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Michael E Royal
A native Floridian, graduate of Plant High School in Tampa, and former student of Jacques Abram at the University of South Florida, Michael Royal has developed his own idiom for the piano, turning away from the conventional study of music and into his own creative avenues of discovery, adapting the subtle harmonies of Ravel and Debussy into the harmonization’s and voicings of John Coltrane and Bill Evans. His compositions are redolent of these French and American masters for melodic and harmonic significance. Royal has appeared as a pianist at major jazz venues all over the world with many internationally acclaimed jazz and pop artists including Herbie Hancock, Mel Lewis, Buster Williams, Red Rodney, Clifford Jordan, Ira Sullivan, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Gordon McCrae, Emily Remler, and Mark Murphy. In addition to his frequent appearances at jazz venues, Royal plays classical music as well. He performed before a full house at Van Wezel, Mozart Piano Concerto #27, in Bb Major, K. 595 with the Sarasota-Manatee Community Orchestra.
A pioneer in the establishing of jazz in Florida, Michael Royal introduced the live jazz and classical piano policies at Michael's on East and the Gator Club Private Reserve. Royal introduced and established the first successful straight-ahead jazz policy in Sarasota at T.R. Murphy's in spring of 1978, and the Upper Deck in 1980. Royal continued to build the jazz audience by establishing jazz venues at Charley's Crab on St. Armands Circle, and at 14 West in Bradenton.
Royal moved to Hollywood, CA in 1980, where he composed film scores, and performed with many known and unknown jazz greats including Jack Sheldon, Terry Gibbs, Ann Weldon and Jimmy Smith.
Moved to Buffalo, NY in 1983, where he worked with his trio, while developing event management experience. Among Royal's production credits, he is founder of, and for two years was chairman and executive producer of the Western N.Y. Jazz Festival, held in Buffalo, N.Y. in July of 1989, the one day event was free to the public, featured Maynard Ferguson and Billy Preston and drew 110,000 spectators. He is the founder and first president of the Western N.Y. Jazz Society.
Moved back to Sarasota in September 1989. Performed at numerous local venues as a soloist and with various size ensembles. Premier Headline Artist at Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota 2000 �" 2003.
Invited lecturer for The Jazz Club of Sarasota, and the Longboat Key Education Center.
He began performing at the Backlot Arts, Sarasota in the summer of 2006. In addition to his regular trio performances, Royal created and facilitated the Sarasota Jazz Workshop, a series of interactive lectures on the nature and qualities of jazz performance, and the Royal Jazz Artist Showcase Series which featured Ira Sullivan, lecturer and Charlie Parker expert James Patrick, The Terry Plumeri Trio, The Ellingtonians, and The Lynn Arriale Trio.
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