Mike Prigodich

Mike Prigodich: Pianist, Composer, and Band Leader

Mike Prigodich is a trailblazing jazz fusion pianist, composer, and bandleader whose music defies genre boundaries and embraces complexity with unflinching clarity. Based in Oregon, Prigodich draws inspiration from artists like Chick Corea, Dave Grusin, Yellowjackets, and others, but his sound is unmistakably his own—melding jazz with Latin, rock, and global influences to create emotionally rich, rhythmically daring compositions.

Prigodich made his mark with the release of his acclaimed 2011 debut album, A Stitch in Time, featuring an all-star lineup including Damian Erskine, Reinhardt Melz, and John Nastos. Funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign following a life-altering cancer diagnosis in 2008, the album was both a personal and artistic milestone. His story—of transformation through adversity—has become part of the music’s emotional DNA.

In 2025, Prigodich returned with Stage Magic, a stunning live album recorded at Classic Pianos in Portland. Capturing the unfiltered energy and synergy of his ensemble, the album showcases Prigodich’s signature compositional style: odd time signatures, intricate harmonies, and melodies that are as memorable as they are complex. Stage Magic is a masterclass in 21st-century jazz fusion – “a sonic journey brimming with inventive melodies, rhythmic complexity, and a deep sense of play.” (Jazz Chill Music)

His work has earned high praise from jazz luminaries. Chick Corea called his music “wonderful, beautiful, really great,” and George Whitty (Brecker Brothers) described his debut album as “one of those discs you want to hear again as soon as it’s finished.”

At once cerebral and soulful, Mike Prigodich’s music offers more than virtuosity—it offers vision. As a composer and performer, he continues to shape the future of jazz fusion with fearless creativity, technical brilliance, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity.

Mike Prigodich: A Stitch in Time

Read "A Stitch in Time" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose

by Raul d'Gama Rose
October 22, 2011

Mike Prigodich's A Stitch in Time comes as a pleasant surprise, not only because the pianist displays astounding technique, but because he dazzles with the dramatic nature of his playing. Yet the drama is no ruse or distraction from the heart of his music, which is highly charged with emotion. This is, of course, reflected in the maddeningly complex compositions he writes. Its architecture is created from a vast musical topography that covers vast swathes of the global soundscape--from North ...

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Album Review

Mike Prigodich: A Stitch In Time

Read "A Stitch In Time" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
August 17, 2011

Keyboardist/composer Mike Prigodich has some years experience in local outfits around Illinois and Oregon, from wedding bands to church groups. But it was not until he was diagnosed with cancer in 2008 that he decided to take his musical career more seriously. Three years later, the result is A Stitch In Time, a debut of originals that could broadly be categorized as jazz fusion but which also reach into the realms of hard rock, prog and even hard bop. His ...

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Take Five With...

Take Five With Mike Prigodich

by AAJ Staff
June 25, 2011

Meet Mike Prigodich: Mike's jazz fusion compositions have begun attracting attention from many well-known national and local artists. Becoming a cancer patient in 2008 was the big wakeup call that got him to start writing lots of new music, form a band, start booking gigs, and pursue his dream of becoming a professional jazz musician, inspired by fellow cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. Mike raised over $10,000 on kickstarter.com in 2010 to fund his first studio album A Stitch ...

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Recording

Keyboardist/Composer Mike Prigodich Releases New CD "A Stitch in Time" from Mexican Mocha Music.

Source: Two for the Show Media
June 21, 2011

Mexican Mocha Music CD Release Date: July 26th, 2011 Over the past two years Mike Prigodich's jazz-fusion compositions have begun attracting attention from many well-known national artists. For him, becoming a cancer patient in 2008 was the big wake-up call that got him to start writing new music, construct a band, start booking gigs, and pursue his dream of becoming a professional jazz musician. According to Prigodich, fellow cancer survivor Lance Armstrong inspired all this. Mike went on to raise ...
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"Wonderful. Beautiful. Really great. Wow, Mike. Great writing, man." -- Chick Corea

"Killin’ Mike! Chick lives within and without you. Thanks for carrying on the mission."
-- Bill Rooney (former Artist Manager for Chick Corea)

"I knew this guy was up to something; what a great disc! Beautifully written and played with passion and intensity by an excellent band. This is one of those CDs that you want to hear again as soon as it's finished. Bravo Mike!" -- George Whitty (Brecker Brothers)

"Wonderful. Beautiful. Really great. Wow, Mike. Great writing, man." -- Chick Corea

"Killin’ Mike! Chick lives within and without you. Thanks for carrying on the mission."
-- Bill Rooney (former Artist Manager for Chick Corea)

"I knew this guy was up to something; what a great disc! Beautifully written and played with passion and intensity by an excellent band. This is one of those CDs that you want to hear again as soon as it's finished. Bravo Mike!" -- George Whitty (Brecker Brothers)

