Maria Muldaur
(born Maria Grazia Rosa Domenica D'Amato
; September 12, 1943 in Greenwich Village, New York) is a folk-blues singer who was part of the folk music revival of the early 1960s. Best known to popular music audiences for her 1974 hit song "Midnight at the Oasis", Muldaur continues to record albums that are faithful to the folk movement's traditions.
|
MARIA MULDAUR TICKETS
|
Career
Muldaur began her career in the early 1960s as Maria D'Amato, performing with
John Sebastian,
David Grisman, and
Stefan Grossman as a member of the
Even Dozen Jug Band. She then joined
Jim Kweskin & His Jug Band as a featured vocalist and occasional violinist. During this time, she was part of the Greenwich Village scene that included
Bob Dylan, and some of her recollections of the period, particularly with respect to Dylan, appear in
Martin Scorsese's 2005
documentary film,
No Direction Home
. She married fellow Jug Band member
Geoff Muldaur, and after the Kweskin outfit broke up the two of them produced two albums. She began her solo career when their marriage ended in 1972, but retained her married name.
[1]
Her first solo album, "Maria Muldaur," released in 1973, contained her hit single, "
Midnight at the Oasis," which reached number 6 on the
Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. Later that year, she released her second album, "Waitress In A Donut Shop." This included a re-recording of "
I'm a Woman", the
Leiber and Stoller number first associated with
Peggy Lee and a standout feature from her Jug Band days. The title of this album is taken from a line in another song on the album, "Sweetheart," by Dan Hicks, whose "Walking One And Only" appeared on her first album.
Around this time, Muldaur established a relationship with
Grateful Dead and their family. Opening for some Grateful Dead shows in the summer of 1974, with John Kahn, bassist of The
Jerry Garcia Band, would eventually earn her a seat in the band, in the late 1970s, as a
backing vocalist.
More recently, Muldaur appeared on
Super Jam
(1989), the live recording of the
German TV series Villa Fantastica
with
Brian Auger on
piano,
Pete York on
drums,
Dick Morrissey on
tenor saxophone,
Roy Williams on
trombone, Harvey Weston on
bass and
Zoot Money, also on vocals.
thumb
Muldaur has continued to perform, tour, and record since her success in the mid-1970s, including a turn at the
Teatro ZinZanni in 2001.
[2] [3]
Her 2005 release
Sweet Lovin' Ol' Soul
was nominated for both a
W.C. Handy Award and a
Grammy award in the Traditional Blues Category.
[4]
Discography
Albums
Even Dozen Jug Band
- Even Dozen Jug Band
(1963) (Elektra, EKS-7246) (credited as Maria D'Amato
)
Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band
- Jug Band Music
(1964)(Vanguard)
- See Reverse Side for Title
(1965, credited as Maria D'Amato
) (Vanguard, VDS-79234)
- The Best of Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band
(1966, compilation, credited as Maria D'Amato
) (Vanguard, VDS-79270)
- Garden of Joy
(1967) (Reprise)
Geoff & Maria Muldaur
- Pottery Pie
(1968) (Reprise, RS-6350)
- Sweet Potatoes
(1971) (Reprise)
Solo
- Maria Muldaur
(1973) (Reprise)
- Waitress In A Donut Shop
(1974) (Reprise)
- Sweet Harmony
(1976) (Reprise)
- Southern Winds
(1978) (Warner)
- Open Your Eyes
(1979) (Warner)
- Gospel Nights
(1980) (Takoma)
- There Is A Love
(1982) (Myhrr)
- Sweet And Slow
(1984) (Tudor)
- Transblucency
(1986) (Uptown)
- Live In London
(1987) (Making Waves)
- On The Sunny Side
(1990) (Music For Little People)
- Louisiana Love Call
(1992) (Black Top)
- Jazzabelle
(1994) (Stony Plain)
- Meet Me At Midnite
(1994) (Black Top)
- Fanning The Flames
(1996) (Telarc)
- Southland of the Heart
(1998) (Telarc)
- Swingin' In The Rain
(1998) (Music For Little People)
- Meet Me Where We Play The Blues
(1999) (Telarc)
- Richland Woman Blues
(2001) (Stony Plain) (w/Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt and other guest artists)
- Animal Crackers In My Soup
(2002) (Music For Little People)
- A Women Alone With The Blues (Remembering Peggy Lee)
(2003) (Telarc)
- Sisters And Brothers
(With Eric Bibb and Rory Block) (2004) (Telarc)
- Love Wants To Dance
(2004) (Telarc)
- Sweet Lovin' Ol' Soul (Old Highway 61 Revisited)
(2005) (Stony Plain) (w/Del Rey, Steve James and other guest artists)
- Heart of Mine: Maria Muldaur Sings Love Songs of Bob Dylan
(2006) (Telarc)
- Naughty, Bawdy, And Blue
(2007) (Stony Plain)
- Yes We Can!
(2008) (Telarc)
Compilation Albums
- 30 Years of Maria Muldaur: I'm A Woman
(May 4, 2004)
References
- Maria Muldaur Biography
- Maria Muldaur
- Cirque du Supper
- Sexily Purred Blues