| Raised in a musical family out of Cleveland, Ohio, Maria has always been surrounded by diversity in music that reached far beyond what could be found in record stores. From the tender age of five she has sung in her church choir where eastern melodies and percussion were heard from the Melkite Catholic Mass. In the fourth grade Maria began fifteen years of classical flute study and some piano, gaining a new appreciation for European melody and harmony through much practice and listening. Maria's first encounters with live music were with her father Mike Jacobs, a drummer who frequently brought Maria to the bandstand to render her interpretations of favorite standards on which she was raised. All of these rich, early experiences lead to superior ratings in flute competitions throughout high school, a music scholarship at The Ohio State University and singing jazz in area night clubs. Upon graduating from college with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, Maria started working with several jazz stations as a disc jockey, but it was in Cleveland that she met up with friend and mentor Bobby Jackson, three-time Gavin radio "Person of the Year." The musical director of then 24-hour jazz station WCPN hired her as his research assistant. It was here that she realized she would forever be a enmeshed in music, absorbing all she could from her various surroundings. Maria has become bi-coastal, living in Ohio and Los Angeles, and has now worked with some of the finest musicians in the world. She took up the additional residency upon the coaxing of Alphonso Johnson, who also encouraged her to fulfill her musical journey. He introduced her to Brazilian Pop and Jazz recording artist Kevyn Lettau, with whom she studied privately for three years, and later followed to the Los Angeles Music Academy for more group study in vocal improvisation and technique. Today, her skills have rendered her close to one hundred original songs. Maria has been the opening act for Chuck Mangione and was the featured vocalist opening for Bob Dorough in Columbus Ohio. She has jammed with the likes of jazz greats Nancy Wilson and Grover Washington, Jr also in Ohio. In LA, she has recorded with bassist, Alphonso Johnson and drummer Ndugu Chancler, both formerly of Weather Report. Other musicians Maria has worked with include: Bob Conti, Tony Dumas, Ralph Penland, Greg Poree, George Gaffney, Tom Garvin, Earl Palmer, Ernie McDaniel, Richard Sherman, Geoffrey Aymar, Sherry Luchette, Greg Bandy, and Wilford Middlebrooks. She has participated in master classes of some of the fines vocalists in the business including: Marni Nixon, Roland Wyatt, Betty Carter, Diane Reeves, and Rhiannon. Maria is a member the Songwriters Guild and ASCAP. She taught K-8 for two years and still teaches privately in her home studio. Instrumentation My live band varies depending on where the gig is. Usually it's keys, bass, drums and guitar. Here is a short list of musicians: Richard Sherman, Kevin O'Neal, Joe Correro, Alphonso Johnson, Ndugu Chancler, Geoffrey Aymar, Dan Maier, Greg Poree, Tony Dumas, Sherry Luchette, J Curtis, Michael Bluestein, Ralph Penland. Discography "No Frills", The Richard Sherman Quintet Live, Featuring Maria Jacobs and soon, "Chasing Dreams" and original pop album "Free As A Dove" ~~~~~~~~~ |