Mike Maher is a trumpet player, singer, composer and teacher living in Brooklyn, NY. He has experience in many styles of music, and can be expected to bring professional expertise to any musical situation.
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From the age of three Mike showed an interest in music and could always be heard singing around the house. At age eight he started trumpet lessons and showed promise right away. Around the age of 12, Mike became good friends with a small group of very inspired young musicians. These friendships led to many opportunites to perform at a professional level. Mike's experience and expertise would grow over the next six years. During this time he performed as a trumpeter, drummer, guitarist and vocalist. He also began composing.
His formal training in jazz began at the University of North Texas. While there he was involved in many school groups including the One o' Clock Lab Band, the Jazz Singers, both as a singer and on trumpet, the Zebras keyboard ensemble, and the Jazz Repertory Ensemble. While in the One O'clock Lab Band he had the opportunity to perform with jazz greats Benny Golson and Nicholas Payton. With the Jazz Singers he flew to Toronto to perform at the annual IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators) festival. He also performed numerous times at the Addison Jazz Festival and the Denton Arts and Jazz Festival. Away from school, Mike performed with the Icehouse Band, 80 sheets, Snarky Puppy, the Lily Maase Quintet, and B & the Buzz among other groups.
After graduating with a BM from UNT, Mike spent most of 2005 on tour with B and the Buzz as the bands' trumpeter and horn arranger. The group toured the U.S. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and recorded a full length CD and DVD. He learned many things about life “on the road” and dealing with a rigorous performance schedule.
In 2006 Mike was invited to participate in the Banff International Jazz and Creative Music Workshop. While there, he performed with Greg Osby and Gerald Cleaver, recorded with Adam Benjamin (Kneebody) and learned from some of the biggest names in jazz. The workshop was also a rare opportunity to meet a large network of very talented up and coming musicians.
Last year Mike started teaching trumpet privately in Brooklyn and Manhattan. He now teaches students age 5 and up and has a lot of fun doing it.
In January he will be back “on the road” (one of his favorite places) with Snarky Puppy, an up and coming independent band. Tour dates at www.snarkypuppy.com.
Mike lives in Brooklyn, NY where he continues to pursue a wide variety of musical experiences.
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