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, Pitchfork, and Downbeat, 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
Sat 4.11 930pm - Zion Train at Sugarloaf Reggae Festival, Kingfield ME
Fri 4.17 730pm - Soggy Po Boys at the Dance Hall, Kittery ME
Sat 4.18 730pm - Daisy’s Big Parade at the Dance Hall, Kittery ME
Sat 4.25 730pm - Soggy Po Boys at the Chocolate Church, Bath ME
Mon 4.27 7pm - Skunk Jesus for the Eclectic Groove Symposium at the Press Room, Portsmouth NH
Thu 4.30 7pm - Sad Bastards / Loose Standards at Mr Sippy BBQ, Rochester NH
Tue 5.5 9pm - Soggy Po Boys at the Press Room, Portsmouth NH
Fri 5.8 7pm - Soggy Po Boys at Studio 9 / Porches, North Adams MA
Sat 5.9 8pm - Soggy Po Boys with special guest Celia Woodsmith at the Crossroads Music Series, North Andover MA
Sat 5.23 8pm - Soggy Po Boys at the Mole Hill Theater, Alstead NH
Tue 5.26 6pm - Faculty Showcase at the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, Portsmouth NH
Thu 5.28 730pm - Jim Dozet Group plays the music of Jon Scofield, Medeski, Martin, and Wood at the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, Portsmouth NH
Sat 5.30 7pm - Soggy Po Boys with Thee Phibbs and the Ditrani Brothers at AS220, Providence RI
Tue 6.2 9pm - Soggy Po Boys at the Press Room, Portsmouth NH
Sat 6.6 4pm - solo piano at Front Four Cellars, Wolfeboro NH
Sun 6.7 7pm - Rock My Soul at the Word Barn, Exeter NH
Sat 6.13 7pm - Soggy Po Boys with Mr Bill at Nova Arts, Keene NH
Sun 6.14 6pm - Sad Bastards / Loose Standards with SevenEight at the Andres Institute, Brookline NH
Fri 6.19 7pm - Soggy Po Boys at the Good Theater, Portland ME
Thu 6.25 - Brian Quinn quartet, Hancock NH
current bands
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An atmospheric soundtrack to the somnambulist’s night in the deep woods
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New Orleans jazz, served messy
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https://sadbastardsloosestandards.bandcamp.com/releases
New jazz / old jazz / not jazz
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Turkish and Middle Eastern jazz
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A secular choir focusing on roots and gospel
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Improvised breakbeats, ambient music, and downtempo
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Minimalist/ambient/new music
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Sounds like this
Fusion of 20th century music, impressionism, jazz, and minimalism
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http://mikeeffenberger.bandcamp.com
Spirituals, new standards, and jazz
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https://burstandbloom.bandcamp.com/album/sneak-into-the-ether
Lo-fi indie music
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Forward-looking improvised jazz
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Outside-in 90s hip hop, folk music, free improvisation, ans comedy
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Original Americana and singer-songwriter
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https://www.facebook.com/ourbigband/
Not your average big band
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.