Michael Blum (musician)

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For other people with the same name, see Michael Blum.
Michael Blum
Birth nameMichael Robert Blum
Born (1993-05-30) May 30, 1993 (age 28)
Great Neck, New York, U.S.
GenresPop, jazz
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
  • record producer
  • multi-instrumentalist
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass
  • piano
  • keyboard
  • Digital Audio Workstation
Websiteproducedbymichael.com

Michael Blum (born May 30, 1993) is an American record producer, singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 2020, he was named an inaugural recipient of ASCAP's Peggy Lee Songwriter Award,[1] and he was named the "Rising Star" guitarist in the 63rd Annual Critics Poll in DownBeat magazine.[2]

Life and career[]

1993-2011: Early life[]

Blum was born in Great Neck, New York[3] to a musical family. His father, a classical guitarist, was his first music teacher.[4] Blum began his music studies on piano, then played saxophone before ultimately studying guitar at age nine.[3]

2011-2019: Jazz releases and The Reservoir[]

In 2011, Blum began studying at Dartmouth College, from which he graduated with a double major in music and cognitive science.[5] During the summer of his freshman year, Blum worked as a pit musician at the New London Barn Playhouse, where he decided to pursue music professionally.[6] He soon began studying with Berklee College of Music professor, Jim Stinnett,[7] who previously taught Blum's father.[3] After studying with him for a year, Stinnett suggested that he and Blum record an album together.[8]

In February 2014, Blum released his debut jazz album, Initiation, with his quartet, which features bassist Jim Stinnett, pianist Brad Smith and drummer Dom Moio.[9] All About Jazz called Initiation a "stellar debut."[10] In a review of Initiation, Downbeat Magazine compared Blum to "Kenny Burrell, Charlie Byrd, Jim Hall, Johnny Smith, Emily Remler...or Columbia-era George Benson," and called Blum "an articulate player who executes with clarity...[and] shows unusual maturity."[11] In a review of Initiation, Vintage Guitar Magazine said, "Hope for jazz guitar's future abounds in this release by the 20-year-old Blum and his quartet…[it's] the perfect debut for a player who seems wise beyond his years."[12]

In June 2015, Blum was named the "Rising Star" guitarist in the 63rd Annual Critics Poll in Downbeat Magazine.[2] That same month, Blum released his second album and vocal debut, Commitment, which features bassist Jim Stinnett, pianist Brad Smith, saxophonist Fred Haas and electric bassist Grant Stinnett.[13] The next year, Blum released Chasin' Oscar: A Tribute to Oscar Peterson, which Downbeat Magazine praised for its "enviable and rare combination of technique and taste."[14] Later in 2016, Blum released Expansion,[15] a jazz fusion project.

In January 2017, Blum released his first jazz-pop album as a singer-songwriter, The Reservoir.[16][17]

2019-present[]

In March 2019, Blum announced that he had begun a new solo project with his single "Taking You Back".[18][19][20] Later that year, Blum released the second single from his solo project, "Promises," a self-produced up-tempo track inspired by uncertainty in his life.,[21] and "Save Me," an up-tempo track inspired by Blum's personal battles with anxiety.[22][23]

Later in 2019, Blum moved to Los Angeles, CA and began co-writing and producing singles for artists including WESLEY, Jenna Lotti, , Michelle Ray, and more.[24]

Production discography[]

