Pianist #2369

This performer is the ideal choice for a cocktail or an event pianist and singer. As well as having an enormous and constantly expanding repertoire of jazz, classical and pop tunes, she is also an amazing improviser, noted for her creativity toe tapping groove and versatility, as well as well as the sensitivity to surroundings and ability to blend.

She has recently returned from some years performing and teaching in New York City's exciting music melting pot where she studied jazz at the legendary Jazzmobile where young jazz musicians studied with Jazz greats such as Ronnie Mathews, Billy Taylor, Sharon Freeman, Walter Bishop, Jimmy Heath, Frank Wess, Randy Wilson, Charlie Persip and Freddie Waits to name a few. It was a magical time for young Jazz musicians with Dizzy Gillespie and other Jazz luminaries keeping an avuncular eye on young jazz musicians learning at their knee joining students who had travelled from all over the world to study and soak up the incredible musical soup that is New York. Many gigs locally and in Europe followed, performing and often wearing the Musical Director or Arranger hat as well as playing piano. She has worked in many musical genres from performing Latin Montunos with Yomo Toro at SOB's in New York, playing with the inimitable R&B singer Gwen Guthrie, to unforgettable experiences touring with The Inkspots, The Marvelettes and Ben E. King as a neophyte pianist in New York City to recording with Velvet Underground drummer Maureen Tucker and Sterling Morrison, assisting John Cale with orchestrating "The Falkland Suite" - settings of Dylan Thomas poetry for voice and orchestra and assisting Herbie Hancock on arrangements for his mammoth tour with the Brecker Brothers promoting the Future Shock album.

Following the birth of her son in 1999, she scaled back her busy schedule to focus on bringing up her son and recently moved to Cornwall so he could benefit from growing up here. Michelle performs regularly at The Wine Barrel in Truro.

• Offers groove swept Jazz, Brazilian, R&B, Blues and more.
  
• Vast repertoire of different styles of music and loves requests.
  
• Learned her trade in the vast melting pot of music that is New York City which give her music a New York feel.