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Singer-songwriter, Ben Mauro dropped his second release, From N.Y., an eclectic collection of songs that showcase Mauro’s expert musicianship and songwriting. Packed with upbeat guitar licks, romantic lyricism and resonating melodies, From N.Y. continues to pave a path of musical ingenuity for the blues rock artist and is now available on iTunes.
While some artists tour in support of a release and then take a break to work on new material, the prolific Ben Mauro is too motivated to do just that. Off the heels of a well-received debut release in 2015, To L.A., Mauro’s latest effort, From N.Y., includes seven brand new tracks and two alternate versions of crowd pleasers from the first release. From N.Y. opens with the song, “I Look Around,” an optimistic tune of appreciation in recognizing beauty within the minute details of day-to-day life. Tracks like “Making Out In Traffic,” “She’s Beautiful” and “Happily Ever” showcase Mauro’s proclivity for love songs of all kinds, which was actually the catalyst that led to Mauro writing music as a solo artist. “I wrote ‘Happily Ever’ about a girl I was dating and brought it to the guys, but they thought it was too ‘sensitive’,” Mauro comments in reference to his previous band. “So I started to think about performing solo instead, which meant that I could make music with more pop elements and that led to all the songs on this album.” Though affection and adoration are common themes throughout the album, tracks like “Romeo & Juliet” and “Complicated” depict a realistic portrayal of love that can have its imperfections. From N.Y. was co-produced by Gary Davenport and Ted Greenberg, engineered by Craig Alford and is accompanied by Oscar Seaton on drums, Jim Alfredson on organ, and Monet Owens singing backing vocals.
Music has always played a pivotal role in Ben Mauro’s life, as he began playing the French horn and singing in choir as a child. As a teenager, Mauro developed a deep appreciation for classic rock greats Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd and immediately took to regularly practicing guitar over five hours a day. Mauro began playing open mic nights at local clubs, where he would form his first band. Needing a change of pace from Syracuse, Mauro soon took off to perform as a traveling musician for a brief period. After that, Mauro took to playing freelance gigs throughout New York City, playing relentlessly up to 30-40 gigs a month without taking a day off. Soon he began playing as the permanent guitarist for Lionel Richie and has been touring with him ever since. Ben Mauro has also performed with artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears. In 2015, he released his debut EP, To L.A., an impressive demonstration of Mauro’s craftsmanship in blues guitar and pop.
Where To L.A. celebrates Ben Mauro’s move to California as a career changer that allowed him to work and play with some of the biggest names in pop music, From N.Y. pays homage to the state that will always be his home. Singing of love for old flames and new beginnings, the album looks back fondly to the past and simultaneously forward to the future. Download From N.Y. now on iTunes and learn more about the busy adventures of Ben Mauro at BenMauro.com.
Author: RJ Frometa
Head Honcho, Editor in Chief and writer here on VENTS. I don't like walking on the beach, but I love playing the guitar and geeking out about music. I am also a movie maniac and 6 hours sleeper.
