Maione Music Reviews

Guitarist Maione Handles ‘Midlife’
Mar 8 2000 12:00AM By BY DAVID SALLINGER
Daily News Entertainment Editor

Albums often are personal statements — social, political, etc. Some are personal in a person sort of way, filled with songs and memories about those important to the song-spinner. That’s the path John Maione has followed with “Midlife Blessings,” a guitar-driven collection that touches down in a number of genres.

Named after the song that comes midway through the package, “Midlife Blessings” arose from realization that time was chugging by — a crisis to some. Maione, however, decided that things were pretty good, and the music reflects that positivity.

Maione was joined in recording the songs, some written as far back as 17 years ago, by a number of recognizable names (Ralph Guzzi, Matt Ferrante and vocalist Chuck Aber), plus his son Gino. Father and offspring are the only players to be heard on the title tune.

Favorite tracks include the funky jazz catch, “Da Fish”; the fireside romantic slow-dancer “Chescalove”; and “Cococay,” which he said was inspired by the Bahamas — obviously, he wasn’t haunted by memory of being seasick: it’s party time for those with sandy toes.

The album begins with a “Festivale,” laid-back happy, as if driving toward somewhere he actually wanted to go. Sense of moving along also is felt through “Joy and Attitude,” as if things have been good so far, so let’s find out what’s next. “Little Buddy” is spiritually connected to the trip, but the listener feels the driver is being confronted by passengers’ questions.

“I Love Her Eyes” is reminiscent of “Diamond Girl,” with a sense of questing about it, as if searching for the right way to explain things. Some serious memory was going on when Maione wrote it. “Imzadi” sounds almost Elizabethan, something inspired by a chilly castle on the verge of spring.

Neighbor Aber gives voice to “The Lord’s Prayer,” with an applaudably fresh arrangement. “Second Half Blues” harkens back to the Fifties’ R&B/rockabilly days. It would serve nicely as someone’s instrumental theme song.

“Midlife Blessings” wraps with “Early Morning Trane,” a song for the wee hours in a smoky club. Even though the set is nearing an end, the band still has a few things left to say. It has that clubby impromptu atmosphere about it.

CDs Jazz up Local Careers
Dec 18, 1999 By BOB KARLOVITS
Tribune-Review Music Writer

"Midlife Blessings" (Lousons Music) John Maione.

Guitarist John Maione could be a hidden secret of local jazz. He makes a living as a teacher at Winchester-Thurston Academy in Shadyside and also does rock-and-pop gigs, weddings and church performances and private teaching. But "Midlife Blessings" shows his skills at jazz guitar. Tunes on the album are highlighted by the pretty ballad, "Chescalove." to a straight ahead, "Some Assembly Required" and the title track, which is a "thank you" to his
friends and family. The best element about the song is that it never gets corny even though it is built around rather sentimental lyrics. He also includes his version of "The Lord's Prayer," which is religious without getting overly proselytizing.

Maione is not going to be confused with jazz guitarists such as Russell Malone, but his play is no-fat, no-foolin' quality stuff. On the album, he is joined by Pittsburgh jazz stalwarts such as sax player Matt Ferrante, trumpeter Ralph Guzzi and drummer Kenny Kovach.

Midlife Blessings-John Maione
Lousons Music LCD 101-2
Feb 2002 by Charles H. Chapman
Just Jazz Guitar

Midlife Blessings is a road map of John Maione's life. It shows us where he has been and provides a look to his musical future. You can just feel the joy and love that went into this project. It is not the traditional jazz album and many might say that it is not a jazz album at all. You hear everything from varied styles of Latin, acoustic, funk, smooth jazz, straight-ahead jazz, blues, etc. All styles are performed authentically, and it just makes you wonder how one person ever found the time to get all this together. Everything John does is solid, tight and consistent. I personally feel there is an underlying jazz quality to everything John does (That is meant as a compliment!). The compositions and arrangements are some of the best I have heard in a long time. There's no "let's get rid of the melody and solo as fast as we can for ten minutes" on this project. Every tune is meticulously written, arranged, performed and recorded by highly competent musicians who truly appear to love what they are doing.

