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Born in Queens, NY, Michael Stark was a student of Jackie McLean at the Hartt School of Music. Moved to Ithaca, NY in 1995 and has since been composing for and performing with his experimental trio WINGNUT, the duo TZAR, aswell as JSAN & THE ANALOGUE SONS, HANK ROBERTS, JENNIE STEARNS, JOHNNY DOWD, MARY LORSON & SAINT LOW, ORBITING ART ENSEMBLE, and some solo piano concerts.
Currently, Stark is performing live throughout the U.S., Europe & most recently in Japan with the DUB-ROCK outfit, JSAN & THE ANALOGUE SONS where he holds down left-hand organ bass while tweaking synths, wurlitzer, & clav. In addition, Stark has been working heavily with the renowned cellist, HANK ROBERTS with his trio, WINGNUT. Twisted rock legend JOHNNY DOWD keeps him busy in both Europe & in the US aswell. Stark has recorded and/or toured with lots of other great artists/bands...HELLWOOD, SALLY TIMMS of the MEKONS, ELLIOT MARTIN of JBB, MICHAEL GLABICKI of RUSTED ROOT, ERIC ATHEY, CROW GREENSPUN, & others.
Here is a link to a fantastic article written by Natasha Pickowicz, Arts Editor for the Ithaca Times...
http://www.ithacatimesartsblog.com/interview-with-gregg-gill is-of-girl-talk/unsung-hero-an-interview-with-michael-stark/
some press on Stark's playing on Johnny Dowd's..."Cruel Words" features Michael Stark on organ and synthesizer. Stark's stark organ is key here, creating the spook-house accents that amplify the angst in Dowd's pained underdog's tail-caught-in-a-gate drawl. On "Corner Laundromat," Dowd recites in his hardcore rural accent over big fists-full of Stark's organ...Lest you miss the message, hit the remote for the final track, which deconstructs "Johnny B. Goode" like the Sex Pistols did "My Way." That nasty organ stays upfront, until a brief guitar solo that evolves into Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" riff."
-Billboard magazine
