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Michael Blake
New York City based saxophonist/composer/arranger.
About Me
Michael Blake is a versatile Canadian-American saxophonist and composer known for his three-decade career in
jazz and improvised music. He rose to prominence playing with John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards in the 1990s
and gained further recognition for his albums Kingdom of Champa (1997) and Slow Poke at Home (1998).
Based in New York City, Blake moves seamlessly between various genres, forging his own path as a composer
and arranger. He has played as a sideman with many artists including Steven Bernstein, Charlie Hunter and Ben
Allison. Most recently he has been collaborating with the community focused NYC non-profit organization the
Jazz Power Initiative.
As a leader, Michael has recorded over 15 critically acclaimed concept albums for labels such as Songlines,
Sunnyside and Newvelle. Showcasing his continuous innovation in contemporary jazz, his group Chroma Nova
recorded the 2023 album Dance of the Mystic Bliss, which was selected as Album of the Month and #3 Best
Jazz Album of 2023 in The Guardian. He continues to release new music on his family run label P&M Records.
