Upcoming: Detroit Jazz Festival and Strange Beautiful Music

Hey Friends,

Sad to say, but it seems like another summer is quickly passing us by. If you’re in the Detroit area, come celebrate the summer that was and the autumn that will be at these two incredible festivals:

Balance @ the Detroit Jazz Festival

My collaborative duo with saxophonist Marcus Elliot, Balance, will be performing at the Detroit Jazz Festival this weekend. Featuring music from our latest record Conjure and fresh off a summer tour, we’re excited to be back in Detroit to share this music.

Saturday September 2
Absopure Waterfront Stage
5:10 pm (note the time change)
Free

With Virago at Strange Beautiful Music

Strange Beautiful Music, the annual festival from New Music Detroit, is upon us. Amidst an incredible lineup, I’m thrilled to say that I’ll be performing with my friends in Virago. We’ll be playing my piece From Darkness We Awaken, which we premiered at the Detroit Institute of Arts just over a year ago. Also on the program is Harriet Steinke’s Listening For Bells. I can’t wait.

Saturday September 9
Detroit Symphony Orchestra (The Cube)
10:00pm
Tickets: $25-50 (but use code “StudentSBM16” for 50% off!)

Much more coming this Fall, including two world premieres and a nice run of shows with my trio. More on that soon. Thanks, as always, for your attention and support.

In gratitude,

-Michael

See You Out There ✌️

Balance Is Going On The Road

For the first time in a long long time, I’m going back out on the road. Marcus Elliot and I are so excited to share the music from Conjure with a wider audience this week. If you’re in any of these places, we hope to see you there. Or, tell a friend.

Wednesday 7/12

Silence, Guelph ON

46 Essex Street, Guelph, ON N1H 3K8, Canada

8:00pm

$20 CAD

With Connor Bennett, annias linares, and Emjay Wright

Get Tickets Here

Thursday 7/13

Sellers & Newel

672 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1B9, Canada

7:00pm

$30 CAD

Get Tickets Here

(call or email to reserve, instructions at the bottom of the page)

Friday 7/14

The Tavern

3978 Atwood Road, Stone Ridge NY, 12484

7:00pm

Free/Donation

Saturday 7/15

The Owl Music Parlor

497 Rogers Ave, Brooklyn NY, 11225

8:00pm

$12

With Anna Webber/Matt Mitchell

Get Tickets Here

Monday 7/17

El Rey Del Pescado

4515 5th Ave., Brooklyn NY, 11220

8:00pm

Free/Donation

With Stephen Boegehold/Ben Rolston

(Note: this is a quartet show!)

Tuesday 7/18

Rhizome

6950 Maple St NW, Washington DC, 20012

7:00pm

$20

With No Trick Pony (Amy K. Bormat/Brian Settles/Keith Butler, Jr.)

More Information

Wednesday 7/19

Con Alma Ellsworth

613 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15222

6:30pm

$10

Make Reservations

(Scroll down to “Ellsworth” and make a reservation using Resy. Book your reservation for Inside to hear the music.)

Saturday 9/2

Detroit Jazz Festival

Hart Plaza, Detroit

Waterfront Stage

4:15pm

Free

If you can’t join us for our tour, check out the new video we’re dropping today to celebrate. It’s my piece “MRA” (as in Muhal Richard Abrams) from our release show at Trinosophes in December. Video by Matthew Lima.

With all the activity, August feels like a long ways away, but it’s not. I have some fun things on the horizon that I want to make sure Southeast Michigan audiences know about:

Monday August 14 - Solo - Trixies (Hamtramck)

As a part of Fire Music Mondays, curated by Jonathan Barahal Taylor

Casual, donation based, etc.

Thursday August 17 - Michael Malis Trio - Blue Llama Jazz Club

Featuring Jaribu Shahid (bass) and David Alvarez III (drums)

$15

Tickets usually go fast, so you should grab yours now:

Get Tickets

September, October, and November will all be jam packed with exciting and unique performances, so I’ll be in touch a little more than usual in the Fall. If you’d like to take a pause, just let me know.

Thanks, as always, for your support.

-Michael

Balance Summer Tour

Balance Is Going On The Road

Join Marcus Elliot and I as we take our new album, Conjure, on the road this summer. If you’re in any of these cities, we hope to see you in a few weeks! And if you know anyone in any of these cities, feel free to share this information with them. Details below.

