Listen to His Take on John Coltrane’s
“Giant Steps” Now
| August 20, 2025 – Today, Los Angeles-based vocalist, composer and songwriter Michael Mayo announced a deluxe edition of his critically acclaimed 2024 album Fly, due out September 5 via Mack Avenue Music Group / Artistry Music. His second studio album is a bold exploration of jazz, highlighting his remarkable vocal mastery. The deluxe edition features six new songs, including five stunning arrangements with the Norrbotten Big Band, conducted by Calle Rasmusson. Named DownBeat Magazine’s 2025 Rising Star Male Vocalist of the Year, Mayo also shares his innovative take on the John Coltrane staple “Giant Steps,” which has quickly become a fan favorite on the road. |
| “‘Giant Steps’ has always been one of my favorite tunes,” says Mayo. “I first heard it when I was 14 and from that moment, I knew that I wanted to be able to improvise over those changes someday. I literally wouldn’t stop practicing until I felt comfortable, which took years! This version came about because I’d just moved to New York and wanted to practice but all I had to my name was a suitcase, a microphone and a looper pedal. So I used what I could and ended up creating what would go on to become this new single.”Upon its release, Fly garnered widespread praise from press including NPR Music, Jazzwise and PopMatters who raved about Mayo’s “stunning voice and unique approach that blends tradition and his own material into one hypnotic sound.” Joined by Shai Maestro, Linda May Han Oh, Nate Smith, Scott Mayo and Valerie Pinkston, this deeply personal statement has won over audiences worldwide. The end result includes standouts like “Four,” a lively jazz arrangement that nods to Miles Davis, and the shimmering original “Bag of Bones.” Mayo’s take on “Four” received social media co-signs from acclaimed artists including India.Arie, Israel Houghton, Siedah Garrett, Kirk Whalum and more.Fly is the follow-up to Mayo’s 2021 breakthrough full-length debut Bones, which racked up millions of streams and had JAZZIZ Magazine declaring, “Michael Mayo has developed his own lush, neo-soul sound.” The following year, he earned the German Jazz Prize Award for International Artist of the Year as he continued to cultivate a dedicated following across the globe.Born and raised in Los Angeles, music surrounded Mayo during his upbringing by powerhouse musician parents. Unlocking the power of his own voice, Mayo eventually attended the New England Conservatory of Music and The Thelonious Monk Institute at UCLA (now the Hancock Institute of Jazz).Now with the deluxe edition of Fly, Mayo has expanded even further on this definitive body of work. This fall, he will be touring the U.S. with stops in Orlando, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and more, before making his way overseas for a European leg in Germany, Poland and Spain, among others. See below for a full list of dates or visit his website for more information.Fly (Deluxe Edition) Tracklist: 1. Bag of Bones 2. Just Friends 3. I Wish 4. Silence 5. Fly (feat. Scott Mayo and Valerie Pinkston) 6. I Didn’t Know What Time It Was 7. Frenzy 8. It Could Happen To You 9. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most 10. Four 11. Speak No Evil 12. Giant Steps 13. You and You (feat. Norrbotten Big Band conducted by Calle Rasmusson) 14. About Your Love (feat. Norrbotten Big Band conducted by Calle Rasmusson) 15. Bag of Bones (feat. Norrbotten Big Band conducted by Calle Rasmusson) 16. Bones (feat. Norrbotten Big Band conducted by Calle Rasmusson) 17. Four (feat. Norrbotten Big Band conducted by Calle Rasmusson) |
Tour Dates:
August 24 – Saint-Paul, Réunion – Opus Pocus
August 28 – Lopud, Croatia – Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival
September 10 – Roanoke, VA – Jefferson Center
September 11 – Orlando, FL – Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
September 13 – Cincinnati, OH – Caffè Vivace
September 14 – St. Louis, MO – Blue Strawberry
September 16 – Appleton, WI – Jazz Coterie
September 17 – Stevens Point, WI – Jazz Coterie
September 18 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blue Llama
September 20 – Pittsburgh, PA – Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival
October 5 – Berlin, DE – Gretchen
October 7 – Poznan, Poland – Blue Note Jazz Club
October 11 – Las Palmas, ES – Alfred Kraus Auditorium
October 12 – Madrid, Spain – Café Berlín
October 17 – Spoleto, Italy – Spoleto Jazz
October 18 – Munich, DE – Bergson
October 19 – Brno-město, Czechia – Cabaret des Péchés
October 23 – Rīga, Latvia – Rīgas cirks *
November 13 – Århus, Denmark – Musikhuset Aarhus +
November 14 – København S, Denmark – DR Koncerthuset +
December 27 – San Francisco, CA – SFJAZZ
* with Latvian Radio Big Band
+ with Danish Radio Big Band
