Michael Tracy

Saxophonist/Educator

Video

Awards

  • Fulbright Senior Specialist – Tbilisi, Georgia
  • Alumni Fellow

‘Conversations’

I can think of no better way to have a conversation with my many musical friends, from here and from all over the world, than to play together and the duet setting is the most intimate way.  The idea came to me because I was visiting many of my friends (and making new ones) over the past year, here and abroad, and what I wanted to do was to play a selection that represents them, their culture and our friendship.  Maybe their composition or arrangement or a tune that we both like, run it down once and then record on video, just using my iPhone, to be as spontaneous as possible – a real ‘Conversation’ in that moment.  I then realized that I had had ‘Conversations’ like this over the years and included them within this collection.  It was all great fun.

Following are my ‘Conversations’ with musicians from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Finland, France, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Russia and throughout the United States. More coming….

  • BODY and SOUL – Johnny Green
    Recored @ UofL School of Music
    February 16, 2023

    Playing with Harry Pickens is always a special musical experience. Harry is, without question, the consummate accompanist, someone who has your ‘musical back’ at all times.  This and the next three videos are from a concert we presented. It is obvious that Harry is a true musical partner!
  • IF I COULD HOLD YOU WHEN YOU CRY – Harry Pickens
    Recorded @ UofL School of Music
    February 16, 2023

    When recording our CD ‘Conversations‘, we felt like we needed one more tune and found that we could not settle on the right one. Harry said wait a minute, more like 15 minutes, and he came up with this beautiful and meaningful melody. It was the right one.
  • ALFONSINA y EL MAR – Félix Luna & Ariel Ramírez
    Recorded @ UofL School of Music
    February 16, 2023

    What a fantastic melody with a wonderful story about lost love, disappointment and pain. Harry and I recorded this on ‘Conversations‘ and finally got an opportunity to play it live. I’d do again and again …
  • TRISTE – Antonio Carlos Jobim
    Recored @ UofL School of Music
    February 16, 2023

    Great fun playing Brazilian music with Harry. We had to have at least one Jobim tune.

  • YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS – Don Raye and Gene de Paul
    Recorded @ UofL School of Music. Faculty Gala. October 2022.

    This was supposed to be a duet with my friend Harry Pickens. We were to play Alfonsina y el Mar, a wonderful tune by Félix Luna – Ariel Ramírez. Unfortunately Harry became ill and could not play. So I had a choice – to get someone else to play, not play or play solo. I knew that I could not do Alfonsina justice alone, so I selected You Don’t Know What Love Is just before coming out. I love the melody and lyrics of You Don’t Know … and it is somewhat in the spirit of Alfonsina. So what was to be a duet with Harry became a ‘duet’ with myself.

  • SOFTLY, AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE – Sigmund Romberg with drummer Ed Soph.
    Recorded @ my UofL office. April 2023.

    ‘Mr. Soph’ and I go a long way back, back to 1976 when I roomed with him at my first Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop in Wichita, Kansas. We traveled the world together – England, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and more. What a great player and educator, character and caring friend.

    Ed was in Louisville to play on John La Barbera’s composition Assumption, the orchestral piece that features tenor sax and rhythm section, for my retirement event. We found time between rehearsals to go to my old office and play a duet. I didn’t tell him the title, just the form and gave him a tempo. I knew that it would work out great.

  • SUNSHOWER – Kenny Barron with bassist Hamilton Pinheiro
    Recorded at the Universidade de Brasília in Brasilia, Brazil. May 2023.

    Hamilton and I have had a close friendship and association ever since our first meeting in Brasilia many years ago. He is a founding member of my Brazilian group Hora Certa and helped to coordinate my Brazilian Music Workshop. We played many a job and recorded several CDs together. I love his compositions especially Mikezão and Para Casa. He is an extraordinary bassist and musician. I love playing with him in any setting

    When I first heard Stan Getz playing Kenny Barron’s Sunshower I immediately wanted to play the tune. It was an excellent choice to play with Hamilton.

