Mike Sasso CONTACT
Web Link: www.myspace.com/mikesassomusic | Mike Sasso For Mike Sasso, music, like life, is a constant searching. Constantly searching to give back to music what he himself gets out of it. His journey as a musician has always been about creating memorable musical experiences through writing songs and playing guitar. It is his passion, natural ability, and his dedication that has kept him producing, writing, performing, and sharing his experiences with others. Mike Sasso grew up in Windsor, Ontario, Canada across the river from Detroit. He picked up guitar after repeatedly pestering his piano teacher to learn Rolling Stones songs. It was at the University of Ottawa where he decided to pursue an Honours degree in music, and where his formal training in music began. There he studied world music traditions with renowned Ethnomusicologist, Jocelyn Guilbault, for two years. In his third year of the degree, Sasso began to study the techniques of composition as a way to expand his songwriting skills. Later that year, he won first prize in a contest for composers of contemporary piano works for his movement “The Trees”. The work was premiered in a program of avant-garde piano music performed by pianist Marc Couroux at the National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa Citizen critic Richard Todd remarked “It was the most lyrical and immediately approachable offering of the evening, and whetted the appetite for the rest of the suite”. After graduating with an Honours degree in music from the University of Ottawa, Sasso focused more on his guitar playing and songwriting and started producing his original songs. His first release titled “Lonley Nights E.P.” featured five songs in a classic rock/blues format and Canada’s Exclaim! Magazine remarked that “This is a well put together, sincere pop/rock that kicks the ass of whatever happens to be on the charts at the moment.” (I. Khider) “Biorhythms”, Sasso’s second independent release, featured virtuosic guitar playing through wildly improvised and eclectic instrumental recordings with songs such as “Nefertiti”, “Don’t Walk Out On Me” and “Watching The Rain”. The album was made in 5 different studios and finally mastered at Richard Becker’s Pac 3 Recording in Dearborn, MI, who mastered many of the early Motown recordings. In 2008, he won the Corel Endowment Fund For The Arts Award for innovative techniques applied to live performance for his work re-mixing the 80’s classic “White Pony” and Nine Inch Nails’ “Hand That Feeds” with MIDI and a live group. He emailed the group Laid Back that created the original song and sent them a transcript of the sheet music that the musicians followed and got a gratifying email and a inspirational “keep grooving Mike” comment on his myspace account. Also in 2008, he was asked to play at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival based on pieces he wrote and arranged for a group called “The Michael Sasso Dixieland Band”. None of the music performed was in fact Dixieland, but Sasso knew it would appeal to the local programmer who likes old fashion jazz. The group covered The Pointer Sisters' "Neutron Dance", Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women" and blues and funk inspired originals. He will be performing again as part of the 2009 Ottawa International Jazz Festival with more original music for horns and Tuba. Always looking to find ways to express his inspiration, Mike Sasso continues to work on his own arrangements and produce memorable live performances. Mike is motivated by the way music makes him feel inside. It’s his wish to share this with as many people as possible, bringing people together in harmony. |
