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 12.15 4pm - Rock my Soul - One Longfellow Square, Portland ME

Thu 12.19 7pm - Jazz Vespers with Andrew Fogliano, Maddoc Johnson, Brian Shankar Adler, and Nate Therrien - BUOY, Kittery ME

Tue 12.31 8pm - Soggy Po Boys with Celia Woodsmith - Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield ME

Sun 1.5 7pm - Maddoc Johnson Quintet - Press Room, Portsmouth NH

Thu 1.9 7pm - Soggy Po Boys - Shalin Liu Performance Center, Rockport MA

Sun 1.19 6pm - Rock My Soul - Parish of the Assumption, Dover NH

Sat 1.25 7pm - Soggy Po Boys - Word Barn, Exeter NH

Sun 1.26 6pm - Soggy Po Boys - The Burren, Somerville MA

Wed 2.5 8pm - Soggy Po Boys - Winter Carnival at Waterhole Lounge, Saranac Lake NY

Thu 2.6 9pm - Soggy Po Boys - Monkey House, Winooski VT

Fri 2.7 8pm - Soggy Po Boys - OLD SOUL, Plattsburgh NY

Sat 2.8 8pm - Soggy Po Boys- Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs NY

Sat 2.15 7pm - PMAC Jazz Institute Faculty - Music Hall Lounge, Portsmouth NH

Sat 2.22 730pm - Soggy Po Boys - Majestic Theatre, Conway NH

Sat 3.1 1pm - Soggy Po Boys - Great American Beer Hall - Medford MA

Sat 3.1 730pm - Soggy Po Boys - Rex Theater, Manchester NH

Sun 3.2 730pm - Soggy Po Boys - Parlor Room, Northampton MA

Tue 3.4 7pm - FAT TUESDAY AT THE PRESS ROOM WITH THE Soggy Po Boys - Press Room, Portsmouth NH

Fri 3.14 7pm - Record Release Show for PJ Donahue’sDaisy’s Big Parade” - Millspace, Newmarket NH

Sat 3.15 7pm - Record Release Show for PJ Donahue’sDaisy’s Big Parade” - Millspace, Newmarket NH

Fri 3.21 7pm - Soggy Po Boys presents Honoring a Tradition: The Music of Kid Ory - Hill Arts, Portland ME

Fri 4.4 9pm - Soggy Po Boys with Bruno Bruni - Lizard Lounge, Cambridge MA

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.