Perhaps the best kept secret about the Mausts is the musical prowess of my late grandma Ella. She had the unique ability to hum and whistle at the same time. Yeh, you might think, “Well,  I can do that, too,” but let me assure you that my grandma brought the heat long before Rahzel came on the scene impressing people with simultaneous singing and “mouth drumming.”

What contradistincts Ella Maust from the likes of latecomers like Rahzel was her ability to not only hum and whistle at the same time, but to do so while harmonizing with herself: whistle = melody, hum = harmony. What now. You’re probably saying, “I need to hear this action should I be convinced of this Maust’s musical mania.” And, to you, I say listen below. Recordings courtesy of my grandma’s brother, Martin. Date: November 1996.