Michael on Fire

I’ve been exposed to so much music--every sound I’ve ever heard is some kind of music---my influence is everything I’ve ever felt. The first song I was conscious of was Les Paul and Mary Ford performing the song " Vaya Con Dios". My uncle was a musician and band leader and gave me clarinet lessons and then gave me an alto saxophone and always had music from Cuba playing--from the first time I heard the rhythms and the romantic melodies my path was clear to me. I was in the church choir as a young boy and the nuns that taught me were of a missionary order doing their work in Africa--Sister Rose played the African Mass recording of the " Missa Luba" which further exposed me to African music and somehow I instinctively knew that was the source of all music on the Planet Earth. Rock and Roll,was like religion---I grew up in Detroit and Motown music was like a prayer---then Dylan---he opend up my brain to poetry and mysticism-- Duke Ellington, Coltrane, The Bird, Louis Armstrong Fats Domino, further expanded my awareness---I learned harmony from the Everly Brothers and the Beatles and Brian Wilson--I learned attitude from John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters--- I learned humility from Joe Pass and Oscar Peterson and Chet Atkins---The early productions of Phil Spector blew my mind---I was in many garage bands as a kid and had the good fortune to play with some great young musicians. I watched as the music buisness developed. I’ve had more opportunities than most---I’ve played on stages in front of 50,000 people--in Arenas and at Festivals and in funky little bar room dives to nobody---I’ve had great bands and lost great bands and friends along the way...I can name drop with the best of them but I have long since gone into a place of silence and humility----These days I mostly play solo which is the most easy and the hardest-----this bio is a work in process and as I remember things I will add them........