Mike Baggetta

Member Since: 2005 | Location: New York City | Page Views: 3,157

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About Me

Guitarist and composer Mike Baggetta is quickly becoming known as one of New York City's most original young voices on his instrument. Often sought out for his sensitive and focused approach, he blends subtly powerful phrasing with the kind of musicality only honest listening can produce. Foremost, he does not allow his mastery of the guitar to overshadow his musical choices. The projects that Mike leads are a quartet featuring his own compositions with saxophonist Jason Rigby, Eivind Opsvik on bass and George Schuller on drums; a trio exploring the jazz repertoire through his own perspective on standards featuring many of the finest bassists and drummers throughout the world; and TIN/BAG a collaborative effort with trumpeter Kris Tiner that strives to realize a new and personal approach to duo playing through improvisation, composition and re-interpretation. In demand as much as a sideman as he is with the projects he leads, Mike has had the pleasure of performing with jazz veterans Tom Harrell, Conrad Herwig, Joe Fonda, Bucky Pizzarelli, Ralph Bowen and Tony Reedus. Baggetta is also a favorite guitarist amongst his own generation of NYC musicians, having performed with Pete Robbins, Sunny Jain, Tyshawn Sorey, Sunny Kim, Jeremy Udden and Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society. He has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean. Mike received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. While enrolled in the Jazz Studies curriculum, he was fortunate to study with Ted Dunbar, Stanley Cowell, Vic Juris, Kenny Barron, Ralph Bowen and Dr. Lewis Porter, also citing masterclasses with Jim Hall as being particularly insightful.