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Mike Rood

Born into a musical family, Mike has always been immersed in music. He has been playing guitar since he was 7 and his early influences include Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Mike also studied classical piano for 13 years, performing in dozens of recitals and competitions. He won the Nicholas Flagello piano competition in 2000 and 2001. Drawn to improvised music from an early age, studies with legend John Patitucci during late high school sparked Mike’s interest in jazz.

A self-taught guitarist for 10 years, during the last several years, Mike has studied primarily with Bruce Dunlap, John Patitucci, Adam Rogers, Vic Juris, Jamie Begian and Ethan Mann, and also with Kenny Werner, Claudia Villela, John Abercrombie and Oren Fader. Mike recorded original music on multiple occasions with renowned producer Bob Thiele in Los Angeles; those recordings led to his national television debut in 2004. In 2007, Mike performed original compositions at the Pelham Music Festival, at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, and at Bruno Walter Auditorium in Lincoln Center.

Mike currently leads The Mike Rood Communion, which performs avidly in the New York area and has featured such musicians as Mike Bjella, Colin Stranahan, Rick Rosato, Chris Tordini, Tommy Crane, Alex Spradling, Goh Izawa, Arthur Hnatek, Rogerio Boccato, and Glenn Zaleski. The group has appeared at such New York venues as Iridium, Fat Cat, Tea Lounge, Puppets Jazz Bar, Spike Hill, Sweet Rhythm, The Triad Theater, Shrine, and The Living Room, as well as GiG Performance Space, Vanessie, and Vernon's Jazz Club in New Mexico, and the Bern Jazz Festival in Bern, Switzerland. Since its formation in 2008, the group has developed a captivating and provocative sound and style, with influences ranging from contemporary jazz, classical chamber music, progressive rock, and an array of world musics.

Mike attended Western Connecticut State University for two years and recently graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City, where he studied with John Patitucci, Adam Rogers, Vic Juris & Marc Copland.

Gear

Primary guitars: ( 2 ) Customized Otto D'Ambrosio-Eastman El Rey Customized Antonio Aparicio classical Steve Andersen Metropolitan Reserve Ibanez AF207 7-string 1986 Paul Reed Smith Custom Fender Telecaster Spalted Maple Special Edition Live sound: Acoustic Image Clarus 2R amplifier Raezer's Edge One-8, NY8 & Stealth 12 speakers RMC Acoustic Gold Standard Hex system RMC Poly-Drive II Polyphonic preamp Dunlop volume pedal Startouch ST1-G A/B Lexicon LXP-1 Reverb Other: Fred Kelly & Herco thumbpicks Ernie Ball fingerpicks D'Addario EXL, D'Addario Pro-Arte & Rohrbacher Low-tension strings


Tags

120
Album Review

Mike Rood: The Desert And The City

Read "The Desert And The City" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


The music on guitarist Mike Rood's debut recording straddles two different worlds. Sparse settings of relative quietude represent the isolation and beautiful spaciousness of the desert, while lively demonstrations of technical sophistication and motion paint a vivid picture of the non-stop energy of the city. The title of this recording points to these opposing sound locales, but it also references the origins of this music. Rood--the son of two symphonic violinists--wrote some of this music while summering in Sante Fe, ...

344
Album Review

Mike Rood: The Desert and the City

Read "The Desert and the City" reviewed by Greg Simmons


Mike Rood's The Desert and the City opens with an eerily ambient groove employing some unusual techniques--repetitive picked chords and some almost techno rhythmic phrasing--to create a fascinating soundscape. What's noteworthy about this effect is that it's accomplished with a very straightforward ensemble: Rood, accompanied by acoustic bass, drums, and saxophone. The effect of the opening title track sets the pace for what unfolds as a measured, beautifully crafted date of quietly insistent tracks. Rood is clearly more ...

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Take Five With...

Take Five With Mike Rood

Read "Take Five With Mike Rood" reviewed by Mike Rood


Meet Mike Rood:Born into a musical family, Mike has always been immersed in music. He has been playing guitar since he was seven, and his early influences include Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Mike also studied classical piano for 13 years, performing in dozens of recitals and competitions. He won the Nicolas Flagello Piano Competition in 2000 and 2001. Drawn to improvised music from an early age, studies with legend John Patitucci during late high school sparked ...

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“Rood is the future high hope for jazz…refined technique of the highest order and a quintessential beautiful tone… one of the most lively and original albums this year… a musical genius… a master guitarist and composer.” - Mihaly Czekus, HiFi Magazine, Hungary

“The Desert and the City is a measured, beautifully crafted date of quietly insistent tracks… Its consistent vibe, originality, and first-rate musicianship make it well worth the investment in time…It's easy to get lost and just float away on Rood’s playing.” - Greg Simmons, All About Jazz

“Sparse settings of relative quietude and lively demonstrations of technical sophistication and motion… The group engages in devilish interplay as they create interlocking parts that move in different and surprising ways… Rood's work is brimming with thoughtfulness, sophistication and musical maturity.” - Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz

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Primary Instrument

Guitar

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Desert and the...

Point of Departure, WMPG-FM
2012

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The Desert and the...

Self Produced
2011

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The Desert and the City

From: The Desert and the City
By Mike Rood

Videos

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