  • BEAUTIFUL LOVE – Victor Young with bassist Oswaldo Amorim 
    Recorded at the Universidade de Brasília in Brasilia, Brazil. May 2023.

    Oswaldo is a first call bassist and it is such a joy playing with him. His smile and spirit are infectious, and shows in his playing. We recorded in a studio at UnB but had to wait because there was a session going on in the next room and there was bleed from their bassist. We kinda messed around with it while waiting for their session to end. Well unexpectedly Oswaldo just decided to stick it on the end of Beautiful Love, so our Conversation continued, stumbles and all. Like I wrote, a joy playing with Oswaldo.

  • BLACK ORPHEUS (Manhã de Carnaval) – Luiz Bonfá with guitarist Paulo Andre Tavares  
    Recorded at the Universidade de Brasília in Brasilia, Brazil. May 2023.

    I really love the gentle way Paulo Andre plays, his touch and sensitivity to what others play. He is a true accompanist. We were considering tunes and he suggested Luiz Bonfá’s Black Orpheus. What a great suggestion and what better way to end our afternoon.

  • STELLA BY STARLIGHT – Victor Young with saxophonist Anderson Pessoa.
    Recorded at the Universidade de Brasília in Brasilia, Brazil. May 2023.

    Anderson is a colleague, friend and former student. He is also an excellent saxophonist, creative composer/arranger and outstanding teacher. I met Anderson during my first trip to Brazil in 1998 and we have stayed in touch ever since. I love visiting him and his students in Natal – the beaches, dunes, food….!

    We had just finished participating in a saxophone event and thought we’d play a tune, so we selected Stella and just started playing. No melody at first, just soloing over the changes.

  • FREE IMPROVISATION – Michael Tracy and Philippe Geiss.
    Recorded at Akademia Muzyczna in Poznan, Poland. December 2023

    Philippe is a outstanding saxophonist and educator. He and I met at the 5th International SaxEvent in December. Philippe enthusiastically embraced our playing together, so much so that we did so a second time just minutes following on the evening concert. Not often do you get to hear sopranino.

  • FREE IMPROVISATION – Michael Tracy and Rafal Rachwal.
    Recorded at Akademia Muzyczna in Poznan, Poland. December 2023

    Rafal and I met at the 5th International SaxEvent in Poznan, Poland in December 2023. Rafa? is an excellent classical saxophonist and someone who has not had much experience improvising; however, it did not take much for me to get him to ‘converse’ with me through our saxophones.

  • BYE, BYE BLACKBIRD – Ray Henderson with bassist Rich Syracuse.
    Recorded at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. June 2023.

    I met Rich many years ago in La Plata, Argentina, with Waldo Brandwajnman. I always enjoyed Rich’s enthusiasm and musical approach to playing. You can tell he just loves to play and I wanted to share that with him. Interestingly, he and I are both playing on borrowed instruments. Doesn’t matter in the least.

  • THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU – Harry Warren with bassist Rich Syracuse.
    Recorded at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. June 2023.

    We enjoyed playing so much, Rich said let’s do another. So we did.

  • NIGHT and DAY (1) – Cole Porter with guitarist Alé Demogli.
    Recorded @ the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, June 2023.

    I met Alé during my first of many visits to Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2006, through a mutual friend, Waldo Brandwajnman. Our paths have crossed many times over the years, this time in Helsinki. We had to play together.

  • NIGHT and DAY (2) – Cole Porter with guitarist Alé Demogli.
    Recorded @ the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, June 2023.

    Enjoyed playing so much with my Argentine friend Alé that we had to do a second take.

  • FREE IMPROVISATION 1 – Michael Tracy and Esa Pietilä.
    Recorded @ the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland. June 2023.

    Esa is from Finland and a very interesting individual who loves the saxophone, composing, sailing and much more. Don’t remember when we first met but have stayed in touch over the years. Playing freely is a different challenge and who better to play with than Esa.

  • FREE IMPROVISATION 2 – Michael Tracy and Esa Pietilä.
    Recorded @ the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland. June 2023.

    Had to try it again, who knows what might happen?!