This CD opens with a nice medium-of-the-road samba-style piece titled "Festivale." It features John executing a solid, tasteful solo evoking a nice rich jazz sound from his trusty Gibson 175. "I Love Her Eyes" follows in a smooth jazz genre with strong soprano sax and acoustic piano solos, followed by John on acoustic guitar, a fine arrangement with varied time changes that flowed smoothly. For me the surprise of the album was "Da Fish." It's funk at its finest with a groovin' "Tower of Power"- style horn section. Very reminiscent of groups like "Graham Central Station" and many of the bands I used to catch in the late 70s and 80s. Great tenor solo with a groovin' background guitar part with the 'wah wah" guitar sound that was so prevalent during that era.
Special kudos goes out to Kenny Kovach on bass guitar. He was the glue that not only held the piece together, but he also played one of the tastiest bass solos I have heard in a long time. "Some Assembly Required" is a swing tune with a unison tenor and guitar head. Traditional in style, but still a sound of its own. The title track "Midlife Blessings has a country-style undertones with mandolin and acoustic guitars, and an especially poignant lyrical content that should hit everyone over the age of 40. Great groove by Gino Maione (John's son) that really defined this piece and separated it from the others. "Second Half Blues" is played in true shuffle style, with John executing a solo where the "twang" just won't quit. It also features a fine tenor solo by Matt Ferrante. Following is a haunting, inspiring arrangement of "The Lord's Prayer," with an impressive vocal performance by Chuck Aber. The project ends with a nice 3/4 swing tune featuring, once again, the lush tones of John's trusty "175" in the traditional guitar, bass, drums format.

An enjoyable album for those who are looking for varied styles of well-written/arranged and performed music. There are 13 tracks and a length of 73 minutes. Personnel: Dan Muchoney, Kenny Kovach, John Orsini, Nina Milazzo-Mascio, Scott Anderson, Matt Ferrante, Gino Maione, Rick Malkin, Ralph Guzzi, Mike Ziemski, Kathleen Kennedy-Cole and Chuck Aber.

Bloomfield Guitarist Pulls the Right Strings
Feb 25, 2000 by Bob Karlovitz
Tribune-Review Music Writer

Guitarist John Maione hasn't risen to the heights of Eric Clapton or claimed the reverence of Jimi Hendrix, but he is thrilled with his career. "I'm so blessed," says Maione, 46, who lives in Bloomfield next to the house where he grew up and leads a life built on ways to use his guitar.

He will climb into the spotlight next week with a recital at the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland and a release party for his album Midlife Blessings, which came out in December. Maione will play at the recital, a program that focuses on his work as a teacher. The guitar ensemble from the Winchester-Thurston School in Shadyside, where he teaches, will perform, along with some of his private students. The album release party will display more of his folk-rock-jazz influenced style. It will also feature Scott Anderson on piano, Kenny Kovach on bass, Matt Ferrante and John Orsini on saxes, Dan Muchoney on drums, Nina Mascio on keyboards and his son Gino on drums.

Shows that reflect various sides of his works seem only appropriate. Maione has been playing guitar since he was 6 and teaching since he was 15. After getting a Bachelor of Arts with a major in music at Pitt, he stayed with that teaching mission as well as performing and writing music. He has taught at Pitt, Duquesne University, Chatham College and Winchester-Thurston, as well as doing a weekly solo folk mass at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Bloomfield. He has also put together folk groups for masses at St. Raphael's in Morningside and St. Mary's near Sewickley. He has also written a children's musical play and has done music in stage presentations. Tonight, he is playing at the AIDS benefit sponsored by the cast of "Titanic" at Carnegie Mellon University. "My real love is doing that mass at St. Joe's," he says, "But I also like doing solo jobs where I can sit in a corner and play jazz and my Beatles medley."

Guitarist Joe Negri, his teacher at Pitt and Duquesne, says Maione is a versatile guitarist who can do a lot of things well. "He's a hard worker and is always heading in a bunch of different directions," Negri says. Maione recently stopped work at the Morningside church to reduce some of the stress in his life. While he is not full time at Winchester-Thurston- and never has been anywhere- he says he continues to take on more responsibilities there. Besides teaching guitar, he also instructs on theory and music appreciation, leads the school's jazz band and the summer arts festival, and is manager of the baseball team.

Maione and his wife, Judy, have two children: Francesca, 21 and Gino, 21. The guitarist dabbled in real estate between 1986 and '91, but music was where he wanted to be- whether that meant teaching, playing or writing.