“Beautifully made. An articulate page-turner of an album that feels like a short story collection in 10 songs.” - Marilyn Rea Beyer
— WFMT 98.7 Chicago - The Midnight Special
“Be Brave, the latest release by ace songwriters Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale, is an all-around homerun! Excellent writing, over-the-top vocal performances & musicianship, complex arrangements, with every track a listening pleasure. Diverse tempos, melodies and subject matter, this record is top-notch start to finish, and I highly recommend giving it a listen, preferably with head phones! Two thumbs up for this stellar release!” - Tom Tranchilla
— KPFT 90.1 Houston - Songwriter's Studio
“The album is excellent, from two talented and creative artists. whose songs entertain the ears, heart, and mind!” - Lilli Kuzma
— WDCB 90.9 Glen Ellyn/Chicago - Folk Festival
Bio - Under 100 characters (with spaces)
Modern folk duo with theatrical flair, plainspoken poetry, clever humor, and unique perspectives.
Bio - Under 250 characters (with spaces)
Miles & Mafale are modern folk with theatrical flair, delivering plainspoken poetry, clever humor, and unique perspectives. Catherine and Jay’s candid and playful style has earned them acclaim in venerable listening rooms and festivals nationwide.
50 Word Bio
Miles & Mafale are modern folk with theatrical flair and a sprinkling of pop-catchiness, delivering plainspoken poetry, clever humor, and unique perspectives. Catherine’s voice – an expressive powerhouse. Jay’s guitar – distinctive and unconventional. Their candid and playful style onstage has earned them acclaim in venerable listening rooms and festivals nationwide.
Under 150 Word Bio
Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale — husband and wife, co-conspirators, storytellers. They are modern folk with a sprinkling of pop-catchiness and theatrical flair. Catherine’s voice is an expressive powerhouse. Jay’s guitar is distinctive and unconventional. Candid and playful onstage, they are known for the plainspoken poetry, clever humor, and unique perspectives of their songs which seek to shift points of view through themes of perseverance and hope. And yes, sometimes they throw in a villain just for fun. Miles & Mafale’s songwriting has earned them acclaim in venerable listening rooms and festivals nationwide, and recognition as Most Wanted Emerging Artists at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and three-time Kerrville New Folk finalists. The duo’s latest release, Be Brave, is “Beautifully made. An articulate page-turner of an album that feels like a short story collection in 10 songs.” Marilyn Rea Beyer, WFMT Chicago - The Midnight Special.
Full Bio
Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale — husband and wife, co-conspirators, storytellers. They are two scoops of modern folk with a sprinkling of pop-catchiness, topped off with the wit and flair that comes of their theater backgrounds.
Catherine’s voice is an expressive powerhouse. Jay’s guitar is distinctive and unconventional. They are known for the plainspoken poetry, clever humor, and unique perspectives of their songs. Miles & Mafale aim to shift points of view through themes of perseverance, hope, and strength of spirit. And yes, sometimes they throw in a villain just for fun.
It can be said that Catherine and Jay have experienced more than the usual share of ups and downs… but this, along with their diverse influences and initial decade of performing cover songs (in their own group and as sidemen) gives them a tremendous “palette” to draw from.
Miles & Mafale blend all of that together into their own candid and playful style.
Audiences first came to know Catherine and Jay as a trio, The YaYas, with piano man Paul Silverman. More recent years found them touring the country with Karyn Oliver and Carolann Solebello as No Fuss and Feathers.
Miles & Mafale’s songwriting has earned them acclaim in venerable listening rooms and festivals nationwide, along with recognition as Most Wanted Emerging Artists at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, three-time Kerrville New Folk finalists, South Florida Folk Festival/Vic Heyman Award Finalists, and Honorable Mentions in Mid-Atlantic and Braver Angels song contests. They have performed as official showcase artists at SWRFA, SERFA, NERFA, and FARM.
The duo’s latest release, Be Brave, is “Beautifully made. An articulate page-turner of an album that feels like a short story collection in 10 songs.” Marilyn Rea Beyer, WFMT Chicago.
RECENT QUOTES ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM
“Beautifully made. An articulate page-turner of an album that feels like a short story collection in 10 songs.”
Marilyn Rea Beyer, WFMT 98.7 Chicago - The Midnight Special
“Be Brave, the latest release by ace songwriters Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale, is an all-around homerun! Excellent writing, over-the-top vocal performances and musicianship, complex arrangements, with every track a listening pleasure. Diverse tempos, melodies and subject matter, this record is top-notch start to finish, and I highly recommend giving it a listen, preferably with head phones! Two thumbs up for this stellar release!”
Tom Tranchilla, KPFT 90.1 Houston – Songwriters Studio
“The album is excellent, from two talented and creative artists. whose songs entertain the ears, heart, and mind!”
Lilli Kuzma, WDCB 90.9 Glen Ellyn/Chicago - Folk Festival
“A highly emotional listen that touches on plenty of socio-political topics, the pop and theatrical aspects are greatly appreciated and Miles & Mafale’s modern-folk is both sage-like and stirring.”
Tom Haugen, Take Effect (takeeffectreviews.com)