  • YOU STEPPED OUT OF A DREAM – Nacio Herb Brown with guitarist Hector Lepe.
    Recorded at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. June 2023.

    While attending the International Association of Schools of Jazz Meeting, I had to borrow a saxophone. Hector Lepe, a graduate student at the Sibelius Academy, often helped me with getting an instrument and a room to practice. Hector and I started talking and I found out that he was from Mexico and a really fine guitarist, another opportunity for an unplanned ‘conversation’.

  • BEATRICE – Sam Rivers with pianist Oscar Graça
    Recorded @ the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland. June 2023.

    Oscar and I met that the International Association of Schools of Jazz Meeting just this year. We were in a faculty group together and I loved his playing, so I had to ask if he’d play a duet with me. Thankfully he agreed.

  • TEMA PARA ESTHER – William Maestre with pianist William Maestre.
    Recorded @ Universidad el Bosque, March 2023.

    I met William Maestre in 2015 during my first visit to Bogota and el Bosque. Over the years and my many visits, I really enjoyed getting to know him, his playing and his compositions. Seemed a natural for a ‘conversation’ and he said yes and that he had the perfect composition for it – a waltz that he had written for his mother. After a quick run through, we played this lovely piece. I could tell it was meaningful for him.

  • SIN VIAJE – Javier Perez with guitarist/composer Javier Perez.
    Recorded @ Universidad el Bosque, March 2023.

    Javier and I have been friends and colleagues for many years. I have always enjoyed visiting Colombia and spending time with his students and faculty, for I have learned a great deal from our time together. Playing his composition Sin Viaje is a perfect example of our ‘conversations’ about his music and Colombia.

  • NARDIS – Bill Evans with guitarist David Becker.
    Recorded @ my UofL office, March 2023.

    David and I met through a mutual friend, Waldo Brandwajnman, in La Plata, Argentina in 2006 and have remained in touch every since. We recorded this for Waldo who passed during the pandemic. Waldo touched everyone he met and cared deeply about the music. Waldo you are greatly missed by many.

  • I Mean You – Thelonious Monk
    O Grande Amor – Antonio Carlos Jobim
    Conversation – Steve Allee
    There Will Never Be Another You – Harry Warren
    Autumn Leaves – Jacques Prevert

    Everyone had to adjust during the COVID pandemic. Our annual Tyler Park Jazz Fest was no exception. Winton and I just got together and presented our concert from my home. It was an enjoyable experience playing fun tunes.

  • LADY BIRD/HALF NELSON – Dameron/Boyd with saxophonist Samir Kambarov. Recorded @ my home studio, 8/2020.

    Playing Samir is always fun. He is game to try anything and it
    always comes out musically.
  • BLUE n GREEN – Miles Davis/Bill Evans w guitarist Craig Wagner.
    Recorded @ UofL Faculty Gala, 2/2019

    I love this melody and the interaction with Craig. He hears everything.
  • TRISTE – Antonio Carlos Jobim with percussionists Pedro Augusto & Kiko Serbian. Recorded @ UofL’s Bird Recital Hall

    Love playing Brazilian music and love playing with Pedrinho and Kiko, so creative and musical. We just set-up and went, no rehearsal.
  • BEATRICE – Sam Rivers with pianist Gabe Evens.
    Recorded for Jazz Studies, 6/2019.
  • NARDIS – Bill Evans/Miles Davis with pianist Gabe Evens
    Recorded for Jazz Studies, 6/2019.
  • BLUE BOSSA – Kenny Dorham with pianist Gabe Evens
    Recorded for Jazz Studies, 6/2019
  • ALONG TOGETHER – Arthur Schwartz with guitarist Craig Wagner.
    Recorded @ UofL Faculty Gala, 9/2018.

