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
TRISTE – Antonio Carlos Jobim
ALFONSINA y EL MAR – Félix Luna & Ariel Ramírez
IF I COULD HOLD YOU WHEN YOU CRY – Harry Pickens
Videos by Country
Orchestra
2023 – UofL Orchestra
Assumption by John La Barbera
2012 – Orquesta Sinfónica de Loja
2011 – Orquestra Sinfónica de Loja
1989 – Ky Center Saxophone Ensemble
Three Penny Opera – Kurt Weill
Ensembles
2024 – Brasilia Connections
2024 – Brazilian Trio
2023 – SaxEVENT – Pozan Poland
2018 – w Adam Nussbaum
2015 – Blue Whisper – Amina Figarova
2014 – Thelonious Club – Buenos Aires
2014 – Boris Club – Buenos Aires
2014 – La Plata Jazz Festival
2014 – Fazenda Santa Maria
Bruno Mangueira w Orch & Jazz Ens
2013 – Evzen Café Club – Czech Republic
2012 – La Plata Jazz Festival
2001 – KET Mixed Media
Performances w UofL Jazz Faculty
Duos
2023 – Blue Bossa w Gabe Evens
2023 – Beatrice w Gabe Evens
2023 – Nardis w Gabe Evens
2020 – Tyler Park Jazz Fest
w Winton Reynolds
2019 – Blue ‘n Green w Craig Wagner
2018 – Old Folks w Craig Wagner
2018 – Alone Together w Craig Wagner
2016 – Tracy/Reynolds demo
(Blue Bossa & All Blues)
2013 – Isfahan w Chris Fitzgerald
2000 – KET Mixed Media
w Tyrone Wheeler (So What & Doxy)
1989 – WAVE-TV Morning Show
w Steve Crews (Summertime)
Hora Certa
2020 – Music in the Gardens
2023 – @ Hill House
2019 – HORA CERTA CD
Brazil Release concert
2019 – FOTOGRAFIA CD
USA release concert
2019 – @ Paramount Arts Center
2018 – Lexington Arts Foundation
2017 – Hora Certa concert
2014 – Lexington Arts Foundation
2013 – Jazz Alley – Ashland KY
Alumni Fellow
Retirement Concert – speeches
Retirement Concert
Kenya – A Collection
MY TIME with GHETTO CLASSICS
Korogocho and Mukuru Ghettos. Nairobi, Kenya. October to December 2025
https://www.youtube.com/@GhettoClassicswMikeTracy
This is a collection of videos from my six weeks working with students and faculty from Ghetto Classics. It was a fantastic, humbling experience. I cherish every moment I was able to know and work with these really wonderful people.
Joy Spring by Clifford Brown, arr. by CC Mariano and Winton Reynolds
Joy Spring – Clifford Brown arr by CC Mariano and Winton Reynolds
Brasilia Connections
Bye Bye Blackbird – Michael Tracy with Rich Syracuse
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 – Michael Tracy with Rich Syracuse
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 – Michael Tracy with Alé Demogli (1)
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) – Michael Tracy with Alé Demogli
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
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
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 – Michael Tracy with Hector Lepe
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 – Michael Tracy and Oscar Graça
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.
Stella by Starlight with saxophonist Anderson Pessoa.
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.
Beautiful Love with bassist Oswaldo Amorim
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.
Sunshower with bassist Hamilton Pinheiro
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.
Black Orpheus(Manhã de Carnaval) with guitarist Paulo Andre Tavares
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.
Sunshower – Kenny Barron with Hamilton Pinheiro
SUNSHOWER – Kenny Barron with bassist Hamilton Pinheiro
Recorded at the Universidade de Brasília in Brasilia, Brazil.
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 Oswaldo Amorim
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 Paulo Andre Tavares
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 Anderson Pessoa
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.
Assumption
by John La Barbera
Michael Tracy – saxophone
Gabe Evens – piano
Chris Fitzgerald – bass
Ed Soph – drums
Kimcherie Lloyd – conductor, University of Louisville Symphony Orchestra
Softly,As In A Morning Sunrise – Sigmund Romberg with Ed Soph
SOFTLY, AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE – Sigmund Romberg with drummer Ed Soph.
Recorded @ my UofL office.
‘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.
Sin viaje – Michael Tracy with William Maestre
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 – Michael Tracy with Javier Perez
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 – Michael Tracy with David Becker
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.
