Maggie Herron - I Won't Wait (AGS-098)

Maggie Herron recorded I Won’t Wait in 1984 as a self-promotional effort to further her burgeoning career. The album never had a proper release - until now. Aloha Got Soul is happy to present I Won’t Wait in its entirety, as a continuation of its partnership with Herron following the 2019 vinyl single featuring “Another Wish” and “Holdin’ On”.

I Won’t Wait is a warm, subtly sophisticated hybrid of jazz, pop and rock created during an exceptionally busy time in Herron’s life, gigging five nights a week while raising two children and navigating a struggling marriage. Formally trained as a pianist and self-taught as a jazz musician, Maggie Herron approaches music as she does life: with an ever-ready adaptability and curiosity. Paired with an impressive 3½-octave vocal range and a heart-on-the-sleeve songwriting, Maggie’s sophomore album offers twelve tracks that weave effortlessly between catchy hooks, thoughtful harmonies and emotionally honest lyrics.

Recorded in Los Angeles in 1984 with engineer Jim Williams, who was an audio technician for Stevie Wonder and a creative problem solver in the studio — they captured Maggie’s vocal takes in a bathtub to achieve natural reverb — the sessions for I Won’t Wait were joyful, collaborative and resourceful: musicians donated their time and artistry to help realize the project. The arrangements often transform compact, emotionally direct songs into jazz-forward textures and rhythmic layers, reflecting Herron’s pull towards the genre and her producer’s own flair, while still maintaining her own pop and folk/rock sensibilities.

I Won’t Wait captures Herron at a challenging moment in her life as a working mother and full-time musician balancing a family, financial strain, and romantic turbulence. For Herron’s longtime fans, I Won’t Wait is an intriguing look at her early recordings; for new listeners, this release reveals the subtle beginnings of a career which gave rise to one of the most beloved artists in Hawaii’s rich jazz scene. This is an unassuming, resilient album that stands true thanks to Herron’s unwillingness to compromise and the fact that everyone came together “for the love of it”.