Jazz Ensemble is joined by the Los Angeles-based phenomenon, Michael Mayo, to see what happens when voices unite in song and joy. This very special concert will feature hard-hitting, uplifting music that explores jazz and all of its neighbors (neo-soul, R&B, funk, and more). Featuring music by Take 6, Säje, New York Voices, Michael Mayo, and more.
About Michael Mayo
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 sophomore album FLY (2024) features an exceptional lineup, including pianist Shai Maestro, bassist Linda Oh, and drummer Nate Smith, released on Mack Avenue Records.
Mayo’s residency is supported by the MIT Center for Art, Science & Technology and co-presented with the MIT Music and Theater Arts.
*Pre-registrations are for paid General Admission tickets only. MIT Students, Faculty, and Staff may attend for free by showing their MIT ID at the door, pending availability of space.
Seating Policy
Your registration through Eventbrite guarantees you a seat until 15 minutes before the event start time. 15 minutes before the concert start time, we will release open seats to the standby list. If you were not able to register through Eventbrite, you may join the physical standby line in the Kresge Auditorium Lobby up to one hour before the concert start time.
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