Michael Tracy - Saxophonist/Educator

Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops 2010

Mike Tracy — Wed, 12 May 2010 02:05:03 +0000

You want to play jazz? Want to hear great concerts every night and even during lunch every afternoon? The place to be is at the School of Music at the University of Louisville for the annual Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops.

You should consider attending these outstanding workshops if you have an interest in learning how to improvise, are looking to enhance your skills, or are wanting to be with people who share your musical interests. These two exciting weeks - July 4 - July 9 and July 11 - 16 - offer a great faculty and features the ABC and D of jazz education - Jamey Aebersold, David Baker, Jerry Coker, and Dan Haerle. You can’t get any better that that. Students from throughout the United States and world attend. All ages and abilities are welcome. I personally have been associated with the ‘Aebersold Camps’ since 1976 and have worked with thousands of students here and abroad. You will not get a better experience anywhere, period. For information visit www.summerjazzworkshops.com or write to me. I hope to see you there.

Russia Tour - November 2009

Mike Tracy — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:27:11 +0000

I will be traveling to a number of cities in Russia in November with Mixolegion - UofL’s International Quintet. We have been invited to perform at the following:

November 20 - Yaroslavl at the Jazz Center.
November 21 - Dubna at the 7th international “MuzEnergo” festival with “Kaulakau” (Spain), “Interstellar Overdrive Trio” (France), “SymFusion Orchestra” (Moscow, Russia).
November 22 - Kimry at the “MuzEnergo” festival with Nick Kulikov Quartet (Arkhangelsk/Moscow, Russia), Youlia Malikova’s “Magnit” (Moscow, Russia), Natalia Blinova’s “Priot” ensemble (Moscow, Russia). Visit www.muzenergo.ru for information the festivals in Dubna and Kimry.
November 23 - Moscow at a local club.
November 25 - Taganrog at Taganrog Culture Centre
November 26 - Shakti at Shakti Theatre
November 27 & 28 - Rostov-on-the-Don at the “International Jazz Festival 2009″.

In addition, I will be conducting master classes in Dubna and Kimry as well as in Rostov at the “Taganrog College of Arts” (This is where Anton Chekhov was born.) and The Rostov State Conservatoire (Academy - www.rostcons.ru/) (Named after S.V. Rachmaninov).

This will be an exciting trip. Members of Mixolegion include Anderson Pessoa (saxophone - Brazil), Craig Tweddell (trumpet -USA), Alim Nastaev (guitar - Russia), Saulo De Almeida (bass - Brazil), and Daniel Falter (drums - USA).

CONVERSATIONS - Michael Tracy / Harry Pickens

Mike Tracy — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:33:14 +0000

Conversations with Michael Tracy and Harry Pickens, just released on Sea Breeze Jazz SBJ-3088, has received outstanding reviews. To read more check out…

… Conversations Jazz Times review
… Conversations Courier-Journal review
… Conversations All Music Guide review
… Conversations Cadence review
… Conversations Sea Breeze press release page 1
… C onversations Sea Breeze press release page 2

INTERVIEW WITH WALTER TURKENBURG, MIKE TRACY and DAVID LIEBMAN

Mike Tracy — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:57:44 +0000

The Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studies Program at the University of Louisville was fortunate to be the host of the 16th Annual Meeting of International Association of Schools of Jazz in July 2006. I was honored to be the coordinator and enjoyed the challenge of working with approximately 100 jazz educators and students from more than forty countries. It was a great week and everyone was busy but David Liebman, IASJ’s Founder and Artistic Director, got Walter Turkenburg, Chairman of IASJ, and myself together to discuss jazz and jazz education. I hope you enjoy David’s written comments and the video of our reflections and observations.

ENGLAND: York - March 2009

Mike Tracy — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:56:55 +0000

I have been to the United Kingdom numerous times but never to York, a city with great history in the midlands not far from from Leeds. I was in Leeds as a presenter at the Leeds College of Music’s annual jazz conference. A day trip to York was an excellent diversion. I especially liked walking through the narrow streets which were often in the shadows of their historic cathedral. Images at dusk and night were intriguing. Visit for photos…

SWITZERLAND: Zurich & Lucerne - March 2009

Mike Tracy — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:45:32 +0000

I had a wonderful time visiting Switzerland for the Swiss Group of International Schools 2009 Conference. I took the opportunity during my down time from the conference to visit Zurich and Lucerne. It was an excellent late winter/early spring day in Zurich, with snow in some places but with sun trying to break through the clouds sky and moderate temperatures. I didn’t arrive in Lucerne until late afternoon but the city was just as impressive at night. Visit for photos…

JAZZ at HERMITAGE GARDENS: Moscow, Russia (August 2008)

Mike Tracy — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:00:12 +0000

I had a great time visiting Moscow and performing at the Jazz at Hermitage Gardens Festival. My ensemble was made up of alumni from the Open World Leadership Program, which I have had the great fortune to work with the past number of years. Please visit the following to learn more about my experience…

…Moscow television arts segment
…Jazz Times review
…Festival Guide
…Your Moscow Guide
…The Moscow Times

UofL JAZZ FACULTY in Brazil (March 2008)

Mike Tracy — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:08:53 +0000

The University of Louisville’s Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studies Program presented its initial international jazz workshops in Brasilia and Sao Paulo, Brazil in March, 2008. It was a wonderful experience for the faculty and our new Brazilian friends. Check out the following to learn more…
…view article
…view brasilia festival poster
…view brasilia festival brochure
…view sao paulo poster

LA PLATA JAZZ FESTIVAL: La Plata, Argentina (November 2007)

Mike Tracy — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:30:17 +0000

I truly enjoyed playing at the La Plata Jazz Festival in 2007 with the David Becker Trio (David Becker - guitar, Bruce Becker - drums, and Alejandro Herrera - bass) with my Brazilian brother Renato Vasconcellos - piano. Here is a photo montage with musical clip of our playing David’s tune Waltz For Lavignia. It is always great to work with Waldo and Deborah Brandwajnman and the students at EMU. Check out the poster.

FACULTY GALA: University of Louisville School of Music

Mike Tracy — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:16:35 +0000

The School of Music will present its annual Faculty Gala on Sunday, September 13 at 3:oo in Comstock Concert Hall. It is a wonderful showcase of the talented faculty. Attendees are in for an entertaining and diverse concert. I will be part of our Jazz Faculty Ensemble - Ansyn Banks - trumpet, Jerry Tolson - alto sax, Craig Wagner - guitar, Chris Fitzgerald - piano, Tyrone Wheeler - bass, and Jason Tiemann - drums. We’ll be performing Jerry’s composition Go With the Flow.

In addition, Tyrone and I will be performing Someday My Prince Will Come (yes, the same one from the Disney movie that Miles Davis and Bill Evans played). I love playing with Tyrone and the duo setting is always a challenge.

You can get ticket information at the School of Music web site or call 502 852 6907. Hope to see you there.