Jade Maze - singer/composer

There are certain singers whom we feel that we know, from the very first time we hear them. Jade Maze is that kind of singer. Though she defies stereotypes and does not reflect any one of her listening audience exactly, her vocal delivery offers a musicality and depth of feeling that would be unusual in any era. She makes each song sound like a story, and leaves you feeling relaxed whether singing a sad or happy song because of the peaceful, realized quality her voice has. This is clearly a woman who has been through the fire and come out more than okay. The Chicago-based artist has sung professionally since the age of nineteen. Her early recordings give you a raw peak at her estimable skills as a songwriter and singer. With age comes a sophisticated twist on her smooth style, which blends elements of jazz, soul, and pop erasing musical boundaries in the process. Jade Maze was born February 20th in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When she was five years old, Jade, her mom MaryJane and her sister Holly moved to Oakland, California. Jade’s earliest musical influences came from her mother's extensive jazz LP collection and from the funk and pop of the early 70s. She always knew she wanted to sing, write music and play the piano, but didn't pursue her goals actively until she moved back to Minneapolis at the age of eighteen. When Maze was 15, she ran away from home and went through a series of harrowing experiences not really landing back on her feet until she moved back to Minneapolis. There she tried out for the original Star Search and landed a gig touring with the Minneapolis Jazz Machine in Germany and France. In 1986 she moved to Santa Barbara and became the lead female singer in a Motown review band. Her original material kept pulling at her, and Jade broke off and formed her own blues/R&B band in 1988. Frustration set in as she realized that her songwriting was becoming more involved and she didn't have the tools to communicate it clearly to other musicians. This compelled her to sign up as a music major at Santa Barbara City College in 1989. Things were fabulous for a few years, but divorce and hardship forced her to drop out. Maze moved to Boston in 1992 to start anew. She became a fixture on the scene for the next two years in both the jazz and pop venues. This is where her original music became truly defined. Audiences loved to witness her emotionally charged performances, and she always surrounded herself with masterful, innovative musicians. Jade moved to Chicago in 1994 making a big splash on the jazz and poetry scenes. She started off with a bang, but personal crisis always kept her musical career on a rollercoaster ride. She stopped playing altogether in 1998 and wrote the first draft of her book "Walk Until Sunrise". She has been making sporadic appearances at Katerina’s and as a guest artist in festivals and on the radio over the years. Jade is a Ravinia teaching artist, Director of Music at Hyde Park Union Church, and on the voice faculty at Merit School of Music, as well as teaching in her own private studio. Jade Maze earned her Master of Music degree in vocal performance from Northwestern University in June 2008.