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Mike Allemana

He will regulate your universe.

About Me

Known as tenor sax legend Von Freeman’s guitarist since 1997, Mike Allemana is one of the busiest musicians in Chicago. Born and raised near Chicago, in Elmhurst, IL, Mike became interested in jazz at age 12 after being introduced to the music of George Benson by his guitar teacher at Perry's Music in Villa Park, IL. After graduating in 1991 from Northern Illinois University, where he studied with guitar virtuoso Fareed Haque, Mike has become one of the most in-demand guitarists on the Chicago jazz scene.

After returning to Chicago, Mike began to make music with some of the most renowned local artists. His credits include playing from 1996-1997 with organ great Charles Earland, 1995-1999 with tenor saxophonist Lin Halliday, 1998-2002 every Wednesday with tenor saxophonist Ron Dewar, and, most notably, the ageless tenor sax legend, Von Freeman. Mike has been playing with Von Freeman at his famous Tuesday night gig at the New Apartment Lounge in Chicago since 1997 and has toured with Von to places like Philadelphia, where in 2005 they appeared with drumming legend Mickey Roker, and Berlin, which was released in 2010 as Vonski Speaks on Nessa Records. Mike can also be heard on Von Freeman’s 2002 release The Improvisor on Premonition Records. Other highlights include appearances from 1997-1999 with organ master Lonnie Smith, in 2006 performed with drum-master Jimmy Cobb along with Von Freeman, and in 2008 performed with alto saxophonist Steve Coleman. Since 1998 Mike also has been on faculty at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago where he is in high demand for his private lessons and jazz group classes.

Mike's first CD was on the TuConn label, The Mike Allemana Organ Trio, which received three and a half stars from Down Beat magazine (April 2001). In 2006, he released his second CD, Inner Rhythm, which features his original compositions performed by his quartet which includes saxophonist Geof Bradfield and drummer Ted Sirota. In 2009, The Mike Allemana Organ Trio released their second CD, Lin's Holiday, which was engineered by the late David Baker.

Other projects that Mike is a part of include: Come Sunday, a highly- acclaimed 4-voice ensemble with jazz trio that mixes jazz concepts with old gospel spirituals of which Mike is the musical director and which will be releasing their debut CD, Crosscurrents, in late 2010; The Model Citizens, a local big band lead by pianist/composer Brian O’Hern for which Mike has been a feature soloist and arranger since the band was created in 1996; and The Regulators, a cutting-edge trio that combines free concepts with funk-based rhythms and comprises of the rhythm section of the Model Citizens.

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