New Single – Dead Man Blues ft. Robin Holcomb & Jeff Fielder

I’ve just released a new single called Dead Man Blues. It features three of my favorite musicians that I’ve come across. Robin Holcomb is someone I took lessons with in Seattle after hearing her several times and being totally blown away by her songs, piano and singing. She sings on this track.

Jeff Fielder is one of the best guitar stylists for songwriters in the rock, blues and indie genres. It’s no wonder that he’s plucked up for several luminary artists’ tours and recordings.

And my longtime musical cohort, Forrest Giberson, plays bass. We started playing together constantly when we were 17-18 years old while at University of Miami.

You can download the track here…

Stream it here on Spotify…

Stream it here on YouTube…

Feel free to share with anyone you think would like it.

“Almost Better” – New Single Out Today

My new single “Almost Better” is out today. It started as a solo piano sketch. Then I manipulated the piano with effects and software to build the main theme. The Rhodes, Juno and drums were added to fill everything out. I hope you enjoy! Feel free to share with anyone you think would like it.

Bandcamp (pay what you want to download)…

Spotify…

“Sweet Dreams Young Light” Out Today! A New Solo Piano Improvisation Album

At some point during quarantine I started recording 2 or 3 solo-piano improvisations before going to sleep. The goal was to challenge myself to create music that would (hypothetically) help people. Not play what my teachers taught me to play, not play something I would emphasize to students as a teacher – just focus on sounds, emotions and exploration without judgement.

Today, the first 1-hour collection of improvisations is available on all streaming services. There is also a new YouTube channel where all of these improvisations will be posted – subscribe to the new channel!

Here’s more about the process (links to the music below)…

“Sweet Dreams Young Light” is an album of piano improvisations where I wanted to create music that came from and returned to emptiness. I’ve always been fascinated by these types of magical recordings since I was a kid. When sound emerges from the vacuum, it can become its own universe – expanding and collapsing. I wanted these improvisations to have stops and starts, faster and slower tempos mixed together, no tempo to tempo, themes that dissipate before they develop… All with the intent of matching the flow or ideas that come and go from our mind as we reach for sleep, peace or quiet. I hope these pieces connect with and help you in some way.


BandCamp…


Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/1gTn5L9E98iTOT4GSi4xI2


YouTube…

Thanks for listening!

Michael

New Music – It’s Idle There Sky

My new single, “It’s Idle There Sky” is out now on all streaming services. You can also download it for free (or donate what you want) via the Bandcamp link below.

Cover Art

This is a piece that was written and recorded for piano. It expands into an atmospheric/cinematic soundscape as the piece unfolds.

The music video uses an overhead shot of me recording the piece on piano. I programmed the visuals to interact with the music to create a world around the soundscape of the piece.

I hope you enjoy!

Spotify:

Bandcamp:

“Service” – New Piano Video

I wanted to share a recent recording of a piece I wrote called “Service”. Usually each day I try to write at least one new piece, song or progression. This was a personal favorite and I was going to only record the main theme. But at the last minute I decided to improvise after the theme to see if anything cool would happen. Let me know what you think!

Stream and save it on Spotify here:

New Music Monday Letters IV

The fourth installment of “Letters” is out now.

This one has two songs, one about heartbreak and time travel. The other one is about the perils of comparing ourselves too much to others.

If you can’t play the songs in your email – click here.

Here are the lyrics to “It’s Tomorrow (Everywhere but Here)”

The sun climbs the trees
along the River Ij in Amsterdam.
Where a pretty girl from Athens
Walks canal-lined streets.

An afternoon train rolls through Tokyo.
Where a jazz man from New York
unloads for an early show.

It’s getting late here
but I can’t sleep.
I drove down to the place we met,
hoping we’d meet again.

It’s tomorrow everywhere but here.

I got your message late yesterday.
Your voice is so different.
I guess I am too.
I had to listen twice
Or maybe it was five times.
I forgot how bad it hurts
to hear the words you never say.

It’s tomorrow everywhere but here.

I had lunch in the park.
I think it was last Tuesday.
A girl walked by with a smile like yours.
It stole my heart away.

It’s tomorrow everywhere but here.

Michael Stegner

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