Piano pop/rock that's been doused in whiskey, kicked out of the bar, and dragged down the street.

11 MP3 Songs in this album (43:19) !
Related styles: POP: Pop/Rock, JAZZ: Ragtime

People who are interested in Ben Folds Tom Waits Randy Newman should consider this download.


Details:
'Stop banging on the piano' is a command that Mike Maimone heard often as a young student. Fortunately, this is one lesson he never learned. Growling into the microphone and pounding the keys, Mike's live performance simply rocks. His sound has been described as a mix of Tom Waits and Ben Folds Five.

Maimone graduated from Notre Dame in 2004 and took an accounting position in Cleveland, lasting just 10 months as an auditor. Since escaping the corporate world he has toured the country as a keyboard player and songwriter in two successful bands, developing his own personal style of music along the way.

Maimone's voice characteristically sounds as if it has been doused in booze and dragged through the dirt, especially in the clever rocker âBulletproofâ and quirky crowd-favorite "She's Avoiding Mirrors." Yet it simmers on heartfelt ballads such as âPrizefighterâ and âNever Lonely Again.â Maimoneâs piano playing employs undertones of ragtime and jazz, and the dynamic range from saloon-style ivory tickling to all-out pounding is particularly evident on âNot Waitinâ Around.â

According to George Howe of Davenport's Piano Bar in Chicago, "Mike's tunes have really memorable hooks, a great depth of perception, whimsy, and the sentimentality that comes with too much whiskey."

In addition to his original catalog, Maimone's show typically features creative piano arrangements of cover songs. Highlights include the Foo Fighters' "Everlong," a Fresh Prince-meets-Sam Cooke version of "Summertime," and a mash-up of Notorious BIG's "Juicy" with Frank Sinatra's "That's Life."

Maimone recorded his first solo album over the summer, at the IV Lab with Manny Sanchez. His Chicago-based band features a rotation of established local musicians, with Darren Garvey or Cory Healey on drums and Jay Marino or Brian Aiken on bass. This fall he has a solo tour in support of âOpen Mic Nights, Empty Bottle Mornings,â his full-length debut on 8Eat8 Records.