Title Year Artist(s) Album Co-writer Producer or Co-producer
"LET ME KNOW" 2020 WESLEY LET ME KNOW checkY
"WISHES" WISHES checkY
"PUNCHLINE" PUNCHLINE checkY checkY
"Happy" Jake Clark Happy checkY checkY
"Her" Jenna Lotti Her checkY checkY
"How to Be Loved" How to Be Loved checkY checkY
"Fake ID" Fake ID checkY checkY
"I'm Fine"
(featuring Michael Blum) 		Michelle Ray I'm Fine checkY checkY
"Promises" Michael Blum Promises checkY checkY
"Thank God It's Christmas"
(featuring greisun & Michael Blum) 		mxg Thank God It's Christmas checkY checkY
"How Long" Sophie Ann Just Me checkY
"You Can't Just" checkY
"Rinse Repeat" checkY checkY
"Bad Attitude" checkY checkY
"24 Hours" Ella M Yellow Blazer checkY checkY
"Coma" LEX Bits and Pieces checkY checkY
"Rock Bottom" checkY checkY
"정" checkY checkY
"Rebirth" checkY checkY
"Afterlife" checkY
"Roots" checkY
"Lighthouse" checkY
"Stand Up" checkY
"Hopeful Romantic" Mahealane Hopeful Romantic checkY
"SPACE" 2019 Kaylee Marshall SPACE checkY

References[]

  1. ^ Dye, Robert. "ASCAP Announces Inaugural Peggy Lee Songwriter Award Winners: Michael Blum And Jenna Lotti". American Songwriter. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Iyer Voted Jazz Artist of the Year in DownBeat Critics Poll". DownBeat. Maher Publications. 23 June 2015. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c O'Reilly, Anthony (17 April 2014). "Great Neck native gets his 'Initiation'". The Island Now. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  4. ^ Nelson, Margarette (14 April 2014). "Michael Blum '15 releases first jazz guitar CD, 'Initiation'". The Dartmouth. The Dartmouth, Inc. Retrieved 24 June 2015.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Barber, Bonnie (13 March 2014). "Musical Epiphany Leads to Debut CD by Michael Blum '15". Dartmouth Now. Trustees of Dartmouth College. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Understanding Twee, Michael Blum, And Comedian Todd Glass". New Hampshire Public Radio. Word of Mouth. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  7. ^ Wolper, Jon (12 April 2014). "Dartmouth Jazz Guitarist Releases Album". Valley News. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  8. ^ Peña, Tomas (5 April 2014). "Jazz Guitarist Michael Blum Releases "Initiation"". JazzDeLaPena. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  9. ^ Bewsey, Nick (February 2015). "The Michael Blum Quartet: Initiation". ICON Magazine. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  10. ^ Blanco, Edward (17 May 2014). "The Michael Blum Quartet: Initiation (2014)". All About Jazz. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  11. ^ Silsbee, Kirk (November 2014). "The Michael Blum Quartet: Initiation". DownBeat Magazine. 81 (11): 60. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  12. ^ Heidt, John (March 2015). "The Michael Blum Quartet: Initiation". Vintage Guitar Magazine. 29 (5): 133.
  13. ^ "Commitment - Michael Blum/Jim Stinnett". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  14. ^ "Michael Blum Quartet "Chasin' Oscar: A Tribute To Oscar Peterson"". DownBeat. July 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  15. ^ "Michael Blum: Expansion". AllMusic.
  16. ^ Gamboa, Glenn. "Long Island's Michael Blum finds his voice with new album, 'The Reservoir'". Newsday. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  17. ^ "Michael Blum: "The Reservoir"". AllMusic.
  18. ^ Frometa, RJ. "INTERVIEW: Adult Contemporary Artist Michael Blum". Vents Magazine. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  19. ^ Ayushi. "Discover: Michael Blum reinvents his sound with his new single "Taking You Back"". CelebMix. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  20. ^ "Michael Blum Transforms His Sound In New Single 'Taking You Back'". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  21. ^ Perez Hollingsworth, Ashley. "GENRE IS DEAD! Premiere: Hear Michael Blum's New Song 'Promises'". Genre Is Dead! Magazine. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  22. ^ Morgan, Adam. "Premiere: Michael Blum "Save Me"". Surviving the Golden Age. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  23. ^ "Interview: Michael Blum Discusses New Single "Save Me"". Daily Beat. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  24. ^ "ASCAP Songwriters Michael Blum & Jenna Lotti Named Inaugural Recipients of The Peggy Lee Songwriter Award". ASCAP. Retrieved 18 November 2020.

External links[]

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