    Playing with Craig is always a treat. Pick a tune and just go.
  • ISFAHAN – Billy Strayhorn with bassist Chris Fitzgerald
    Recorded @ UofL Faculty Gala, 9/2016

    Love this Strayhorn melody.
  • BLUE BOSSA – Kenny Dorham with pianist Winton Reynolds
    Recorded @ my home, 5/2016
    A promotional video for a tour of China. (short version)
  • ALL BLUES – Miles Davis with pianist Winton Reynolds
    Recorded @ my home, 5/2016
  • BLUE BOSSA – Kenny Dorham with pianist Winton Reynolds
    Recorded @ my home, 5/2016
  • ALL BLUES – Miles Davis with pianist Winton Reynolds
    Recorded @ my home, 5/2016
    A promotional video for a tour of China. (short version)
  • THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA – AC Jobim with bassist Andre Gonsalves. Recorded for WHAS-TV, 2/2016. Playing a Brazilian classic with a Brazilian bassist.
  • DOXY – Sonny Rollins with bassist Tyrone Wheeler.
    Recorded for KET-TV, 2/2000.

    Always fun swinging with Tyrone.
  • SO WHAT – Miles Davis with bassist Tyrone Wheeler. Recorded for KET-TV, 2/2000.

    Turning the tables on Miles’ classic tune, sax the bass line and bass the melody.

HORA CERTA and Brazilian

Brasília Connections – opening concert for the Brazilian Music Workshop @ Casa Thomas Jefferson. Brasilia, Brazil May 17, 2024

A night of Brazilian standards and originals.

Michael Tracy – sax, Moisés Alves – trumpet, Daniel Rodrigues – trombone, Iara Gomes – piano, Giovanni Sena – bass, Pedro Almeida – drums, Larissa Umaytá – percussion with special guest Renato Vasconcellos – piano

  • Joy Spring – Clifford Brown arr by CC Mariano and Winton Reynolds

  • Hora Certa @ Saxophone Weekend 2019.

  • Só Danço Samba – Antonio Carlos Jobim
    Fábio Calazans – Guitar, Michael Tracy – Tenor Sax, Saulo Moura – Bass, Edu Szajnbrum – Pandeiro
  • Virtual Concert with Hora Certa – Waterfront Botanical Gardens, June 11, 2020
  • Casa Thomas Jefferson Concert Brasilia, Brazil – March 15, 2019
  • Mulher Rendeira – traditional, arr by Paulo André
  • https://vimeo.com/202997236
  • April Child – Moacir Santos

FOTOGRAFIA CD release concert (September 19, 2019)

  • Certas Canções – Milton Nascimento
  • Coisa Feita – João Bosco
  • Forever Lover and Friend – Dori Caymmi
  • In A Sentimental Mood – Duke Ellington
  • Minha Saudade – Joao Donato
  • Blackbird – John Lennon & Paul McCartney
  • A Rã – Joao Donato & Caetano Veloso
  • Fotografia – Antonio Carlos Jobim
  • Joy Spring – Clifford Brown
  • Viola Violar – Milton Nascimento
  • La Plata Jazz Festival 2012 (Argentina) 
    with Renato Vasconcellos, Oswaldo Amorim & Leander Motta
    Mulher Rendeira – arr. Paulo André Tavares
  • La Plata Jazz Festival 2012 (Argentina) 
    with Renato Vasconcellos, Oswaldo Amorim & Leander Motta
    Once I Love – Antonio Carlos Jobim
  • La Plata Jazz Festival 2012 (Argentina) 
    with Renato Vasconcellos, Oswaldo Amorim & Leander Motta
    No Horta do Tom – Oswaldo Amorim
  • La Plata Jazz Festival 2012 (Argentina) 
    with Renato Vasconcellos, Oswaldo Amorim & Leander Motta
    Recado Bossa Nova – Djalma Ferreira

Jazz at the Library (Lexington, KY) – October 6, 2014

  • Once I Loved – Antonio Carlos Jobim
  • Mulher Rendeira – traditional arr. by Paulo André
  • Café com Pão – João Bosco & Lysias Enio
  • No Horta do Ton – Oswaldo Amorim
  • Casa Forte – Edu Lobo
  • April Child – Moacir Santos
  • Rio – Roberto Menescal & Ronaldo Boscoli

Quartet / Quintet / Sextet

With Adam Nussbaum – Jazz Fest 2018 (with Gabe Evens, Chris Fitzgerald)

