About Michael J. Miles

• Musician

• Composer

• Performing Artist

• Musical Playwright

• Educator


When Pete Seeger first heard Michael Miles, he sent a letter to Michael saying that "in all my 70 years this is among the most beautiful recordings I’ve ever heard...it is enough to make me want to learn the banjo all over again.”

Michael Miles is one of America’s most inventive clawhammer banjo players.   Add guitar, vocals, jazz instruments, orchestras and complex historically-themed theatrical presentations to the mix and, two decades later, Michael has a critically acclaimed catalog of original compositions, stage performances, music CD’s and music instruction books.
 

Michael Miles performance credits include the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian Institution, Ravinia Festival, Harris Theatre in Chicago, American University in Beirut, and the Royal Opera Theatre in Marrakesh.

From 1984-1998, Michael served as the Program Director at the Old Town School of Folk Music bringing the school to international acclaim.   Under his guidance the student population grew from 200 students to over 4000.  From 2005-2007, Michael was honored as the school's first ever Artist-In-Residence. He remains as active member of the faculty teaching clawhammer banjo and fingerstyle guitar.  
 

With an MA in Music Performance and Pedagogy, Michael is also a music educator whose work ranges from introducing kindergarten students to their earliest musical experiences to leading postgraduate study for professional musicians and music teachers.
 

Current projects include new fingerstyle guitar arrangements of the Great American Songbook and the works of Stevie Wonder; new compositions for the banjo and expanded ensemble; and new stage productions.
 


 

col•lage

Yellowbird Concerto:  Movement I     featuring the Chamber Blues String Quartet


Crossroads     featuring the banjo with flugelhorn and cajon

Featuring the Chamber Blues String Quartet, and some of the very finest jazz musicians in Chicago....plus trumpet, flugelhorn, vibes, voices, & percussion.

 


New Century Suite


New Century Suite:   Movement I    

featuring Blue Note recording artist, Jackie Allen


Chicago Trilogy:  Black featuring Bela Fleck playing harmony line on banjo

Banjoist and composer Miles has collaborated with some of the world's best musicians here-- Bela Fleck; jazz singer Jackie Allen; plus alto flute, piano and more. 

 


 

American Bach


Cello Suite III by JS Bach:  Prelude  


Arranged for clawhammer banjo and double bass


Suite for the Americas:  Prelude Opening to Miles' 5-movement composition

This recording JS Bach’s first and third suites for unaccompanied cello, arranged for clawhammer banjo and double bass.   Others have experimented with Bach, but no banjo player has ever attempted playing entire suites before this.    

 

 

The Magic Banjo


Black Mountain Rag 

classic fiddle tune arranged for clawhammer banjo


Suite de Schottishes  beautiful melody from Brittany 

Using 8 different banjos, including Senegalese Halam and fretless minstrel banjo Miles plays the music from his one-man show entitled "From Senegal to Seeger: Stories of the American Banjo."

 

 

 

Counterpoint

 

The Field Behind The Plow 

banjo harmony with fiddle & accordion


The Medicine Show  banjo harmony with jazz flute

Miles’ debut recording features traditional melodies on one banjo, with counterpoint harmony lines on a second banjo.   This double banjo sound is then accompanied by lush instrumentation--accordion, jazz flute, marimba, fiddle and more.