Guitarist Mike Fageros first started playing guitar at age 13 and studied under the tutilage of Alan Massey who was a local guitar teacher where he was born and raised in Georgetown in Washington, D.C.. After learning the basics, he was then teaching guitar at Alan Massey studios a year later. At age 15 he was able to meet and later study with Roy Buchannan as Roy played at a local venue in Georgetown called the Silver Dollar.
Moving to Baltimore at age 16, he took up residence at one of the most reknown jazz clubs in the area, Bluesette, which was owned and managed by the legendary Art Peyton. Once there, he formed a group known as “Rise” which performed side by side at Bluesette with a group known as “Urch Perch” which has achieved legendary status as a cult group in the Baltimore area. The stay at Bluesette was his introduction to jazz as the club functioned as an after hour jazz club from midnight to 4 AM.
Moving to Texas at age 17, he later enrolled into McLennan Community College and performed on guitar in the stage band under the instruction of Bill Haskell and obtained a scholorship for his performance while continuing to study music theory and composition. He later went on to study at Baylor University continuing his music studies and once performed in the stage band backing legendary vibrophonist Gary Burton.
Moving to San Francisco at age 23 produced positive results and he was able to record March of the Trolls and Morning, a 45 RPM which later recieved airplay in the central Texas area. Moving back to Texas in 1976 found him performing with a group known as The Jazzmanian Devils which featured soprano saxophonist Thomas Ramirez along with Bill Maddox on drums and Spencer Starnes on bass. One of the most memorable concerts that they did was at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin TX.
Shortly thereafter, he joined Latin Trumpeteer, Luis “The Little Giant” Gasca's group and began touring. Gasca was a formidable technician and recorded on the Fantasy label out of Berkeley California. Gasca had played with about everybody in the Bay Area including Joe Henderson, Janis, Santana, Hadley Caliman amongst others. This period spent with Gasca was time well spent in a jazz career until the inevitable happened. Coming back from a concert in South Texas on the way back to San Angelo Tx., the driver of the van in which Fageros was riding fell asleep at the wheel and rolled the van nearly missing oncoming traffic. Fortunately, Mike sustained only superficial cuts and bruises but others in the van were more seriously hurt. Needless to say, he never performed in that context again.
That being the case, a session materialized in Dallas Texas that became known as the CD Spontaneous Combustion. This was done utilizing various musicians from Austin Texas with whom he had previously performed with. The CD had two distinct groups which featured each set of musicians on 2 cuts a piece. One group featured David Prater on Drums and Kyle Pilgrim on Bass with Neal Pedersen on piano. The other group featured Dude “Beto” Skiles on acoustic piano with Bill Maddox on Drums with Spencer Starnes on Bass. The CD is available on CD Baby as “Spontaneous Combustion”
Unfortunately, he didn't record again until 2003 when he joined forces with drummer Jovol Bell cutting the CD “Mars in October with bassists De Lover Axel and Kato. The CD was released in 2004 and achieved minor success. It is available at CD Baby as well.
A live gig was recorded in 2005 that became the CD Smokin' on the B-3 with Mike on guitar, Robert Sanders on the Hammond, Gerry Gibbs on Drums, Ephraim Owens on trumpet and Jerry Coke on tenor. This was recorded at the Music Garden and is also available on CD Baby.
The most current CD that is being marketed is called “Melange de Jazz” and features Mike on guitar in the Guitar Organ Trio setting. He is accompanied by Robert Sanders on the Hammond along with Dallas drummer Andrew Griffin who had previously recorded with Joey De Francesco. This CD is noteworthy as he also used a second Hammond Organist on three other cuts called Travis “Big Daddy” Doyle, who lends more of an R&B/Blues flavor to the cuts that he played on. Three cuts were also featured in a Guitar Trio setting featuring Mike with Spare Time Murray on Bass and John Fontenot on drums. These feature Mike performing Sunny, Song for my Father and Impressions.
The pursuit of jazz eventually took him to Detroit where he performed at the legendary Bakers Keyboard Lounge in many different settings including trumpeter Cary Heller's group and vocalist Deborah Nero's group. These included other well known players including pianist Charles Bowles, bassist John Dana and drummers James Wendell Robinson and Renell Gonzales. Additionally, he played with drummer Greg “Vibrations” Williams and Organist Henry Gleaton in another setting frequently performing at Arturo's. A regular also at one of the best Monday night jams in the country, he is a regular guest at The Jazz Loft performing with Milton Hale on drums and Philip Hale on keyboards.
At the same time, he was gigging in Houston as well in 2005 utilizing “The Living Legend”, Marion Booker on drums and various bassists including DeLover Axel and Lex Volk, cutting a DVD at club Eb5 called “The Meeting” which is available on CD Baby and Film Baby. A clip of “Inner Urge” can be viewed on YouTube by searching. (Mike Fageros) Various gigs included performances in Houston at Cezanne where in 2007 he performed with legendary tenor titan, Dr. Woody Witt. Other noteworthy performances included the Rosenburg Library Concerts held at Galveston, Tx in 2006 and 2007 where he performed with Marion Booker on drums
A thriving jazz scene in Tuscon, Az led him to hook up with one of the most famous sons of jazz in Arizona, drummer Pete Swan. That led to many engagements at the Old Pueblo Grille where he performed with the Pete Swan Trio most recently in January 2009 along with Brice Winston on tenor.
Trying to further refine the sound of the Organ Trio led him to the White Room in Detroit where he is currenly recording with Organist Chris Codish and Drummer Ron Pangborn. The initial session commenced March 2nd and upon completion, will be marketed through CD Baby. We will keep you updated on its pending release.
