Young musician nabs Lava Records contract after years of hard work, perseverance
By DAVID BAMUNDO
There is no denying the impact of “American Idol” on the landscapes of popular culture and music. It’s hard to argue with platinum album sales and sold-out concert tours launched by the hit reality TV series. Still, it’s an odd way of anointing instant pop stars (just add cheese).
It’s gratifying to see the rare artist who gets a break after years of hard work and perseverance. MaryAnne Marino is ready to stake such a claim.
The 25-year-old singer/songwriter plays Wagner College’s Coffeehouse at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Her fresh face belies the fact that she’s a music biz veteran compared to the Fantasia Barrinos and Kelly Clarksons of the world.
FRESHMAN DEBUT
Marino was still a freshman at SUNY Purchase when she auditioned for the November Project, the group formed by Emil Adler and Julie Flanders after their previous band (The October Project) parted ways with lead singer Mary Fahl. “It was my first sort of big experience and a great opportunity,” Marino said over hot soup before a recent show at Manhattan’s Living Room. She nailed the audition and found herself fronting an internationally acclaimed band with a small but loyal fan base.
Drummer Doug Yowell - who has played with Duncan Sheik, Suzanne Vega and Sophie B. Hawkins - met Marino when they were both in November Project.
“When I first heard MaryAnne sing, I was so moved by the sound of her voice,” Yowell said. “She was beyond skill, someone that possessed so much spirit in every lyric.”
Even back then, Marino was crafting her own songs, but the creative team of Adler
and Flanders resisted her efforts to contribute more than a voice. The band toured for a few years, recorded a still-unreleased album and broke up shortly after.
SOLO SOJOURN
From the ashes, Marino, Yowell and bassist Mike Visceglia began collaborating and playing gigs. A meeting with producer Peter Zizzo (Avril Lavigne, Vanessa Carlton) and Marino’s subsequent signing with Lava Records launched her solo career.
Backed by Jen Scaturro on piano, bass, guitar and accordion and Thad DeBrock on guitar and mandolin, Marino performed songs from her upcoming release, “Ghost of You,” at her recent Living Room show.
Her voice is reminiscent of Sarah McLachlan’s, warm as tea, and at times, as soothing as a mother’s lullaby.
“Ghost of You” strikes a nice balance of folk sensibility with just the right amount of electronic touches. There is even a jazz clarinet and trumpet intro to “It’s Great” and what sounds like a toy piano on “Dear Mom and Dad,” a standout track with a Beatles-esque hook that could be an anthem for anyone with aspirations that differ from parental expectations. This song, and one other, “Goodbye My Love,” can be heard in their entirety on her web site www.maryannemarino.com.
LIVING ROOM
The Living Room has become a crucial venue for Marino and other singer-songwriters.
“It’s kind of a small community of musicians, where everyone knows each other and has played with each other on some sort of project,” she said.
Her song “Open Your Eyes” was co-written with one such friend and collaborator, Richard Julian, who backed Norah Jones on her worldwide tour last summer. Jones’ road to stardom also stretched through the Living Room, and the author of her Grammy winning “Don’t Know Why,” Jesse Harris, often plays there with his band. This tight knit trail continues with guitarist Gerry Leonard, who plays the Living Room under the name Spooky Ghost and produced the unreleased November Project disc.
COLLABORATION
“MaryAnne has always been way beyond her years and has had the opportunity to work with so many great musicians, writers and producers,” Yowell said. “These experiences have really shaped her. She is well aware of how to naturally embrace them into her life.”
Such relationships and experiences have surely helped MaryAnne Marino navigate the tricky slopes of the music business. For now, she seems perfectly happy performing with her band and continuing to perfect her artistry.
A song lyric from MaryAnne says it all: “In my heart, I’m doing what I should”.