Portuguese Blue Mickylee feat. John Stowell & Ulf Bandgren

• 1 Vitra 05:29
• 2 Portuguese Blue 06:02
• 3 Ghost in the Corner 05:21
• 4 Light as a Feather 05:33
• 5 It Could Happen to You 04:42
• 6 You Know When You Got It 05:50
• 7 Should I Tell You 05:09
• 8 Tapioca Time 04:15
• 9 A Long Time Coming 03:11
• Total Runtime 45:32

Info for Portuguese Blue

„We all feel a shared musical language and a real sense of communication. I think that you will hear the spontaneity and joy that we had making music together when you listen to our cd. Thanks to Micky for putting everything together and being a great host, and to Ulf and Micky for their beautiful playing and friendship.“ (John Stowell)

Mickylee, guitar
John Stowell, guitar
Ulf Bandgren, guitar

Mickylee
A native of Serbia, Miroslav Mirosavljev aka Mickylee has found his home in Vienna Austria, where he has been active in the music scene for many years now.

After getting his Master of Arts Degree in Jazz Guitar and Jazz Composition at the world-known University for Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, where he studied with Guido Jeszenszky, Karl Ratzer, and Karlheinz Czadek, Mickylee concentrated mostly on playing and teaching. However, his portfolio also includes composing music for theater and motion pictures. During his long collaboration with Virtual Sheet Music, he arranged many works for solo guitar as well as other ensembles, such as string quartets, brass quartets, etc.

In 2001, Mickylee won the 1st prize at the International Big Band Composition Contest in Barga, Italy. He regularly performs in Austria and all across Europe but has also played concerts in North America, Africa, and Asia. On his Youtube Channel, Mickylee has around 400 videos, mostly due to his 2013 project called “Daily Solo”, where he posted a video a day for a whole year.

His solo album “deComposing Cats” ensured him a place among the top Jazz/Fusion guitar players in this part of the world. He is also a member of a Viennese Fusion/Funk band Inspirational Corner, with which he recorded an album called “Chameleon Lab Explosion”. “In the Wheel” is the name of the album he recorded with acoustic guitar player Peter Mayer. In his most recent collaboration with renowned guitar players John Stowell and Ulf Bandgren, Mickylee recorded called “Portuguese Blue”, which is going to be published under “Quinton Records” label.

Besides teaching privately and in the music school in Brunn am Gebirge, Mickylee also gives guitar lectures at the JAM MUSIC LAB Private University Vienna, where he also works as a Dean of Studies.

John Stowell
began his successful career in the early 1970’s with private study with guitarist Linc Chamberland and pianist John Mehegan. Both musicians were valuable mentors to John, allowing him to play with them as he progressed in his development. Several years later he met bassist David Friesen in New York City, and they formed a duo that recorded and toured prolifically for seven years, with performances in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.

In 1983, John and David joined flutist Paul Horn and Paul’s son Robin Horn (on drums) for a historic tour of the Soviet Union. This was the first time in forty years that an American jazz group had been invited to play public performances in Russia. In 1993, 1995, 1998 and 2012 John returned to Russia, playing in numerous cities. His two sold-out performances in Kursk may have been the first appearances there by an American jazz musician.

John continues to tour, record and teach internationally. He has been Artist-In-Residence at schools in Germany, Indonesia, Argentina, and in the United States and Canada. He served as assistant director and performer in Oregon Public Broadcasting’s PDX Jazz Summit in 1991, and since 1995 has been a contributing columnist for a number of magazines, including “Downbeat”, “Guitar Player”, “Canadian Musician”, “Soundcheck” (Germany), and “Guitar Club” (Italy).

Recording/Performance Credits: Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Art Farmer, Conte Condoli, Herb Ellis, Bill Watrous, Mundell Lowe, George Cables, Billy Higgins, Billy Hart, Richie Cole, Paul Horn, Tom Harrrell, Don Thompson, Dave Liebman, and many others.

Ulf Bandgren
After breaking the neck off his first banjo, eleven year-old Ulf Bandgren stepped into a music store in Uddevalla. He wanted a new one. Instead, the creative shop assistant gave him a six string guitar banjo and this was his way into the magic world of guitar playing. Today he is a musician in great demand within different musical genres. However his heart beats within Jazz music in which he teaches guitar/ensemble at the Academy of Music and Drama, University of Gothenburg.

Here is a selection of artists/musicians/conductors Ulf has worked with during his career: Etta & Debbie Cameron, Svante Turesson, Bernt Rosengren, Krister Andersson, Anders Jormin, Tomas Franck, Sven-Eric Dahlberg, Rickard Åström, Erik Norström, Ace Of Base, Carola Häggqvist, Bengt Andersson, Lagaylia Frazer, Lill-Babs Svensson, Ove Ingmarsson, Ursula Dudziak , Sonya Hedenbratt, Yasuhito Mori,Tommy Körberg, Willy Lundin, Brazz Brothers, Nisse Landgren, Justo Almario , Jan Allan, Lill Lindfors, Putte Wickman, Lars Jansson, Peter Burman, Terje Sundby, Anders Persson, Erik Gullbrandsson, Eva Rune, Yasuhito Mori, Helen Sjöholm, Monica Domenique, Susanne Alfvengren, Roger Pontare, Sanna Nielsen, Charlotte Perrelli.

This album contains no booklet.