Profile Views: 1036

Date Joined: 2008-01-11

Country: United States

Email Address: mjajazz@optonline.net

Age: 57

Bio: IN THE MOMENT PRESS RELEASE Jazz/Blues Guitarist, Mike Armando,a relatively young man, has an old sound, and a old soul- because hes been around, and has paid his dues several times over. And you can hear it in his playing. My one time contemporary, Charlie Bird Parker once said, You cant play it if you havent lived it. When you listen to Mike, youll will know from the very first note that he lived what he plays. Theres a seasoned unfiltered quality in his phrasing that awakens our ears to his affinity for the real deal form of jazz. With Mike,its all about feeling,just as it was with all of the great players of the past,and the few greats who are on the scene today. The sounds Mike has taken in and absorbed through the years didnt come from any music school class, but straight from his lifes experiences, and from hanging around the great jazz clubs in New York City;and being able to see some of the greats perform up close and personal. Mike is equally at home playing a burning up-tempo blues like Phinupi,or a soulful jazz waltz like Miles Davis All blues,or a swinging laid back rendition of, Autumn Leaves. Mikes tone is clear and distinct. And the choice and articulation of the notes he chooses are clearly rooted in the style and tradition of some of the past masters of jazz guitar, like Philadelphian great,Thornel Schwartz, a touch of Portland, Maines Johnny Smith, a hint of Wes Montgomery, and a touch of Kenny Burrell and Sal Salvadore. Mike can pretty much hold his own with just about any of the top jazz/blues guitarists of today,and whether he is in a bustling recording studio, on some concert stage or in a small club, Mike has a way of drawing his listeners in and making them a personal part of what he and his group are playing. Mike has surrounded himself with some really fine jazz musicians. Electric bassist,Andy Golba,is no slouch when it comes to laying down a solid bass line for the rest of the group to play off of. His sense and use of time and rhythm is most notable, and he swings hard and holds it all together. His counterpoint, drummer,Pete Cernauskas,likewise plays with solid time and rhythm, and most importantly, hes not overbearing but very supportive. He sets the time and locks it in with Andy, and between the two of them, lay down a solid track of time for Mike to ride upon. The trio format really allows these three jazz/blues musicians to stretch out and do their thing without reservation or thought. With them, its all from the heart. And in listening to the mix, one becomes acutely aware that these three men have an affinity for one another, and utilize their God-given gift of dynamic restraint. The three obviously think similarly, and one can clearly hear a certain amount of telepathy when they are playing, especially in the way they react and respond to one another within the trio setting. Indeed very spontaneous! The thought was to do this recording without the use of a safety net. It was a recording that was pretty much unrehearsed, fresh and in the moment. And being able to perform in a manner such as this, requires some pretty damn good musicianship on their part to pull it off. And pull it off they did! These three great musicians, Mike Armando, Pete Cernauskas and Andy Golba did just that! The interaction between the players is what makes this recording & group unique. Rather than to make an over-produced masterpiece,the three decided to sit down and record a live session (sans audience) and see what happened. Although these three players are not house-hold names as yet, they are nonetheless, world class, and deserving of much wider recognition. For Bookings Email: mjajazz@optonline.net