"Watch out for this guy! Mike is terribly brave, adventurous, playful, and adept. As his compositions and playing demonstrate, Mr. Prigodich is a rising talent following his creative muse fearlessly to wherever it takes him." -- David Goldblatt (Tribal Tech)

"Way cool! Great band too! You play great man." -- Steve Lukather (Toto, Michael Jackson)

"Very cool Mike!! Love the bridge and the keyboard solo. You can definitely play!!" -- Steve Porcaro (Toto, Michael Jackson)

"Fantastic work by all! Great writing and playing. Well done! Great sounds too." -- Todd Sucherman (Styx)

"Sounds killing, man! I love your music." -- Mike Pope (Chick Corea, Al Di Meola)

“Playing your ass off!! Super!! Great band!!” -- Gumbi Ortiz (Al Di Meola)

“Yeah MP & Co.! Great to hear you tearing it up, man!” -- Joe Locke

"This band is top shelf; they were super tight and super exciting." -- George Colligan (Jack DeJohnette, Lenny White)

"I definitely hear a Chick influence in your playing and writing. I'm flattered that you cite me as an influence." -- Andy Milne (Dapp Theory)

reviews

Jazz Chill Music “Acclaimed jazz fusion pianist and composer Mike Prigodich is set to unveil his latest recording, Stage Magic, a dynamic live album that captures the high-energy brilliance of his music in its purest form. Recorded live on November 23, 2024, at Classic Pianos in Portland, OR, Stage Magic showcases Prigodich's innovative artistry and the masterful synergy of his all-star ensemble. Stage Magic is a sonic journey brimming with inventive melodies, rhythmic complexity, and a deep sense of play. From the mesmerizing syncopations of “The Wizard of Odd” to the reflective beauty of “Haiku,” the recording captures a group of top-tier musicians at the height of their improvisational powers.”

Paris Move “Nothing is left to chance. Each instrument, each melodic line, each rhythmic pivot follows a deliberate, almost architectural logic. And yet, despite the sophisticated frameworks, the music never loses its emotional immediacy. That is perhaps the album’s greatest strength: its ability to marry structural complexity with sonic clarity. Certain refrains, though harmonically intricate, linger in the listener’s memory with surprising ease. One is reminded of those exceptional records produced in the 1980s and early 2000s, where virtuosity served the music rather than overshadowed it. And yet, this is not a retro exercise, this album is firmly planted in the 21st century.

But this album is more than a solo feat, it is a testament to collective musical intelligence. Prigodich surrounds himself with extraordinary musicians whose individual contributions are unmistakable yet always in service to the greater whole. That delicate balance—between singular expression and ensemble unity, gives the album a depth and richness that verge on the orchestral.

Ultimately, this record stands as a benchmark, one that may well reshape how jazz fusion is approached in the 21st century. It will no doubt resonate with aficionados of complex compositions, but also with anyone who believes that music, at its core, is a human journey. For the next generation of jazz musicians, it offers something increasingly rare: a model of artistic integrity, unshaken by trend or compromise, rooted in conviction, and all the more powerful for it.”

All About Jazz -- "Prigodich is an excellent keyboardist, but it's his writing that really stands out. There is a liveliness and emotional connection to much of this music that makes it immediately endearing. His band is tight and funky, with an ability to groove that puts many better-known fusion outfits to shame."

Audiophile Audition -- "What do Chick Corea and Spinal Tap have in common? That would be Portland keyboardist Mike Prigodich."

No Treble -- ‎"The album’s intriguing melodies, odd time signatures, and ear-bending harmonies make it a stand-out album in the world of fusion."

The Virginian-Pilot -- "11 musically adventurous/challenging tracks that are, at times, mind-boggling in their intensity."

Inside MusiCast Album Of The Day on Monday, June 13, 2011 -- "A tour de force that would certainly get the respect of Prigodich’s muse Chick Corea. In the tradition of The Yellowjackets, The Brecker Brothers, Hiromi and others, the 11 tracks on A STITCH IN TIME cover a vast fusion landscape of complex proportions that’ll have you wondering how an artist like Mike Prigodich could ever consider sitting on the sidelines. The entire project is an incredibly satisfying ride."

All About Jazz -- "Prigodich speaks a musical language all his own, one born of a voice that elevates his instrument far beyond its realm into one where mystery and magic meet."

Sea Of Tranquility -- "Prigodich infuses every second of his debut album [with] style, grace, and wonderful musicality. [His] affirmation for life comes through with every note, and the album feels like a celebration of music."

The Urban Flux -- "This is what great music and musicianship is all about."

Music Life and Times -- "Listen for the precision of the compositions, for the cohesion of the band and for the sheer enjoyment of smoking Jazz. It is impossible to get enough of these guys."

JazzTimes -- "Mike offers melodic breadth with very defined piano craft. He is an astonishing musician and a brilliant composer. His original works are studies in precision. They are demanding and they require the very best of musicians to perform them. He has gathered the best of the best and the results are scintillating."

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