BODY and SOUL – Johnny Green
IF I COULD HOLD YOU WHEN YOU CRY – Harry Pickens
ALFONSINA y EL MAR – Félix Luna & Ariel Ramírez
TRISTE – Antonio Carlos Jobim
You Don’t Know What Love Is – Don Raye and Gene de Paul
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS – Don Raye and Gene de Paul
Recorded @ UofL School of Music. Faculty Gala.
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.
Tyler Park Jazz Fest 2020 – Duo Concert with pianist Winton Reynolds
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
Discussing being a jazz major
Pontifical Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP) 2019
PUCP Jazz Band
Student Jam Session 2
Student Jam Session 1
Complete Concert – Oct 2019
Triste – Antonio Carlos Jobim with percussionists Pedro Augusto & Kiko Serbian
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Hora Certa 1/27/2019
Hora Certa @ Saxophone Weekend 2019.
Jazz Faculty Concert
Rabati Castle
Opening Night
Mike Tracy in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia for the US Embassy
The Girl From Ipanema – AC Jobim with bassist Andre Gonsalves
Alumni Fellow
UofL Jazz Studies Program
UofL Jazz Studies Program
Meet the Faculty – Mike Tracy
Meet the Faculty
Jamey Aebersold’s Jazz Workshop
Master class with Eric Alexander – Summer Jazz Workshops
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
UofL Open World Jazz Program
David Liebman, Walter Turkenburg and Mike Tracy on IASJ and jazz education
Argentina
Brazil
Brazil
2024 – Brazilian Connections
2020 – Só Danço Samba
w Fábio Calazans
2019 – HORA CERTA CD
Brazil release concert
2016 – Álbum Quatro – Hamilton Pinheiro
2012 – La Plata Jazz Festival
w Renato Vasconcellos Trio
2011 – Saxophone Workshop in Natal
1998 – Casa Thomas Jefferson
Saxophone Workshop In Brazil
China
Colombia
Colombia
2023 – Conversation w William Maestre
2023 – Conversation w Javier Perez
2023 – Improvisation Master Class
Czech Republic
Ecuador
Ecuador
2019 – Universidad de las Artes master class
2018 – Brazilian Council concert
2012 – Orquesta Sinfónica de Loja
2012 – El Pobre Diablo w UDLA Big Band
2011 – Orquesta Sinfónica de Loja
Finland
Finland
2023 – Conversation (2) w Esa Pietilä
2023 – Conversation (2) w Alé Demogli
2023 – Conversation w Hector Lepe
2023 – Conversation w Oscar Graça
2023 – Conversation (2) w Rich Syracuse
France
Kenya
Kenya -USA Embassy pre -Concert
HOT CROSSED BUNS – Ghetto Classics students
Recorded before a concert in Nairobi, Kenya.
What a great way to end my time in Nairobi, playing with young Kenyan students from Ghetto Classics. I asked what they would like to play, what were they working on and up came Hot Crossed Buns. I can think of nothing better, so we all joined in.
Kenya – Improvisation class @ Mukuru
IMPROVISATION CLASS – Ghetto Classics students
Mukuru Ghetto, Nairobi, Kenya. November 30, 2024
This was my last day to work with the students from Ghetto Classics. Due to unexpected scheduling conflicts, I had to improvise from what I had planned to do and it could not have gone better. We just collected this group of students and started improvising with me playing keyboard. Be sure to check out Leaky, the young clarinetist in the green shirt. I found out later that he was about eight years old and playing clarinet about a year. He had never improvised but he was more than willing and he did great, so musical and fearless. He became emotional after finishing because he got to do something on his own and succeeded. So proud of him. They all did great, just look at their smiles. What a great way to end my six weeks working with these very deserving students.
Kenya – Mike Tracy interview
INTERVIEW: REFLECTIONS on JAZZ and MUSIC EDUCATION
Mukuru Ghetto. Nairobi, Kenya. November 28, 2024
Mexico
Peru
Poland
Poland
2023 – SaxEVENT
2023 – Conversation w Philippe Geiss
2023 – Conservation w Rafal Rachwal
2023 – Saxophone – Comparison of Styles
2003 – Polish Tour
Portugal
Republic of Georgia
Mike Tracy in Tbilisi
Fulbright Senior Specialist – Tbilisi, Georgia
Russia
Russia
2020 – Chelyabinsk Jazz Festival
2020 – Conversation w Samir Kambarov
2006 – St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl and Moscow
2005 – Yaroslavl w Open World Ensemble.
2005 – Rain Star Jazz Festival in Perm
United States
United States
2023 – Conversation w Ed Soph
2023 – Conversation w David Becker
2023 – Conversation w Rich Syracuse (2)
2018 – w Adam Nussbaum (3)