Faculty

Profile

Growing up in Rochester NY, Mike became obsessed with the tenor saxophone and in 1984 entered New York University’s jazz program to study with modern tenor great, Joe Lovano. In 1988 Michael entered the New York scene, and for more than 20 years worked with artists such as Ray Charles, Harry Connick Jr., Charles Earland, and Toshiko Akiyoshi while recording two albums as a leader on the Criss Cross Jazz label.

In 2007 Mike began to seriously pursue the bass and within a couple of years was working with some of New York’s best musicians, including tenor great Lew Tabakin and with jazz vocal legend Jon Hendricks in a concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall. In 2010 Mike began playing with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (VJO) and quickly established himself as the band’s first call sub. In addition to numerous Monday nights at the Village Vanguard, Mike has traveled with the VJO throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan. In February 2012 Mike performed with NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath’s big band, as part of a concert at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. Since then Michael has played with Jimmy and his equally legendary brother, and fellow Jazz Master Albert “Tootie” Heath on numerous occasions including multiple engagements at the Blue Note, the Village Vanguard, and the 2013 Chicago Jazz Festival. In 2015 Mike had the opportunity to travel to Japan with yet another jazz legend, vocalist/pianist Freddy Cole, performing for a week at Tokyo’s Cotton Club. In 2018 Mike returned to Asia with Freddy, playing again at the Cotton Club as well as the Blue Note in Beijing. In 2015 Mike joined the band of guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli and since then has appeared with him throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as tours of Japan, Brazil and multiple trips to Europe. He is also featured on Pizzarelli’s two most recent cds, Sinatra and Jobim @ 50, and the 2019 release For Centennial Reasons. With John and his wife, singer Jessica Molaskey, Mike has participated in several broadcasts on Pizzarelli and Molaskey’s syndicated radio show, Radio Deluxe, and he also appears on Molaskey’s Joni Mitchell themed CD, Portraits of Joni.

Mike is a member of Reunion 7tet, a jazz collective of musicians who have been good friends and musical colleagues for more than 20 years. The collective includes Joe Magnarelli, Jerry Weldon, Dave Schumacher, Rob Bargad, Mike Karn, Daniel Sadownick, and Jason Brown. Their debut CD, A Field of You features original compositions by members of the band, including Mike’s tune, Lori.

In addition to these great artists Mike has performed/recorded with George
Coleman, Frank Wess, Bob Wilber, George Coleman, Joe Lovano, Bennie Wallace, Walt Weiskopf, Harry Allen, Grant Stewart, Eric Alexander, Ken Peplowski, Terrell Stafford, Harold Mabern, Barry Harris, Johnny O’Neal, Mike LeDonne, Larry Goldings, Helio Alves, Alan Broadbent, Bucky Pizzarelli, Gene Bertoncini, Peter Bernstein, Jimmy Cobb, Al Foster, Victor Lewis, Lewis Nash and Duduka Da Fonseca.

Finally, Mike is also active as a jazz educator. He has been a member of the jazz faculty at The New School for more than 20 years, and his former pupils include Marcus Strickland, John Ellis, Keith Loftis, Casey Benjamin and Dmitry Baevsky. He has also taught at New York University, S.U.N.Y. Purchase, and taught master classes at Emory University and the Big Apple in Nonoichi Festival in Kanazawa, Japan.