Author Archives: Mike

Album Review: Daniel Bennett Group at All About Jazz

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Mike

My review of the Daniel Bennett Group’s 2015 album The Mystery at Clown Castle is available at All About Jazz. It’s another outstanding example of the endless creative possibilities of modern jazz, and is highly recommended

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Best of 2014

Posted on December 25, 2014 by Mike

Happy Holidays! Here’s a list of the top 5 blog posts from 2014. Here they are, in case you missed them! 5. Freight Train Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson This is my intermediate fingerstyle guitar lesson for the Elizabeth Cotten classic “Freight … Continue reading →

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Intro to Indian Music Class

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Mike

I’m happy to announce my upcoming Intro to Indian Ragas class in Pittsburgh, offered by the Calliope School of Folk Music. It’s a four-week workshop, open to anyone interested in learning the fundamentals of Hindustani music.

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Music Lessons in Pittsburgh

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Mike

I’m now offering private guitar, banjo and mandolin lessons in Pittsburgh, PA. All levels are welcome! Contact me if your interested in folk music or jazz, theory or fundamentals, or world music.

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What’s Happened to MikeOpMusic!?

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Mike

Hey everyone, I do need to apologize for going off the grid there for a while. I’ve been involved in a number of big projects and this site got put on the backburner for too long. The good news is, … Continue reading →

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New Website

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Mike

Sorry for the lack of activity here. I’ve been working on getting my new website, Live Jazz Shows, up and running. It’s a resource for finding upcoming jazz concerts, new album reviews, and today’s best jazz musicians!

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Record Label Profile – Pi Recordings

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Mike

New York City’s jazz record label Pi Recordings, run by co-owners Seth Rosner and Yulun Wang, is a major player in the contemporary music scene. Releasing music by legendary artists like Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell, as well as younger … Continue reading →

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Album Review: Chuck Anderson – Freefall

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Mike

Freefall, by The Chuck Anderson Trio, 2010. Dreambox Media, DMJ-1121. Freefall is guitarist/composer Chuck Anderson’s first release after an extended hiatus from performance due to ill health. However, it is a triumphant and welcome return to the contemporary straight-ahead jazz scene for … Continue reading →

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Album Review: Kosi – One More Cup of Coffee

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Mike

One More Cup of Coffee, by Kosi, 2013. Self Produced.  Akosua Gyebi Sorensen, or Kosi, as she identifies herself on the 2013 album One More Cup of Coffee, is a New York-based singer, songwriter and composer forging her own sound. … Continue reading →

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Pi Recordings Profile for All About Jazz

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Mike

I’m well into an All About Jazz profile on the NY jazz label Pi Recordings. Already interviewed executive producers Seth Rosner and Yulun Wang, now I’m started on a series of capsule reviews of artists including Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman, … Continue reading →

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