[More About Mike] [Más Sobre Mike]
ORIGINS AND MUSIC
Mike Summers is a British-Australian multi-instrumental jazz musician best known for his trumpet and piano playing. Many of his performances include vocals, and occasionally he plays flugelhorn, baritone horn, valve trombone or tuba.
Mike listens to classical music, ethnic/world music and all styles of jazz, but usually limits himself to interpreting the earlier jazz styles. While based in London, Mike performed professionally in and around London, and internationally too, participating in literally thousands of events, such as corporate hospitality and society parties, but also for jazz clubs and festivals throughout Europe.
RECENT BIOGRAPHY
Since 2002, Mike has been performing mainly in Spain's Costa Blanca where he has become a leading exponent, teacher and authority on the swing and vintage jazz styles, frequently introducing other musicians to this music, and preparing them to perform it. Based in Alcoy for 10 years, Mike moved to Altea and then Pedreguer. He is currently the leader and manager of several jazz groups which perform in these towns and all around the Costa Blanca, and appears frequently as solo pianist or freelance jazz musician in other jazz ensembles. Lockdown measures employed during the pandemic have hit the performing arts very hard in most countries. Inspired by some successful tours in France in pre-pandemic times, Mike is launching establishing a base in Aquitaine, France too, and expects to be performing there again before very long.
PHILOSOPHY
Mike believes that jazz should be interesting but accessible. He is focused on producing a nice tone and working around a steady swinging beat. As a leader he is demanding, and insists on each musician/instrument leaving enough "space" for the others, meanwhile incorporating as much rhythmic variety, timbre, texture, light & shade as possible in the corporate sound. Despite being comfortable on stage, and having performed for many years (sometimes in difficult conditions) Mike is not cynical or patronizing towards the jazz public. He is just grateful to know that someone is listening. His motto? "We're in this together!"
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Mike writes music and teaches both music and English. He was a founder member of Club Itinerant Jazz d'Alcoi (CIJA) which promoted jazz in and around Alcoy until a few years ago. In 2018 Mike began a Facebook collective called Hot Jazz España, with the aim of networking musicians who interpret this music.
Mike es músico británico-australiano, y toca varios instrumentos. Es mejor conocido por tocar su trompeta y su piano. En muchas actuaciones, el canta un poco y a veces toca su tuba, su fliscorno o su bombardino. Tocaba mucho en Londres y en varias partes de Europa, pero a partir del año 2002, el actúa principalmente en la Costa Blanca. Es lider en varias formaciones y toca solo piano tambien. Mike escribe música, e imparte clases de música e inglés. Era fundador del Club Itinerant Jazz d'Alcoi que promocionaba mucho jazz en Alcoy y sus alrededores. Es el administrador de Hot Jazz España (Facebook) que conecta los músicos que interpretan esta música.
Please click here to listen to a demonstration of Mike's assorted instruments
soundcloud.com/user-249925630/sweet-sue-ms-demo
Mike Summers is a British-Australian multi-instrumental jazz musician best known for his trumpet and piano playing. Many of his performances include vocals, and occasionally he plays flugelhorn, baritone horn, valve trombone or tuba.
Mike listens to classical music, ethnic/world music and all styles of jazz, but usually limits himself to interpreting the earlier jazz styles. While based in London, Mike performed professionally in and around London, and internationally too, participating in literally thousands of events, such as corporate hospitality and society parties, but also for jazz clubs and festivals throughout Europe.
RECENT BIOGRAPHY
Since 2002, Mike has been performing mainly in Spain's Costa Blanca where he has become a leading exponent, teacher and authority on the swing and vintage jazz styles, frequently introducing other musicians to this music, and preparing them to perform it. Based in Alcoy for 10 years, Mike moved to Altea and then Pedreguer. He is currently the leader and manager of several jazz groups which perform in these towns and all around the Costa Blanca, and appears frequently as solo pianist or freelance jazz musician in other jazz ensembles. Lockdown measures employed during the pandemic have hit the performing arts very hard in most countries. Inspired by some successful tours in France in pre-pandemic times, Mike is launching establishing a base in Aquitaine, France too, and expects to be performing there again before very long.
PHILOSOPHY
Mike believes that jazz should be interesting but accessible. He is focused on producing a nice tone and working around a steady swinging beat. As a leader he is demanding, and insists on each musician/instrument leaving enough "space" for the others, meanwhile incorporating as much rhythmic variety, timbre, texture, light & shade as possible in the corporate sound. Despite being comfortable on stage, and having performed for many years (sometimes in difficult conditions) Mike is not cynical or patronizing towards the jazz public. He is just grateful to know that someone is listening. His motto? "We're in this together!"
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Mike writes music and teaches both music and English. He was a founder member of Club Itinerant Jazz d'Alcoi (CIJA) which promoted jazz in and around Alcoy until a few years ago. In 2018 Mike began a Facebook collective called Hot Jazz España, with the aim of networking musicians who interpret this music.
Mike es músico británico-australiano, y toca varios instrumentos. Es mejor conocido por tocar su trompeta y su piano. En muchas actuaciones, el canta un poco y a veces toca su tuba, su fliscorno o su bombardino. Tocaba mucho en Londres y en varias partes de Europa, pero a partir del año 2002, el actúa principalmente en la Costa Blanca. Es lider en varias formaciones y toca solo piano tambien. Mike escribe música, e imparte clases de música e inglés. Era fundador del Club Itinerant Jazz d'Alcoi que promocionaba mucho jazz en Alcoy y sus alrededores. Es el administrador de Hot Jazz España (Facebook) que conecta los músicos que interpretan esta música.
Please click here to listen to a demonstration of Mike's assorted instruments
soundcloud.com/user-249925630/sweet-sue-ms-demo