| Friends |
 | Seach Bliss
http://www.searchbliss.com
John Kline, brother of Kimberly runs this great website for webtools, resources, code, utilities...great stuff. |
|  | PEACEBRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT
www.facebook.com/pages/Phila-NY/Peacebridge-Booking/79398643253
peacebridgeentertainment@gmail.com
Steven Goldstein is a time tested, respected elder in our family, managing Michael since 1993. He has always been right by our side since the early days, working extensively in management and live production. His humor, buisness saavy, positive attitude and foresight have prevented many of the usual pitfalls and potential gig disasters. He is simply the best at what he does and the key person that the band trusts with business decisions. If you see him at a show, give him a hug. |
|  | No Boundaries, a Violet Mendoza film on Eyelight Pictures
www.noboundariesthemovie.com
This is a Sundance style film that was Michael's first soundtrack song placeement. The film stars Mark McGraw, son of Phillies pitching great Tug McGraw and brother of country music star Tim McGraw. The song "Groove" was written by MM and old friend Shan Egan for the Funk Church sessions. Shan also appears in the film as an Immigration and Customs Agent. Violet Mendoza and producer Jake Willig are very talented film makers that are Phila's rising stars. The film was awarded an "Indie" award earlier this year when it made it's debut at the Phila Cinefest. |
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|  | Crosstown Traffic
www.myspace.com/crosstownphilly
These guys are more than just Phila's Jam Elite...they are our heroes, big brothers,teachers and friends. Sitting in with them is them...that's a real honor. They only play a few gigs a year but it is always special. Greg, Wally, Ronny, Chico...Thanks! |
|  | Boris Garcia
www.borisgarcia.com
This is one our other favorite Phila jamgrass bands that not only smokes but is filled with old pals. Guitarist Bob Stirner has been a mentor to Michael since the eighties. His former band, Living Earth (Relix) was the stuff of legend in the Phila Dead scene, and by day he was also Michael's Mesa Boogie dealer at Zaph's music throughout the eighties. Bob later helped earn Michael his Dead wings in the nineties, giving him a lead vocal spot in the last incarnation of Living Earth, considerably raising Michael's profile. Stirner is Philly's Steve Kimock and the rest of the musicians in Boris are just as amazing. Drummer Stephe Ferraro has fllled in with us on a few times...It's all in the family. Catch them at the Phila Folk Fest this year...we will! |
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 | Paul Green's School of Rock
www.schoolofrock.com
Ryan and Crosstown keyboardist Wally Smith both teach at School of Rock. This program is extremely valuable to the musical youth and they do a great job with a very unique and sucessfull teaching approach. This is the school on which the Jack Black movie was based. The real thing is even cooler...check em out dudes! |
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Clearwater Revival Festival
www.clearwater.org/festival
Very Cool festival on the upper Hudson River in Croton-on-Hudson NY. Led by folk legend Pete Seeger, the festival addresses one of the most important enviormental issues in the NY area...clean water in the Hudson River Valley. Lovely setting, great music and food with a emphasis on the issue of cleaning up the River. We played alongside many great musicians including Leo Kotke, Tony Trishka and John Jorgensen and we had a great weekend. You gotta go to this festival!
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|  | Nelson Ledges Quarry Park
www.nlqp.com
One of the best outdoor venues we have played period. Great setting, play on the beach, swimming, great camping...just festival heaven! We highly recommened attending an event there, maybe Gratefulfest. First class staff, fantastic scenery and great shows put on by main man Evan Kelly. It is a beautiful joint that we are glad to know about and so now you know too! |
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 | Plus Vibes Productions
www.plusvibes.com
Excellent promoter and events firm out of Reading PA. Run by our buddy Chris Kratz, PlusVibes is great for touring bands looking for shows in SE PA. Friendly, old head vibes with great results...they are a way cool production company. Hit them up and tell em that we sent you. |
|  | Dark Star Orchestra
www.darkstarorchestra.net
We dig this band. Having them sit in at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park was an honor and very cool. Rolling Stone recently called them "...the hottest tribute act in the country..." We have been fans since 2004, when Michael quietly auditioned for the band at Phila's Electric Factory following the sudden death of founding member and keyboardist Scott Larned. The band was friendly, gracious and helpful under the most stressful of circumstances. Thankfully for all they found the amazing Rob Barraco. It was the best gig ever that Michael didn't get. |
