Mike Jones (born August 11, 1962) is an American jazz pianist who works with

Penn and Teller Penn may refer to: Places England * Penn, Buckinghamshire * Penn, West Midlands United States * Penn, North Dakota * Penn, Oregon * Pennsylvania ** Penn, Pennsylvania * Penn Lake Park, Pennsylvania * Penn Township (disambiguation), several muni ...

in Las Vegas.

Career

Jones performed professionally at the age of ten. Following the advice of

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards ...

, he attended

Berklee School of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

in Boston. While attending the school he started work as a

studio musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a t ...

. During his time commuting from Boston to New York, Jones worked as the on-air pianist and music director of the ''Nancy Merrill Show''. He appeared throughout New England with jazz musicians

Herb Pomeroy Irving Herbert Pomeroy III (April 15, 1930 – August 11, 2007) was an American jazz trumpeter, teacher, and the founder of the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble. Early life Pomeroy was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, United States. He began playing ...

, Gray Sargent, and Dick Johnson. In 1994

Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro ( , ; ), in art, is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achi ...

released his debut solo album ''Oh, Look at Me Now'', followed by ''Runnin' Wild'' recorded live in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, then ''Live at Steinway Hall''. Through his association with

Hank O'Neal Hank O’Neal (born Harold L. O'Neal Jr.; June 5, 1940) is an American music producer, author and photographer. Background His mother, Sarah Christian O’Neal, was a musically and intellectually inclined housewife from Tyler, Texas. His father w ...

, he was invited to perform at the Floating Jazz Festival on the '' SS Norway'' and the '' Queen Elizabeth 2''. He wrote commentary for the

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

reissue of the album '' On the Town'' by

. After recording ''Stretches Out'', he was hired by

Penn Jillette Penn Fraser Jillette (born March 5, 1955) is an American magician, actor, musician, inventor, television presenter, and author, best known for his work with fellow magician Teller as half of the team Penn & Teller. The duo has been featured ...

to become part of the Penn & Teller show in Las Vegas. He wrote the theme for Jillette's radio show ''

Penn Radio Penn Fraser Jillette (born March 5, 1955) is an American magician, actor, musician, inventor, television presenter, and author, best known for his work with fellow magician Teller as half of the team Penn & Teller. The duo has been featured ...

''. In 2015 he wrote music for and performed in ''Penn & Teller On Broadway''. He recorded the album ''The Show Before the Show'' was recorded with Jillette on bass. The album is a compilation of performances recorded before the Penn & Teller show in Las Vegas. In 2014 he signed with Capri, which released his album ''Plays Well with Others'', recorded with Jeff Hamilton. The album has liner notes by Jilette and a cover by David Silverman that is a tribute to the photograph '' Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park'' by

Diane Arbus Diane Arbus (; née Nemerov; March 14, 1923 – July 26, 1971
" The New York ...

. ''Roaring'' includes renditions of music from the 1920s.Staff
"Listening Post: Mike Jones' New Trio record and a box of early Martha Argerich performances"
''

Buffalo News ''The Buffalo News'' is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York. It recently sold its headquarters to Uniland Development Corp. It was for decades the only paper fully owned by W ...

'', Buffalo NY, 06 July 2016. Retrieved on 16 February 2020.

Discography

* ''Oh! Look at Me Now!'' (Chiaroscuro, 1993) * ''Runnin' Wild'' (Chiaroscuro, 1995) * ''Stretches Out'' (Chiaroscuro, 2001) * ''The Show Before the Show'' (Capri, 2018)

References

External links

*
Interview with Mike Jones
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Mike 1962 births Living people 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American pianists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American pianists American jazz pianists American male pianists American male jazz musicians