about


Mike Effenberger is a recording and performing artist who has been living in the NH Seacoast since 2007. He received the Young Beacon in Jazz award from New School University in New York City, from which he graduated in 2005. While there, he studied with diverse artists including Jane Ira Bloom, Kenny Werner, John Hollenbeck, Reggie Workman, Fred Hersch, and Joanne Brackeen.  Mike has curated an unmistakably individual voice that draws on gospel, minimalism, jazz, and 20th century music.

Mike plays throughout New England with a variety of bands including fiveighthirteen, Jazzputin and the Jug Skunks, the secular roots and gospel choir Rock My Soul, OURBIGBAND, Sad Bastards / Loose Standards, Showmen's Rest, Dan Blakeslee.  He leads Weird Turn Pro, which plays his original music.  When not in the northeast, Mike performs internationally with Bing and Ruth, and plays throughout the east coast with Soggy Po’ Boys.  Mike appears on countless recordings from independent releases to larger labels, including 4AD and RVNG Intl, and is also active as a producer.

His work has been written about in international publications including the Paris Review, The Guardian, and Pitchfork, as well as appearing on nationally syndicated media including NPR's All Things Considered and PRX's Echoes.

When not at a piano bench, he can typically be found in the woods.

     shows     

Sun 3.24 4pm - Soggy Po Boys with Jon Cleary - Bombyx, Northampton MA

Fri 3.29 730pm - The Man Comes Around: the last words of Johnny Cash / Good Friday - Second Christian Congregational UCC, Kittery ME

Sat 3.30 8pm - Soggy Po Boys - Knickerbocker, Westerly RI

Fri 4.5 8pm - Soggy Po Boys with CIlla Bonnie - Empire, Portland ME

Sat 4.13 730pm - Duo with Taylor O’Donnell - Dance Hall, Kittery ME

Fri 4.19 7pm - Dharma Down - Dimensions in Jazz at Portland Conservatory of Music, Portland ME

Sat 4.20 730pm - Soggy Po Boys - Firehouse Center for the Arts, Newburyport MA

Sun 4.28 7pm - Sad Bastards / Loose Standards - Oddfellows, South Berwick ME

Thu 5.2 8pm - fiveighthirteen with NO SIR E - WSCA, Portsmouth NH

Fri 5.3 - Soggy Po Boys - Bennington, VT

Sun 5.5 - Dharma Down - The Press Room, Portsmouth NH

Thu 5.9 - Duo with Taylor O’Donnell - Mad Monkfish, Cambridge MA

Fri 5.10 - Soggy Po Boys - Dance Hall, Kittery ME

Sat 5.11 - Sad Bastards / Loose Standards - Dimensions in Jazz at Portland Conservatory of Music, Portland ME

Fri 5.17 - Rock My Soul - Wolfeboro UCC Wolfeboro NH

Sat 5.18 - Soggy Po Boys w/ Acoustic Nomads - Lizard Lounge, Cambridge MA

Sun 5.19 - Quintet w/ Jason Anick, Chris Klaxton, Matt Hogan, and Eric Von Oeyen - the Press Room, Portsmouth NH

Fri 5.24 - Soggy Po Boys - ME Craft Distilling, Portland ME

Sun 5.26 - Soggy Po Boys - The Farmstand, Chocorua NH

Wed 5.29 - Organ trio with Jim Dozet and Jonny Peiffer - Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, Portsmouth NH

Thu 5.30 - Duo with Eli Kaynor playing the music of Gregory W. Brown - Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, Portsmouth NH

Thu 5.30 - Sad Bastards / Loose Standards - Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, Portsmouth NH

current bands

media

Frequent areas of study include:

  • Classical piano

  • Jazz improvisation

  • Ear training

  • Music theory

  • Composition and arranging

  • Gospel and Spirituals

  • Audio production

teaching

Mike is sought after as an educator, maintaining a busy private studio as well as teaching at the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center.  He approaches every student individually, meeting them where they are and sending them where they want to go.  His students range from children to senior citizens and run the gamut in genre and musical background.