Michael Cates

My career as a Saxophone player and electronic musician has brought me to this cyberstage. My style of contemporary Jazz, "Concrete Jazz", is a culmination of all of the styles and influences that have brought about my identity. So whatever musical style I play, you will always be able hear what "I'm about", and distinguish my voice from the many voices out there today.

For those of you that might be new to me, you've more than likely heard me on any number of commercial's or movie scores. The fact of the matter is that a gig's a gig, and work is a positive thing. I'm sure all musicians reading this would concur. None the less, it's often times hard to pursue the individual side of your art when you are locked into things like security and upkeep of your lifestyle. So this is the issue that I raise and will hopefully get across to anyone reading.

Solo art is a hybrid of all the things that define the personality of the artist. It should not be concerned with impressing other musicians, as this is pointless. It must be a mirror of the artist, always true, honest and vulnerable.

As a producer I am asked to make things sound a certain way, it is also the reality of session work. In the scope of an artist's maturity, I think this is a very positive aspect. When you get the chance do your own thing, you are even more motivated by the love of art and the need for an individual voice.

Concrete Jazz is my own reinvention of contemporary instrumental music.

This work represents much of the music that I needed to send out to everyone. It was the way I was feeling and the way I heard the art. The composition doesn't have to be super heavy in nature, but rather a statement that keeps you wanting to listen. I've written many tunes through out the years, and they have all ranged from the most "out there" to the most simplistic in nature. I really felt as though it was time to put out a CD's worth of contemporary jazz music that would stand up alone by it's melodic content as opposed to improvisational content.

This is "Concrete Jazz", and it is my own true style. I'm proud of it, and I hope you will enjoy it as it was intended to be heard. As some of you know from my live shows, the music really takes on a charge of extra intensity when performed by my band out on the road. We truly love to stretch it's melodic boundaries and bring it to places unavailable in the studio. I think that's why Jazz is such a true and honest art form.

Instrumental music, Jazz, Concrete Jazz, or whatever you wish to tag it, always allows the player the chance to test themselves and their musical creations. That's true uninhibited art.