Marc Macisso, 57, is a perfect example of a local boy making good. A Portland native, he spent his middle and high school years living in Westbrook, and developing a talent for guitar, harmonica, flute, clarinet and saxophone.
Upon graduating from Westbrook High School in 1972, he took his talent to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music. He graduated in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in applied music, and went to Los Angeles to seek his fortune.
And he found it, publishing three albums of his own and performing on albums by Bette Midler, Jesse Colin Young and Al Stewart. He has toured with Stewart, and appeared live with Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Steve Winwood, Carole King, Chaka Kahn, Tito Puente, Sheena Easton, Dionne Warwick, the Doobie Brothers and other artists. He has lent his harmonica talents to the soundtracks for the Discovery Channel programs “American Casino,” “Dirty Jobs,” and “Swamp Loggers.”
He has also taught music at the Palmdale (Calif.) School District for the past 21 years, and during the summers he still plays out. He is back in the region this month, playing at Jonathan’s in Ogunquit on Saturday, Aug. 6, with Al Stewart,; at Riverbank Park in Westbrook on Aug. 10; and at Frog and Turtle in Westbrook on Aug. 19. This week, Macisso reflected on his success in an interview with the American Journal:
Q: Plenty of people with musical talent have dreamed of heading off to The Big City to seek their fortunes. How were you able to screw up the courage to actually take the leap?
A: The snow! (laughs) Seriously, I would never have gone without the support of my parents. My dad knew I had big dreams, and he always encouraged me to follow them. My first step was to Boston to go to Berklee. I think that was the hardest one as I was only 18 and never really had been away from home or Maine. That prepared me for the big move to L.A. in 1980.
Q: What were your first impressions when you got out there? Fear? Excitement? Both? How did you adjust to life there?
A: When I first came out, I actually had a friend from Maine that I played, planned and plotted with. Her name is Jude Johnstone, and she’s from Ellsworth. She’s an amazing singer and songwriter. So we kind of supported each other through the anxiousness, fear and excitement parts.
Q: You’ve played with quite a few well-known musicians. What was your first “big break?” How did it happen?
A: It’s funny, but I’ll be playing with Al Stewart on Aug. 6 in Ogunquit, and he was my first big break back in 1983. I had done a few record sessions prior to that with Bette Midler and Jesse Colin Young, but Al was my first tour. I got the gig through Peter White, who is still a good friend and one of the biggest names in smooth jazz. Peter heard me play with Jude and asked me if I’d like to tour with Al. That tour only lasted a year, as I jumped on a tour with Sheena Easton from there. In 2005, I reconnected with Al and have since played on his CD, “Sparks of Ancient Light,” and toured the United Kingdom.
Q: Not everyone gets to do what they dream of doing. Have your experiences matched what you expected? How was it different?
A: God gave me this talent, so I take it and play it out. When I was young, my dad told me that I was lucky because I could make people happy when I play. I didn’t quite understand that then, but now I know why God gave me this talent. To make other people happy, and that’s what I like to do.
Q: Of all the artists you played and toured with, what experience stands out in your mind the most, and why?
A: I think it was the times when my parents got to come and hear me play. My dad was such a fan of music and he was so proud to see me up there in the spotlight. He’s been gone a long time now, but I still think of him all the time when I’m on stage playing.
Q: What led you to teaching? What effect, if any, has your teaching career had on your music?
A: Having a family and being around my children gave me the thought that I would be a good teacher. I’ve always kind of kept the two separate, but there’s no escaping the fact that my musical and life experiences have contributed to my teaching skills.
Q: Many people who make it to Los Angeles fail to find what they were looking for. To what do you attribute your success?
A: If they fail to find what they’re looking for, then perhaps it wasn’t there in the first place. I was looking for a bigger stage and a wider exposure to listeners, and I found that in L.A. A combination of hard work, persistence and a bit of luck is what worked for me. Plus the memories of driving to gigs in the slush and snow didn’t hurt either.
A CLOSER LOOK
Marc Macisso will be appearing in Maine at several locations throughout August. Here is a list of local venues:
Aug. 6, Jonathan’s in Ogunquit with Al Stewart
Aug. 10, Riverbank Park ?in Westbrook Park ?with Peter Albert ?and Common Ground
Aug. 16, appearance on WCSH program “207”
Aug. 19, Frog and Turtle ?in Westbrook
Aug. 26, “An Evening with Marc Macisso” at the Italian Heritage Center featuring Jimmy Macisso and Tony Boffa
Marc Macisso graduated Westbrook High School in 1972, and has
made a name for himself as a musician. He returns to Maine this
week for several shows.
Marc Macisso with Michael Bolton in this photo 2008.
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