Maggie Herron - Renditions (2019)

The release of RENDITIONS comes on the heels of her third Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award for Jazz Album Of The Year in Hawaii for A TON OF TROUBLE.

Vocalist, Pianist and Songwriter Maggie Herron Delves Into the Popular Music Canon with Renditions, a Gorgeous Session of Standards.

Her All-Star Pacific Rim Cast includes the core trio, Maggie on Piano and Vocals with Bassist Darek Oles and Drummer, Ray Brinker. Guest appearances include Guitarist-Larry Koonse, Saxophonist/Flutist-Bob Sheppard, Dean Taba-Bassist and Rocky Holmes-Sax.

A luminous presence on Hawaii’s jazz scene for more than four decades, vocalist/pianist Maggie Herron is best known on the mainland as an incisive singer/ songwriter with a gift for marrying supple, unpretentious lyrics to comely melodies. With Renditions she’s finally documented her love affair with the popular song, recording a set of vintage and more recently minted standards in the graceful, understated style that has firmly ensconced her as a beloved Aloha State institution. Slated for release on August 27, 2019, on her Herron Song Records label, the album serves as the fifth indie release from a veteran artist at the peak of her craft.

Winner of the 2019 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Jazz Album of the Year Award for her album ‘A TON OF TROUBLE’, Maggie’s rendition of “In My Life” from the album was nominated for the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award for Single of the Year‘, with Larry Koonse on guitar. (Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eec748fLrKM).

And in 2017 Maggie’s album ‘Between the Music and the Moon’, won the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Jazz Album of the Year Award. Maggie was also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year. The 2 CD’s features Maggie’s original songs. With engineering and mastering by Paul Tavenner and co-produced by Maggie Herron and Bill Cunliffe. The music is available at iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby and released on Herron Song Records label.

Other guest players on the albums include saxophonist/flutist Bob Sheppard, guitarist Grant Geissman, arranger and pianist Geoffrey Keezer, bassist Dean Taba, drummers-Abe Lagrimas and Jake Reed and Grammy Award winner Bill Cunliffe performing on and arranging several songs.

Maggie Herron was born in Muskegon, Mi. into a family of 12 children (she was number 9). She began taking piano lessons as a little girl and was the church organist by the age of 10. At 13, she performed Beethoven’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the Muskegon Symphony Orchestra and at 14 she was awarded a scholarship to Interlochen Center for the Arts, placing in the top 5 finalists in their piano concerto competition. She continued to study classical piano and voice throughout high school, performing in recitals and concerts, talent shows and musical theater productions.

At 18, with the late ’60’s idealism at her back, she was inspired up and out of her family home. She hitch-hiked across the U.S., landing in the Olympic National Rainforest in Washington State. There, in an off-the-grid cabin with only an old upright piano at her disposal, she started exploring pop and folk music, writing songs and weaving the new sounds with her classical training. Maggie began performing in Seattle, playing at the top of the Camlin Hotel, The Sorrento Hotel and appearing as a guest performer at Jazz Alley. Her exposure to other veteran Seattle musicians introduced her to R&B and jazz. Her writing and performing style continued to morph with these new influences. Eventually the gloomy weather propelled her even further west, where she found herself at home in Hawaii.

Maggie has been living, writing, swimming, recording and performing on Oahu, Lanai, and Hawaii’s “Big Island” for decades. She’s opened concerts for Dave Brubeck, the Jazz Crusaders, and Phoebe Snow. She’s recorded with jazz luminaries, Brian Bromberg, Bill Cunliffe, Bob Sheppard, Rick Braun, Grant Geissman, Larry Koonse, Doug Lunn and Doug Webb. Other awards include the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award for Jazz Album of the Year in 2015 for her CD, ‘Good Thing” and best song award for the Hawaii Home Grown contest.

Thousands of gigs, shows, concerts and recordings later, Maggie performs 4 nights a week at the sweetest spot in Honolulu, Lewers Lounge. There with bassist, Dean Taba and Rocky Holmes 0n woodwinds, she’s found the best of both worlds -the stunning natural backdrop of Waikiki and a Steinway 7’ grand piano.