CCAC to host Grammy-nominated vocalist Michael Mayo in Wilmington

Christina Cultural Arts Center will present Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Michael Mayo at its Clifford Brown Performance Center in Wilmington on Oct. 23. The show highlights CCAC’s role as a regional jazz presenter and brings one of contemporary jazz’s rising voices to Delaware audiences.

Why it matters: - Michael Mayo’s Wilmington performance gives local audiences access to a Grammy-nominated artist blending jazz, neo-soul and R&B. - The concert reinforces Christina Cultural Arts Center’s long-running role in presenting jazz artists and keeping live jazz accessible in the region. - CCAC’s programming helps connect Wilmington audiences with nationally and internationally recognized musicians without traveling far from home.

What happened: - Christina Cultural Arts Center will host Michael Mayo on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. - The concert will take place at the Clifford Brown Performance Center at 705 N. Market Street in Wilmington, Delaware. - Tickets are $35 and are available at more information. - CCAC describes the event as an evening focused on the evolution, creativity and transformative power of jazz.

The details: - Mayo is a Los Angeles-based vocalist, composer, songwriter and arranger. - His sound blends jazz with neo-soul and R&B. - Mayo uses layered harmonies and expressive vocals as part of his approach to performance. - His musical upbringing included exposure to major American popular music artists through both parents. - Mayo studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at UCLA. - His 2021 debut album, Bones, drew critical praise and generated millions of streams. - Mayo’s latest album, FLY, was recorded with pianist Shai Maestro, bassist Linda May Han Oh and drummer Nate Smith. - FLY explores jazz, songwriting, improvisation and vocal experimentation while paying tribute to his influences. - CCAC has presented artists including Snarky Puppy, Gregory Porter, Alicia Olatuja, Christian Sands, The Baylor Project and Christie Dashiell. - CCAC is a member of the Jazz Touring Network. - CCAC’s jazz programming receives support from the Jazz Touring Network, Mid Atlantic Arts and the Delaware Division of the Arts.

Between the lines: - CCAC is positioning jazz programming as both cultural preservation and forward-looking arts development. - The center is pairing an emerging contemporary artist with a venue and mission built around community access, suggesting a strategy to broaden jazz audiences while honoring the genre’s history. - Executive Director Shysheika Edwards said CCAC has long served as a place where jazz’s history meets its future and called Mayo an artist shaping the future of jazz.

What’s next: - The Michael Mayo performance is set for Oct. 23, with tickets on sale now. - CCAC is likely to continue using its jazz series and partner funding to bring touring artists to Wilmington and the surrounding region. - The center says its broader arts mission will keep focusing on affordable access to music, dance, drama and visual arts for the community.

The bottom line: - CCAC is bringing a rising jazz voice to Wilmington while using the concert to underscore its larger mission: keeping high-level jazz close to home and connected to the genre’s future.