...A one of a kind folk musician.
If you've been around the folk scene, you couldn't miss seeing Mike. Tall, red beard, and always around where the music is. He's been on the scene for many, many years, listening to the details of what makes this genre of music so special to the soul, so able to make us laugh and cry and think. And lucky for us all, he got serious about having fun at it.
Mike?s legion of fans always hope to hear him present his funny, gripping and inspirational story-in-rhyme of the engineer and his creation with ?The Ballad of Jake and Ten-Ton Molly?, Mike?s unique take on a familiar ballad subject with ?Gypsy Davey One Year After? and his version of the ?broken token? songs, where Mike changes hats to play in turn all the characters of the Bold Sea Captain and the disguised seafarers and lovers. Mike and his concertina take you deeply into the world of childhood with ?First Kiss?, and Mike will delight you with his Scott Joplin piano pieces of the soulful tango, ?Solace? melding into a satisfying performance of ?Maple Leaf Rag?.
FSGW members will remember Mike as the life of the party at the 2000 ?Getaway? folk weekend. Equally at home in the contemporary and traditional camps of the Folk world, he is a fine instrumentalist, storyteller and singer. His prime instrument is the guitar, upon which he shines with intricate fingerstyle arrangements of anything from Tin Pan Alley tunes of the '20s to fiddle tunes to his own music. He also plays concertina, piano, banjo, or sings acapella. He can be uproariously funny, contempletive, and powerfully emotional in the space of a few minutes. The man will capture your attention, and then your heart.
Mike is involved in presenting folk music as well. He is one of the prime movers of The Folk Project, New Jersey's oldest and strongest folk music organization. For over two decades he has been chairman of that organization's Minstrel Coffeehouse, one of the longest lived and most respected folk venues in the country. The Minstrel offers live music concerts 48 weeks a year.
Mike?s fine website of www.mikeagranoff.com showcases his sound as well as offering ALL the lyrics to all the songs on his four CD?s. If you don?t already know Mike, (or even if you do) be sure to check it out!
This is Linda Goodman's first house concert in her new place, not too far from the Birchmere; a chance for Mike to show off on her newly restored 1907 Sterling upright piano. It's easily accessible by car or Metro, a short 10-minute walk from the Braddock Road stop on the Yellow or Blue Lines. To reserve a seat for the evening, or for directions and information call 202.386.8252, or email Linda at swallowtailjig (at) yahoo.com.
