Former musical director for Sarah Vaughan, Mays has built an enviable career in music. A prolific composer and arranger, he has contributed music to the recordings and libraries of many artists including Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra; Woody Herman Band; Shelly Manne; Bud Shank; Lew Tabackin; and Phil Woods. He’s played with such elite jazz players as Gerry Mulligan; Ron Carter; Sonny Stitt; ...
Former musical director for Sarah Vaughan, Mays has built an enviable career in music. A prolific composer and arranger, he has contributed music to the recordings and libraries of many artists including Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra; Woody Herman Band; Shelly Manne; Bud Shank; Lew Tabackin; and Phil Woods. He’s played with such elite jazz players as Gerry Mulligan; Ron Carter; Sonny Stitt; Art Pepper; Phil Woods; and Benny Golson. As an accompanist, he has worked with: Andrea Bocelli; Captain & Tenille; Rosemary Clooney; Aretha Franklin; Larry Gatlin; Robert Goulet; Shirley Horn; Al Jarreau; Sheila Jordan; Peggy Lee; Barry Manilow; Helen Merrill; Anita O’Day; Helen Reddy; Frank Sinatra; Barbara Streisand; Kiri Te Kanawa; Mel Torme; Sarah Vaughan; Dionne Warwick; and Andy Williams.
Twelve years of working in the prestigious LA studio and jazz scene has continued the demand for his keyboard versatility on movie and TV soundtracks. His work includes: Adaptation, The Alamo, Annie, Being John Malkovich, Cobb, Consenting Adults, Fargo, Frida, Interview With The Vampire, It Could Happen To You, Jaws, Lethal Weapon, Mission To Mars, Rocky, Shaft 2, Sleepless In Seattle, S.W.A.T, Superman, Terms Of Endearment and Wolf.
Incredibly versatile as an artist, in any one month, Mays might perform solo, collaborate with trumpeter Marvin Stamm, assemble his trio, and then sit with his Toronto-based chamber jazz septet after doing a soundtrack recording or taping with a studio orchestra! Since moving to New York City in the mid-1980's, Mays has performed at famed national venues including Jazz Standard, Bradley’s, Birdland, Blue Note, Merkin Hall, Jazz Alley, The Kennedy Center and at prestigious venues in Germany, Denmark, France, Belgium and The Netherlands.
A native of California, Mays was born in a musical family and began playing the piano at age five. As a teenager, his first exposure to jazz was a solo concert by Earl "Fatha" Hines. His unusual melodic twists, rhythmic drive and full use of the whole piano keyboard fascinated the young Mays. Shortly after, Mays was hooked by Wynton Kelly, Art Tatum, Bill Evans, Horace Silver and Jimmy Rowles. After a stint in the U.S. Navy in San Diego, Mays moved north and established himself in Los Angeles. In 1972 he became musical director for Sarah Vaughan and recorded, "A Time in My Life," with her.
Mays has released 14 leader CDs now on Discovery, DMP, Concord and most recently, Palmetto Records. His previous two CDs on Palmetto - Summer Sketches and Going Home - were theme concepts about topics dear to Mays. Both featured Wind and Wilson and won acclaim nationwide. Summer Sketches was named to many national best of the year lists.
