Jon Mayer Trio - 2 Albums (1995-1999)

Jon was born in New York City in 1938. His mother studied classical music and practiced as he went to sleep each night. He was also exposed to jazz at an early age through recordings around the house of various big and small bands. Jon heard Charlie Parker play on a JATP (Jazz at the Philharmonic) concert recording and decided that Alto was his instrument. That lasted until the final year at the special music High School he attended. The piano became central in his life around then and his passion for the jazz being played around the city was all consuming.

The evolution continued after graduating from the famed High School of Music and Art in Manhattan(1956) and briefly attending the Manhattan School of Music. Mayer then became a regularly appearing member of the thriving NYC music scene playing with Kenny Dorham, Tony Scott, Pete LaRoca and Ray Draper. Eventually he recorded with two of the greatest saxophonists ever: Jackie McLean on Strange Blues (Prestige/OJC) and John Coltrane on a session known as the legendary "I Talk With The Trees" date and finally issued in 1990 as part of Coltrane's Like Sonny (Roulette). He studied for brief periods with John Mehegan and Hall Overton.

1959 found Jon working in Paris at `Au Chat Qui Peche' as part of a trio with Chuck Israels and Arnie Wise. It happened that the pianist he was working opposite was Bud Powell. That summer included a night at the Blue Note with Chet Baker, Kenny Clarke and Pierre Michelot.

In the '60s and '70s, Mayer remained active, playing in both New York and Europe with the likes of the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, Dionne Warwick, Sarah Vaughan and the Manhattan Transfer. Some of his compositions were recorded by Les McCann, Nancy Wilson and others.

Then due to numerous causes, he all but disappeared, entering a 13-year period of inactivity during which he rarely performed. But by 1991, Mayer was ready to return to music. He settled in Los Angeles and once again seriously pursued his career in the jazz world. People who heard him, initially with McCann's Magic Band and as a leader, were readily impressed with his artistry, characterized by a supple and relaxed rhythmic feel and a keen sense of melodicism in his solos. Here was an authentic jazz musician, an artist who desired, as did Charlie Parker when stating his own personal goal, to play fast and clean and go for the pretty notes.

A wider range of listeners became aware of Mayer's talents through his long-overdue debut, 1996's Round Up The Usual Suspects (Pullen Music), a fine piano trio session with two genuine jazz giants: bassist Ron Carter and drummer Billy Higgins. Mayer followed up that dynamic premiere with the release of Do It Like This (A-Records) with guest tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts. That was followed by the live recording Rip Van Winkle (Fresh Sound), Full Circle (Reservoir), The Classics (Reservoir), My Romance (Reservoir), Strictly Confidential ( Fresh Sound), So Many Stars (Reservoir) and Nightscape (Reservoir). His good friend Ernie Watts recorded `Nightscape` as part of Live at the Jazz Bakery and pal Jackie Ryan covered `Rip Van Winkle` with a vocal version of that song. Mayer released a `live` solo effort called `The art of the Ballad` on UDJ in 2014.

Mayer's philosophy toward playing and really, his playing itself is deceptively simple.

"I'm trying to convey the emotional range and feeling that I perceived in the people that I admired when I started," says Mayer, who goes on to name many of the very best jazz pianists: Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, Carl Perkins, Horace Silver. "Those are the guys who got my endorphins kicking, who opened up rooms in my psyche and made me say, 'I want to do that.' I think I've taken inspiration from them and come up with my own voice."

Now happily married, Mayer is quite busy in Southern California, leading his trio and teaching privately. He says he's having the time of his life.

"What's great for me is finding new depths," he says. "I feel like the new kid on the block and I have that kind of energy on the bandstand. It's exciting to feel that I'm only now beginning to grow and explore my potential."



Considering his talent and accomplishments, it seems strange that pianist Jon Mayer is not better known and that this was his recording debut as a leader. He recorded with Jackie McLean and John Coltrane during 1957-1958, played in Paris with Chet Baker, later performed regularly with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Sarah Vaughan, and the Manhattan Transfer (among others), and in more recent times worked with Les McCann's Magic Band. For this session, the hard loop-based pianist enlisted a pair of notable players to complete his trio: bassist Ron Carter and drummer Billy Higgins. Mayer performs his original title tune (a medium-tempo blues) plus Tom Harrell's "Because I Love You" and eight superior standards. The interplay among the musicians is quite impressive, the music always swings (even on the slower tempos), and Mayer holds his own with his famous sidemen on a program that includes such tunes as "Soul Eyes," "When I Fall in Love," and "Speak Low." Overall, this is an impressive effort. ~ AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

Jon Mayer - piano
Ron Carter - bass
Billy Higgins - drums

Track List:
01. Soul Eyes (Waldron) - 5:02
02. Never Let Me Go (Livingston-Evans) - 5:56
03. Red Top (Hampton-Kynard) - 5:31
04. When I Fall in Love (Heyman-Young) - 5:25
05. Round Up the Usual Suspects (Mayer) - 7:11
06. Because I Love You (Harrell) - 3:57
07. This Is All I Ask (Jenkins) - 6:19
08. Speak Low (Weill-Nash) - 4:43
09. Nica's Tempo (Gryce) - 4:50
10. This Heart of Mine (Warren) - 6:39





Jon Mayer's third CD as a leader is an impressive outing at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles with bassist Bob Maize and drummer Harold Mason. This date is filled with memorable music, including a dazzling take of "On Green Dolphin Street," an elegant solo performance of "Embraceable You," and a rich arrangement of "If You Could See Me Now." But the works of more recent vintage are just as delectable. Mayer's version of Kenny Barron's "Tragic Magic" has some of the best solos of the evening by each member of the trio. Mayer's subdued ballad "Shari's Bolero" (dedicated to his wife) and his jaunty "Rip Van Winkle" are proof that he is an impressive composer, too. Highly recommended. ~ AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden

Jon Mayer - piano
Bob Maize - bass
Harold Mason - drums

Track List:
01. On Green Dolphin Street (Kaper) - 9:50
02. Shari's Bolero (Mayer) - 4:42
03. Tragic Magic (Barron) - 6:26
04. Embraceable You (Gershwin-Gershwin) - 4:53
05. Rip Van Winkle (Mayer) - 8:38
06. Stella by Starlight (Washington-Young) - 8:08
07. If You Could See Me Now (Dameron) - 5:04
08. Red Top (Hampton) - 7:29
09. The Theme (Davis) - 3:20


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