  • Days of Old – Adam Nussbaum
  • Played Twice – Thelonious Monk (w Ansyn Banks)
  • Ralph’s Piano Waltz – John Abercrombie
  • All Blues – Miles Davis (w Bill Evans)

Kavkaz Jazz Festival 2016 (Tbilisi, Georgia)

  • Kavkaz Jazz Festival 2016 (Tbilisi, Georgia) – Rabati Castle
  • Kavkaz Jazz Festival 2016 (Tbilisi, Georgia) – Opening Night

@ the Thelonious Club 2014 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
with Ale Demogli – guitar, Rich Syracuse – bass, Jeff ‘Siege’ Siegel – drums

  • My One and Only Love

  • Equinox
  • There Is No Greater Love
  • Evzen Jazz Club 2013 (Opava, Czech Republic)
    with Marek Walarowski Trio
    Israel – John Carisi
  • Evzen Jazz Club 2013 (Opava, Czech Republic)
    with Marek Walarowski Trio
    Original – Marek Walarowski
  • Pontifical Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP) 2019 – Full final concert
  • Pontifical Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP) 2019 – PUCP Jazz Band
  • Pontifical Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP) 2019 – Student Jam Session 2
  • Pontifical Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP) 2019 – Student Jam Session 1

With UofL Jazz Faculty

  • Blue Whisper – Amina Figarova
  • Morning Prayer – Chris Fitzgerald
  • Forth and Back – Chris Fitzgerald
  • Finished Already – Gabe Evens
  • Smoke Gets In Your Eyes – Jerome Kern
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rQ4GNIt-4A

    Boy in the Red Hat – Gabe Evens

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rQ4GNIt-4A

    Quito Exchange – Gabe Evens

KET-TV Live

  • FOUR – Miles Davis/Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson.
    Recorded for KET-TV, 2/2001
    with Renato Vasconcellos – piano, Tyrone Wheeler – bass,
    Jason Tiemann – drums

  • SONG FOR MY FATHER – Horace Silver
    Recorded for KET-TV, 2/2001
    with Renato Vasconcellos – piano, Tyrone Wheeler – bass,
    Jason Tiemann – drums
  • La Plata Jazz Festival 2014 (Argentina)
    with Robenare Marques, Marcelo Coelho, Rich Syracuse, Jeff Siegel, David Becker & Renato Vasconcellos
    Autumn Leaves – Kosma
  • La Plata Jazz Festival 2014 (Argentina)
    Original – Robenare Marques

Orchestra

  • Fazenda Santa Maria – Bruno Mangueira with UofL Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble
  • What’s New – Bob Haggard
  • What Is This Thing Called Love – Cole Porter
  • Private Eye – Joe Dunn
  • I Love Paris – Cole Porter
  • Here’s That Rainy Day – Jimmy Van Heusen
  • What Is This Thing Called Love – Cole Porter
  • On A Clear Day – Burton Lane
  • The Very Thought Of You – Ray Nobel
  • They Say It’s Wonderful – Irving Berlin
  • I Love Paris – Cole Porter
  • You Don’t Know What Love Is – Ray de Paul
  • Arroio/The Creek – Victor Assis Brazil

Educational

  • Pontifical Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP) 2019 – PUCP Jazz Band
  • Pontifical Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP) 2019 – Student Jam Session 2
  • Pontifical Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP) 2019 – Student Jam Session 1
  • Guayaquil, Ecuador – Universidad de las Artes master class
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smZEtT8fQ34
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOpAM9lvkhk
  • Mike Tracy in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia for the US Embassy 
  • Hamilton Pinheiro – Álbum Quatro
  • Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop 2012
  • Master class with Eric Alexander – Summer Jazz Workshops
  • Natal, Brazil – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN)
  • UofL Open World Jazz Program
  • I just uncovered a video taken at the 2006 International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ) Annual Meeting (University of Louisville School of Music).  The topic was jazz education with David Liebman, Wouter Turkenburg and Mike Tracy.  I think it remains pertinent today as it was then.