|  | Jay Davidson aka Jason David Steel, Funk Detective
http://www.jdavidson.org/bio.htm
We pinch ourselves during every sax solo. Jay has played sax and keys with Whitney Houston [World Tour 1988], Taj Mahal, Steve Winwood, Billy Preston, Phoebe Snow, Joan Osborne, Bobby Caldwell, Levon Helm, Maxi Priest, Sly & Robbie...In ’04 Jay finished up a stint with The Grammy Award winning Funk Brothers, playing six instruments on their 2003~04 touring dates supporting the movie “Standing In The Shadows of Motown”. The stint included appearances on The Tonight Show and American Idol, as well as an opening slot for The Dead on New Years Eve. Jay was also a member/leader of the NBA 76ers House Band from 1996~2004. |
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| |  | St. Lewis Productions
www.stlewisproductions.org
Our very good friends Tatiana St. Phard and Cymande Lewis have a wonderful company that has been developing Television and Film projects. After meeting on the "No Boundaries" set, Tatiana and Mande approached MM about contributing music and voice-over studio work. The team turned out to be a great fit and we have been working together for over a year now on various recording, soundtrack and commercial projects. |
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|  | Mike Tyler- Guitarist, Producer
www.myspace.com/miketylerfunk
Mike is a phenomenal guitarist and producer that Michael has known since the eighties. Tyler has worked with LL Cool J, P-Funk, G-Love, you name it. He is a great friend, writer, and simply the best rythym player in R and B today. His Wah Wah style is beyond amazing. Mike co-wrote some of the songs on our CD including "Take It" and "Get The Keys". He is also the funniest man alive and once kept us laughing for four days straight. |
|  | John Kadlecik
John and Michael met when MM auditioned for DSO in 2005...nice guy and brilliant guitarist. We were happy to see that John went on to play with Further this year...he deserves it.
www.johnkmusic.net
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 | Stephe Ferraro
Love this guy...great drummer, sweet dude and very talented. Stephe has been a friend since the late nineties when MM played with Living Earth. He is the backbone of Boris Garcia and a great friend.
www.myspace.com/stepheferraro |
| |  | Junior Marvin
Legendary lead guitarist with Bob Marley and the Wailers, Stevie Wonder...sat in with us at Woodbury Ct in 2007. Junior is an excellent musician who was gracious and humble. This photo was taken backstage between sets after he signed MM's guitar.
www.juniormarvin.com |
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 | Stevie Culture
Our breddren from Jamrock...we met in 2007 at Kalamazoo Island festival where he joined us onstage. Awesome musician and producer with Itals, Meditations...this guy is the real deal. Check out Stevie and his music...IRIE!
www.stevieculture.com |
|  | Rob Barraco
Another first class musician with a humble and approachable vibe. Jamming with him at NLQP was cool as hell and we will always be down with Rob. Michael first met Rob in 1995, while performing with Zen Tricksters in Phila. He went on to play with the Dead, Phil Lesh, the Other Ones and DSO. A classy guy and fantastic player with great stories and a cool demeanor.
www.robbarraco.com |
|  | Gary Leftkowith
http://www.recordingnyc.com/ http://www.hifiadd.com/gary.html
Gary has been Promoting & Producing Records for over 25 years. In 2005 he had two # 1 Records; Hobastank & Jo Jo. Some of the other acts Gary has promoted over the years include: Gwen Steffani, Janet Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, Jay-Z, Backstreet Boys, American Hi-Fi, LeAnn Wommack, Everclear, Inner Circle, Lloyd Price, Julian Lennon & Mick Jagger. |
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 | PA State Rep Tony Payton
Michael met Tony on the set of "Music To Morrow" and really liked his ideas and political platform. Payton is a no-nonsense, community conscious man who is genuine and committed. Like MM, he loves Philadelphia and works tirelessly to promote it's greatness
www.pahouse.com/Payton |
|  | Earl "Chinna' Smith
Another Reggae legend and one of MM's heroes. Here they are jamming backstage in Phila in 2003. "Chinna" is an amazing guitarist and producer who has worked with Black Uhuru, Peter Tosh, Ziggy Marley and Junior Gong. Rolling Stone called him "...the black Eric Clapton..." A lovely, inspiring man with a spiritual vibration that is equal to his unbelievable musical skill. MM and Chinna jammed for a few hours and he invited us to Jamaica.
www.chinnasmithmusic.com |
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 | Brad Pennock
MM's longtime friend and guitar guy...Brad has been a tribal elder for as long as there has been a tribe. B-Rad has worked with MM for years, finding guitars and helping design Michael's monsterous effects rig. Pennock is a very interesting guy with alot of artistic abilities including photography, graphic art, concert production and stage managing experience.
www.facebook.com/people/bradpennock |
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