A veritable “Ambassador of Jazz,” Professor Michael Tracy is one of America’s foremost jazz educators, with more than forty-five years of performing and teaching experience. In classrooms, studios, and concert halls, he has developed a variety of innovative approaches to jazz education, enabling him to work with students of any proficiency. Tracy has taught and performed throughout the United States, Argentina, Australia, Belize, Brazil, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Republic of Georgia, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, and Wales. As a Fulbright Specialist, he worked with and advised the jazz programs at the Estonian Music Academy in Tallinn, Estonia (2004), the Tbilisi State Conservatoire in Tbilisi, Georgia (2016) and Universidad de las Américas in Quito, Ecuador (2018-19). In 2024, he will be developing and organizing the first ever jazz program in Kenya at Ghetto Classics, based in Nairobi (2024).
As the retired Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Louisville School of Music in Louisville, Kentucky (formally the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studied Program), Professor Tracy taught jazz saxophone, jazz repertoire and numerous ensembles. In addition to his duties at the University, he was a longtime faculty member of the widely renowned Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops, where he served for over forty-two years. Mr. Tracy is the founder and director of the Louisville Jazz Workshop, a summer jazz experience for adults, and the Brazilian Music Workshop, an immersive experience in the music and culture of Brazil.
Tracy has also made forays into the worlds of recording with eight CDs to his credit – Fotografia (2019), Hora Certa (2016), Surfboard (2012), Wingspan (2010), Conversations (2008), Gusting (2004), Tracings (2003), and Facets (1999). He and his group Hora Certa were recognized as the Best Latin Jazz Artist of 2019 by Latin Music Awards Kentucky. Tracy’s publishing accomplishments include authoring the books Jazz Piano Voicings for the Non-pianist, co-authoring Pocket Changes: 421 Standard Chord Progressions and Pocket Changes II, 381 Standard Chord Progressions and Jazz Saxophone Survey: A Descriptive Analysis of 38 Saxophonists. He is also the artistic Director of JazzAnywhere.com, an online jazz education site which offers a variety of courses on jazz, Brazilian, Colombian music. In addition, Mr. Tracy is actively involved presenting online master classes for organizations in Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Russia and more.
Professor Tracy holds a Master of Arts in Higher Education and Bachelor of Music Performance and Music Education degrees from the University of Louisville. He is also the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts Study Grants in jazz performance.
Michael Tracy is Yamaha Artist, a D’Addario Artist (playing exclusively on D’Addario Jazz Select Reeds) and a Friend of Bambú (ligature).