Influences, hmm?
I pretty much tend to find my own path, but I guess I look to some that went before me for trail markers.
In my guitar style, I revere David Bromberg and the great French guitarist Pierre Bensusan.
In my love of the English Language I admire such diverse luminaries as Utah Phillips, Gamble Rogers, and Rudyard Kipling.
For my sense of humor, I would hope to approach Alan Sherman, Monty Python, or Flanders & Swann.
And in my stage personna, I might like to be thought of in the same camp as Michael Cooney or (again) Utah Phillips.
Obscure enough for you?
MIKE AGRANOFF is one of those folk performers that steadfastly defies categorization, and yet amasses stalwart fans from folk aficionados of all categories. He draws his material from sources as diverse as traditional ballads and fiddle tunes, Tin Pan Alley, contemporaries in the Folk World, and his own witty pen. He delivers it with a skilled hand on guitar, piano, and concertina, an almost telepathic transmittal of the essence of the song, and occasionally sly twinkle in the eye in anticipation of some of the most horrible parodies ever perpetrated on an unsuspecting audience. A signature feature of Mike’s performances are his inclusion of some heart-stopping spoken word pieces that rivet the listener to unforgettable stories.
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this folk-carol on myspace... Poem 230 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (see my blog for details): CHRISTMAS SUNG SIMPLY
As gospellers have said, Beneath signalling skies, On land dusty to tread, A trough in a stable Was the strawy first-bed Of a divine baby - The forgiving Godhead.
A season for new hope - There then and here now; The yuletide of goodwill - There then and here now.
In respect of this chance, Beneath bright or dark skies, Faith's the star that we glance Attending Christ's churches And trying to enhance, With singing and ritual, Our God-loving stance.
I LOVES YOUR SONGS!! When my income rebounds, I'll be back to buy CDs... Until then I can only barter with my boobs. Heh. Thanks for uploading stuff to listen to and making my day just that much better. (Must go tell everyone now...)
Hey Mike, Thanks for the add. I was not at the AvalonFest last week. I just found your site while surfing through friends, and friends of friends, looking for potential new friends and I really liked your music and your personna. After I got your message, I tried to backtrack to see if I could figure out how I found you. I don't know, I couldn't figure it out. But that's how it happened. Thanks again.
Hi Mike! Any friend of Roia Rafieyan is a friend of ours. Roia will be be opening for our June 21st Reunion Concert in Bethlehem, PA. Come out and see all of us!
Your music sounds great! And we love your storytelling. We'll have to catch one of your shows.
Thanks for being a friend of The Large Flowerheads!
Wonderful show at the Folk Music Society of Huntington. Thanks for coming up to our neck of the woods... and don't be a stranger 'round these parts! :-)
I'm gonna try and make it to the show at the Folk Music Society in Huntington. I've heard it's a pretty cool group, and I live about an hour from there. Maybe I'll play a song at the open mic...
Thanks for the add, Mike. You were excellent at The NJ Storytelling Festival on Sunday! We'll remember "Molly" and Sean and the Leprechaun for the rest of our days, always with a smile!
Thanks for the add, Mike. It's nice to see someone else from New Jersey (land of my birth) who has been able to achieve such a lofty status in the music world.
What a treat to find you out here on My Space. I meant to drop you a greeting when I find started playing with it, but between illness, family emergencies and computers that blow up in the night (I nicknamed my hard drive "Chernobyl"), I'm only getting around to it now.
I missed you back at NERFA when I had a tricentric showcase year before last. It was a technical disaster, if not an artistic one, so not only could I not be heard, I had to leave the next morning for a show. That's life. I'll catch you next time.
Hello again, Mike. I just wanted to say that I listened to Jake and 10Ton Molly for the first time. Playing it over and over again as we speak. Absolutely love it. It puts a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. You're a wonderful story-teller.
