Michael Tanenbaum

Bio:

Michael Tanenbaum is a Celtic inspired instrumental guitarist based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Originally from Toronto, Canada, he moved to Hawaii in 1991. His music flourished in new ways inspired by the power of the land, light and ocean waters of the islands. Although he missed the Irish, Scottish & British Isles music of Canada, he found a new sound in the island's Hawaiian Slack Key guitar music that resonated within him and was inspired to re-explore the guitar after 25 years at the piano. In time, he incorporated his northern music roots with the tranquility and beauty of his new home in a fusion of what he now calls locally, "Celtic Slack Key".

He's an innovative composer/guitarist of instrumental music that can be described as visual "Guitar Tapestries" - music you can SEE. Storytelling for him takes the form of acoustic journeys through changing landscapes, atmospheres and ocean waters. Acknowledging that it takes a village to raise an artist, Michael feels fortunate to be standing on the shoulders of great artists who have helped shape his sound. His major guitar influences include: Bruce Cockburn / Michael Hedges / Leo Kotke / Don Ross /Alex De Grassi / Pat Metheny / Franco Morone/ Richard Peikoff & Makana.

His music was recently scored in the 2009 documentary film called "Hawaii: Long Story Short" which explores Hawaii's geological emergence from the ocean floor. He has composed music for film and modern dance extensively. This summer 2009, Michael placed among the top 5 finalists in the Fingerstyle Guitar Competition at the Canadian Guitar Festival in Kingston, Ontario Canada. On the composing side, his Big Island inspired tune "Road To Waimea" was nominated for Best World song at this year's New Music Awards in the Barrie New Music Festival in Canada. In addition, "Road To Waimea" will be part of the upcoming soundtrack for the giant wave surf film "Finding Aloha 2", due for release in Winter 2010 - www.findalohathemovie.com.

Michael graduated from Brown University where he was first introduced to computer and electronic music. Since then, his fascination with all things acoustic and all things digital has led him to bring those two worlds together in a variety of engaging ways. From live performance art to intricate studio work, the elegant union of these different worlds is his life work.

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Member Since:

Influences:

Music heroes along the way were and continue to
be: (from 1966 - 2010)

The Byrds / The Who
Pete Townshend
Bruce Cockburn
Jimi Hendrix / Jethro Tull
Iron Butterfly / IF / XTC
Spirit / Joni Mitchell
Chuck Mangione
Joe Freedman /Brian Katz

Ralph Towner/Paul Winter
Keith Jarrett /Pat Metheny
Chick Corea / Oregon
Lyle Mays/Howard Reese
Egberto Gismonti / ECM
Steve Reich / Brian Eno
Paul McCandless
Sarah McLachlan

Don Ross/Michael Hedges
Windham Hill / Narada
Richard Peikoff/Leo Kotke
Makana / Michael Manring
Keith Terry & Crosspulse
Gregory Johnson

Franco Morone
Alex de Grassi
Pierre Bensusan
Billy McLaughlin
Victor Wooten
Marcus Miller
Phil Keaggy

Laurence Juber
Preston Reed
Peppino DAgostino
Barry Flanagan
Michael Chapdelaine
Keola Beamer

Thomas Newman
Mark Isham
Mark Knopfler / U2
Paul Sprawl / Mike Times
Ani Difranco /Kate Rusby
Foo Fighters / Radiohead
Duncan Sheik / Bela Fleck

Bobby McFerrin
Stephen Inglis
Michael Gulezian
Erik Mongrain
John Mayer / AndyMcKee

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