Wednesday 7/12

Silence, Guelph ON

46 Essex Street, Guelph, ON N1H 3K8, Canada

8:00pm

$20 CAD

With Connor Bennett, annias linares, and Emjay Wright

Get Tickets Here

Thursday 7/13

Sellers & Newel

672 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1B9, Canada

7:00pm

$30 CAD

Get Tickets Here

(call or email to reserve, instructions at the bottom of the page)

Friday 7/14

The Tavern

3978 Atwood Road, Stone Ridge NY, 12484

7:00pm

Free/Donation

Saturday 7/15

The Owl Music Parlor

497 Rogers Ave, Brooklyn NY, 11225

8:00pm

$12

With Anna Webber/Matt Mitchell

Get Tickets Here

Monday 7/17

El Rey Del Pescado

4515 5th Ave., Brooklyn NY, 11220

8:00pm

Free/Donation

With Stephen Boegehold/Ben Rolston

(Note: this is a quartet show!)

Tuesday 7/18

Rhizome

6950 Maple St NW, Washington DC, 20012

7:00pm

$20

With No Trick Pony (Amy K. Bormat/Brian Settles/Keith Butler, Jr.)

More Information

Wednesday 7/19

Con Alma Ellsworth

613 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15222

6:30pm

$10

Make Reservations

(Scroll down to “Ellsworth” and make a reservation using Resy. Book your reservation for Inside to hear the music.)

Saturday 9/2

Detroit Jazz Festival

Hart Plaza, Detroit

Waterfront Stage

4:15pm

Free

Hope to see you out there. Be in touch with any questions. And thanks, as always, for your support.

-Michael

Hold Tightly Your Vision of How Things Could Be

Hold Tightly Your Vision of How Things Could Be

Photo by Doug Coombe

That’s the name of a solo piano piece I wrote last summer. I have a lot to say about this one, but I’ll save it for now. Put simply, it’s a reminder to myself to stay focused on my vision of the impact I’d like to make on the world.

I premiered it last August at my concert at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Today, I’m offering you two ways to hear it.

If you’re in Southeast Michigan, join me on Friday, April 28 at Kerrytown Concert House for a solo piano recital, featuring this piece and a bunch of others.

The photo above by Doug Coombe is from my last performance at Kerrytown Concert House — a space that I have a long and loving relationship with. This show will be special, and I’d love to see you there.

If you can’t join me for the concert you can check out this new video of the premiere performance of this piece. Video and audio by Matthew Lima.

While you’re there, I’d appreciate it if you give the video a thumbs up, subscribe to my YouTube page, and share the video with your people, too.

Thanks as always for your support.

Till next time,

Michael

Balance at Kerrytown + Something to Listen To

Happy Spring!

A few exciting events coming up if you’re in Michigan. And a treat below for everyone, Michigan and non-Michigan residents alike:

This Friday March 31, Balance (Marcus Elliot and I) will be playing at Kerrytown Concert House for the Ann Arbor release of Conjure. We’ve been blown away by the reception of the album so far… thank you all for your support!

There are still some tickets left. Get yours now.

photo credit Doug Coombe

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Also of note

I’m making my debut with the fantastic vocalist Jesse Palter this Thursday at Homegrown Brewing Company in Oxford, MI. Jesse is incredible and I’m excited to make some music with her! Details:

HomeGrown Sounds presents Jesse Palter
Thursday, March 30 · 6:30 - 9:30pm EDT
HomeGrown Brewing Company 28 North Washington Street Oxford Charter Township, MI 48371

Something to Listen To

A year ago this week, I had the live premiere of my Imperfect Intervals suite for solo piano. My friends in Virago were releasing their recording of Harriet Steinke’s Listening for Bells and graciously asked me to do Imperfect Intervals on these shows.

I’m posting the audio at my website as part of my temporary release series, Here for a Moment (then gone). I started this series earlier in the year for music I want to share with people, but only for a while. There are some fidelity issues with the recording, but I still think it’s an honest performance.

It’ll be up for maybe 48 hours or so. Enjoy this music the way it was meant to be enjoyed… at low volume, in the background, while you go about your day.

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Plenty more coming up as we get deeper into the Spring and Summer, but that’s enough for now. I hope you’re all healthy, happy, and thriving. Best wishes, and thanks, as always, for your support.

- Michael