Fly - Michael Mayo

Fly is vocalist Michael Mayo's album released in 2024, blending jazz vocal tradition with contemporary R&B and electronic textures. The ensemble features pianist Shai Maestro, bassist Linda May Han Oh, and saxophonist Scott Mayo (Michael's father), among other musicians. The nine-track program mixes Mayo originals like "Fly," "Frenzy," and "Bag of Bones" with jazz standards including "Just Friends," "It Could Happen to You," "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," Miles Davis's "Four," and Stevie Wonder's "I Wish." Mayo, a graduate of the Thelonious Monk Institute (now the Herbie Hancock Institute), is known for a vocal approach that incorporates scat singing, vocal effects, and a wide range of timbres. Maestro's piano, moving between acoustic and electric keyboards, provides a modern harmonic palette. Oh's bass playing adds both groove and melodic counterpoint. The album's production reflects Mayo's interest in blending live jazz performance with studio craft, creating a sound that moves between acoustic trio settings and more layered, produced arrangements. Scott Mayo's alto saxophone solos connect the album to a family jazz lineage.