Micah Burgess

Micah’s first solo recording, “We Do Know You”, is slated for commercial release in the Fall of 2008 by Alanna Records in select Border’s and Barnes and Noble stores throughout the United States. The CD features seven original jazz tunes that Micah recorded with his NYC-based quartet. In his music, a blend of post-bop and traditional styles, Micah utilizes contemporary classical compositional devices to create a modernist atmosphere.

A West Virginia native, Micah Burgess began his career in music at the age of fifteen playing in bars and wedding bands in his hometown of Bridgeport. After graduating high school he moved on to nearby Pittsburgh, PA to further pursue a career as a jazz guitarist while earning a Bachelor’s Degree from Duquesne University in jazz guitar. It was while at Duquesne that Micah was mentored by local jazz great Joe Negri.

Micah Burgess is a recipient of the Eubie and Marion Blake Jazz Performance Scholarship and has studied with some of the best improvisers in the world including John Scofield, Kenny Werner, Bruce Arnold, and Tony Moreno. While earning a Master's Degree at New York University, Micah performed with Saturday Night Live's Lenny Pickett, Teo Macero, Chris Potter, Dafnis Prieto, Kenny Werner, Gil Goldstein, Richard Bona, Brian Lynch, and Dave Pietro. Other professional credits include performances with Laverne and Shirley's Eddie Mekka, Fabian, Bobby Rydell, and Danny and the Juniors. Recording credits include, "Inside Al Gore's Brain", a political comedy bit for National Public Radio, Mainspring, Matthew Murchison, Stephen Sprouse, and The New York University Graduate Jazz Orchestra featuring Lenny Pickett. As a composer, he has written music for stage and film including the Off-Broadway production of "The Hat Left Behind" as well as a documentary entitled "I Am Bombay" which was a featured selection at the 2006 Indo American Arts Council Film Festival in New York City and at the 2007 Bollywood and Beyond Festival at Stuttgart, Germany.

The album features a solid cast of musicians that includes George Dulin, a semi-finalist in last year’s Thelonius Monk piano competition. Mike Oien, the bassist, has worked professionally with such artists as trombonist Hal Crook, guitarist Mick Goodrick, drummer Bob Moses, and Grammy Award winning vibraphonist Dave Samuels. At age 22, Drummer Sam Levin is the youngest of the group though his resume already includes the likes of Jean Michel-Pilc, Kenny Werner, Chris Potter, Lenny Pickett, and Mike Gamble. Versatile bassist Scot Hornick makes contributions on two tracks, “You Know We Do” and “My Underwater Dream”.