Mari Jo Brannan writes and produces her own music.   Currently residing in Asheville, North Caolina, she shares her gifts with her students at ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL, and plays keyboards with the Asheville-based band Tuxedo Junction.   Born and raised in beautiful northern Wisconsin, she has had an adventurous life of travel,  performance, and teaching.  She spent much of her young life dedicated to  both classical  and jazz piano, studying theory and composition, writing songs and singing.   Her love of composition shows in the masterful writing, instrumentation and vocal arrangements of  her CD "Living Hearts".   

MariJo uses her keyboards to create the sound colors that reflect and perfectly complement poignant lyrics sung in a warm, relaxing vocal style.  This gives the listener an intimate and emotionally touching experience disguised in a sonic lavender bath.

Her music is stylistically eclectic, although not manic, with sensitive lyrics that speak to the vulnerabilities of the human spirit, beautifully orchestrated to the character of each song.

 
Even if this music is not your usual listen, you will appreciate and enjoy the uniqueness and craftsmanship delivered in each story told through song.

Influences and musical loves include Early and Renaissance a capella and instrumentals, great lyricists like Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon, the diversity and uniqueness of Stevie Wonder, the elegant melodic lines and complex harmonies of Big Band and Jazz, the rich production in bands like Pink Floyd and Tears For Fears, the sweetness and straight-forwardness of all the great folk singer/songwriters, and the classical Impressionists Debussy and Ravel.

MariJo enjoys sharing her knowledge, experience and love of music through education, hoping to endow a sense of respect and appreciation of the art itself, while raising the self-esteem and encouraging self-expression and a positive vent for emotional release for her students.

 Mari Jo and Bradford Binning married in 1983, enjoying the sanctuary of mutual appreciation of goodness expressed through music and art, the beauty of the natural world, and love.
Click here to hear and download MariJo's music via DigiStation.
If you've already heard and love "Living Hearts" and want the lyrics, click here to ask me to email them to you.

Bradford Binning was born and spent his early life in the great outdorrs of Idaho.  Although he spent some of his life in Los Angeles, his heart always remained in love with the beauty of the unspoined natural world.  Mesmerized by the golden light and beauty of the tropics on a visit to Hawaii, he and MariJo decided to stay and he began creating the Hawaiian and Tropical Art  we have ttoday, both in oil paintings and with woodwark, partcularly in love with the native koa wood there.  We are able to offer you the highest quality glclee reproductions of some of these creations.  The original oils of this self-taught artist are unavailable at this time - some arre long since sold and some held at  this time due to Bradley's unexpeced death in 2006.   Bradley passed away in September 2006, at only age 45, taking with him further visions of beauty the rest of us will now miss out on . We miss him.