Michael O’Brien holds a B.A from the University of Minnesota with a major in the Spanish language. He studied bass under Anthony Cox, and West African and Haitian percussion under Marc Anderson. He has been performing and composing Internationally for over a decade with such notables as Gil Goldstein, Dave King, Sachal Vasandani, David Binney, Ari Hoenig, and Marc Giuliana, to name a few. Michael has appeared at Festivals in Russia, Belarus, Haiti, Mexico, Norway, Ukraine and Japan. As well as the Lincoln Center Festival, JEN(Jazz Educators Network), IAJE (International Jazz Educators conference), PASIC (Percussive Arts Societies International Convention), American Composers Forums’ Sonic Circuits Festival. His string quartet arrangement of “Pine” was performed at the Kennedy Center by the acclaimed string quartet Ethel.
“Lyrical double bass solos from O’Brien, who proved himself equally adept as solo voice and accompanist”- All About Jazz