Bio
Maria Morlino comes from a humble family in Oakland, CA. She is the eldest of daughter of three and is a classically trained vocalist. Maria's parents supported her in the field of music though economically disadvantaged. As a little girl, she enjoyed music and started playing instruments. At a later date, she joined a band called, "La Estudiantina de Oakland." Around the same time, Maria also started taking piano lessons. In school she always sought to be involved in doing something musical. While in school she had the privilege of going to play and sing to the elderly and the infirm. Her mother realized she had the talent for singing at a young age. Her mother had been vocally trained in Mexico. Maria and her mother would often get together and sing. It became a custom in her family to get together on Friday and Saturday evenings and sing while Maria played either the guitar or organ. In school she had the opportunity to sing and play the church organ. Later she became a part of the Better World Entertainment chorus until it disbanded. More recently, she has released a CD entitled, "Secret Love." She has had the opportunity to perform at Yoshis in San Francisco, CA with Ricardo Scales, CA and also performed for the new major Ed Lee with Ricardo Scales at the Sheraton in San Francisco, CA. She also performs at the Top of the Mark on Wednesday Evenings with Ricardo Scales.
> Early life
Maria Morlino was born in Oakland, CA to immigrants from Caurio, Michuacan Mexico. Marias mother was a trained singer. She also played the piano and composed songs. Marias father loved music, he loved to sing and play the harmonica. This love of music is what inspired Maria to go into the music business.
Early on in her childhood at school, school mates would praise Maria for her ability to reach high notes. In school, her first instrument was the flute, then she progressed to playing the violin. As time when on, she wanted to learn to play other instruments and sing. She and her friends found a place to learn to play the guitar and subsequently formed a band called the Estudiantina de Oakland directed by Juan Silva. The more she became involved with music the more she wanted to learn. After she joined the band she became interested in playing the piano and would be at her parents bed waking them up and asking them when they were going to buy her a piano. She started off playing piano but ended up liking the organ better because of the many sounds that the organ could make. When that band disbanded she still actively pursued music by going to the library to continue learning and would check out different sheet music.
The family as a whole loved music. It became a custom in her family to get together on Friday and Saturday evenings and sing while she played either the guitar or organ. The artists that helped form her musical foundation were: Lucha Villa, Amalia Mendoza, Manuela Torres, Rocio Durcal, Vicente Fernandez, Javier Solis, Libertad LaMarque, las Hermanas Huerta, Flor Silvestre, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Antonio Aguilar and others. Maria and her mother would often do duets at home. Maria loved singing and would often picture herself singing to huge audiences including her class mates at the time. As she was still in school she would volunteer for anything musical that she could do.
As time progressed, she always sought an opportunity to continue doing something musical in her life and continued pursuing avenues that would lead her destiny. Hence, she would perform for family and friends at home. This was the impetus that Maria needed to honor her fathers deathbed request for her to continue her musical endeavors.
Maria Morlino sings from her heart, being told that she is a Torch Singer, she tackles emotions such as anger and fear, along with the more sought after feelings of joy, hope, and love. Maria joined a chorus called, Better World Entertainment. When the group disbanded she started taking vocal lessons with Kathy Saffas, Lucia Scardigno, Sean Martinfield, the San Francisco critic and more recently with Ricardo Scales.
More recently she has opened for Bay Area Legend as well as Grammy and Peoples Choice Nominee Ricardo Scales at Yoshis San Francisco and performed countless times at Internationally famous Jazz & Blues Club Top of the Mark. Maria has also has sung for the Mayor of San Francisco during his inauguration ceremony. It was with Ricardo that she has been working with for the past year and has produced her first CD entitled Secret Love.
As she developed her vocal ability, though she thought she could only sing certain songs and discovered that she had a greater vocal ability and started singing jazz, r&b and soul, which she loved. Her influences in this style of music were jazz pioneers such as Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter and Carmen McRae, Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Nina Simone, Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald and others. The greatest contribution to her musicality were the works and pieces of Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, Kurt Weill, Count Basie, and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
> Early life
Maria Morlino was born in Oakland, CA to immigrants from Caurio, Michuacan Mexico. Marias mother was a trained singer. She also played the piano and composed songs. Marias father loved music, he loved to sing and play the harmonica. This love of music is what inspired Maria to go into the music business.
Early on in her childhood at school, school mates would praise Maria for her ability to reach high notes. In school, her first instrument was the flute, then she progressed to playing the violin. As time when on, she wanted to learn to play other instruments and sing. She and her friends found a place to learn to play the guitar and subsequently formed a band called the Estudiantina de Oakland directed by Juan Silva. The more she became involved with music the more she wanted to learn. After she joined the band she became interested in playing the piano and would be at her parents bed waking them up and asking them when they were going to buy her a piano. She started off playing piano but ended up liking the organ better because of the many sounds that the organ could make. When that band disbanded she still actively pursued music by going to the library to continue learning and would check out different sheet music.
The family as a whole loved music. It became a custom in her family to get together on Friday and Saturday evenings and sing while she played either the guitar or organ. The artists that helped form her musical foundation were: Lucha Villa, Amalia Mendoza, Manuela Torres, Rocio Durcal, Vicente Fernandez, Javier Solis, Libertad LaMarque, las Hermanas Huerta, Flor Silvestre, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Antonio Aguilar and others. Maria and her mother would often do duets at home. Maria loved singing and would often picture herself singing to huge audiences including her class mates at the time. As she was still in school she would volunteer for anything musical that she could do.
As time progressed, she always sought an opportunity to continue doing something musical in her life and continued pursuing avenues that would lead her destiny. Hence, she would perform for family and friends at home. This was the impetus that Maria needed to honor her fathers deathbed request for her to continue her musical endeavors.
Maria Morlino sings from her heart, being told that she is a Torch Singer, she tackles emotions such as anger and fear, along with the more sought after feelings of joy, hope, and love. Maria joined a chorus called, Better World Entertainment. When the group disbanded she started taking vocal lessons with Kathy Saffas, Lucia Scardigno, Sean Martinfield, the San Francisco critic and more recently with Ricardo Scales.
More recently she has opened for Bay Area Legend as well as Grammy and Peoples Choice Nominee Ricardo Scales at Yoshis San Francisco and performed countless times at Internationally famous Jazz & Blues Club Top of the Mark. Maria has also has sung for the Mayor of San Francisco during his inauguration ceremony. It was with Ricardo that she has been working with for the past year and has produced her first CD entitled Secret Love.
As she developed her vocal ability, though she thought she could only sing certain songs and discovered that she had a greater vocal ability and started singing jazz, r&b and soul, which she loved. Her influences in this style of music were jazz pioneers such as Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter and Carmen McRae, Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Nina Simone, Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald and others. The greatest contribution to her musicality were the works and pieces of Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, Kurt Weill, Count Basie, and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
