Guitarist Michael Rhoden and Guest Musicians
Welcome: You have found a great site to some powerful progressive jazz rock and eclectic pop/rock. You will find music links to my music below. My fledging record company is Electric Einstein Records for my music, and the studio called New Christian Music Studio. I and my producer record christian music and positive message secular music.
My band is tentatively called "The Twelfth Realm", I play the electric guitar.
John Norris and I have added pianist/violinist Armen Boyajian, (Armen currently is no longer active) who has played with Ed Howard, and the saxophonist, Gary Thomas, on John McLaughlin's "Heart of Things" CD among other other notables. He studied two years at Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY., Our percussionist is John Norris of Atlanta and is currently studying with Tom Knight, who played on the Grammys with Paul Schaffer two years past. All in all we are a complementary mix. All we need is a bassist and a multi-horn/reed man or soloist.
Our music is at www.soundclick.com/michaelrhoden Mike grew up playing Hendrix and then found Chick Corea's Return to Forever group. Then came Miles, John McLaughlin and an education at the University of Miami, Fl. both undergradute and an MBA in the Music Industry. He has played with some notables including Rob Chiarelli-engineer/mix artist (Madonna, Will Smith MIB's, Ray Charles and many more) and also with Dag Kohlsrud of Norway's AHA, Graham Hawthorne of Blood Sweat & Tears and mow with Paul Simon. David Horvath and I were in a band in the 70's. He is now a Christian pianist and formerly of the Lettermen in the late 70's. <P><P>Mark Johnson of the South Florida, Selah Christian group (not the old one) and former Ex. VP of Editing for CP Beldwin (now part of Warner Brothers) played on Talking Toys.<P><P> He had the pleasure of doing a session with a great saxophonist, Paul Anderson who later went on to play with major big bands. Guitarist Noah Herschman has played on many hit records in New York. There were others who went on to becoming well known who helped him record my music in 1981 and 1982 at UM.
Rock DJ Mike Dineen (NY,NY to Southern stations)in 1991 said that based on late 70's tapes, "Mike sounds like a wired Eric Johnson."
In 2002 John and they had a #1 hit on MP3.com. It was for the instrumental rock tune, But For Grace. We had many in the top 100.
He has been out of music for over 20 years due to depression, but is back now and has his sights on putting a great group together. Two years ago John Norris and he added violinist/pianist Armen Boyajian. Armen studied at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester and later formed Air Apparrent in Washington D.C. where as a violinist he lead the group with and Ed Howard (Roy Hanes), Steve Williams UM'78? (Shirley Horne), and Frank Kimbrough who now plays with the Jazz Collective.com and the Maria Schnieder Orchestra. Armen is currently leading his own group http://www.airapparentjazz.net .
A review read as follows:"You might not expect a violinist to be playing such numbers as Giant Steps, but Mr. Boyajian does so lovingly and with considerable E’lan." (Tim Warren, Baltimore Sun, 1986)
Armen is a friend and has played with Gary Thomas, saxophonist on the McLaughlin's CD "The Heart of Things". He studied jazz piano with Marc Cohen who was influenced by a music commune in New York centered around followers of Lennie Tristano whom he was a protege of Cohen. Being from Binghamton, NY, he took the opportunity to study with the first and second violinists of the Lennox String Quartet.
Mike is the more emotional/intellect, he perceives Armen (pianist) to be the more systematic. He is very soulful on the violin and intense. John is the groove monster and I expect great things from him. John reminds him of a percussionist Mike worked with from Sarasota, FL., Ed Mongillo. Both are super creative.
We primarily play jazz fusion, but also pop/rock with Sting/Journey influences among others.
The new band name, taken from a previous name used for an arts festival in 1982, is "Twelfth Realm." It is more in keeping with the feel of the music. Mystic at times. |
General Information |
Mike is continuing his education and hopes to form his own music schools as CEO. His plans are for private schools at near Wal mart prices that prepare young kids for college and enhance the communities music breadth for the older or non-professionally minded, all with a high tech interface. They will be named the, City-Institute of Contemporary Music and Jazz.
We three have only recorded one jam on a new tune. It is Passionato. It will be posted soon to www.soundclick.com/michaelrhoden .
On Mike's tunes he plays keys, bass, guitar and programs/plays the K2500 drums. Johns's plays the real percussion on the other tunes. |
Looking to Meet |
Mike would like to meet a great bassist. A second guitarist would be great as he would like to tour doing some Hendrix renditions in the context of his concerts. |
Influences |
Influences: Miles(especially his last years including Mike Stern)Working and Steaming started his love for Miles (Diane)Then Bitches Brew threw him for a loop(He was 19?), Coltrane, Holdsworth, Albert King,Bennie King, Tiny Grimes, John Lee Hooker, Howling Wolf, Rev. Gary Davis, Duane Allman, Hendrix, Jeff Beck, John Lee Hooker-I Want To Get Funky,Sting, Journey, Phillip Catherine, Pat Metheny, Chick,Pat Martino,Joe Pass & Herb Ellis, Wes Montgomery,Michael Brecker, Billy Cobham's earlier albums,George Benson, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, His classical influences are many, but mainly Bartok, Stravinsky, Ives, Copeland, Bach, Beethoven, and many early 20th century Russian composers, also Verdi, and Italian tenors. Favorite pieces: Concerto for Orchestra first movement & String Quartet #2-Bartok,The Pines of Rome-Resphigi, The Art of the Fugue (Emerson String Quartet)-Bach, Eroica-Beethoven, Rite of Spring-Stravinsky, Fanfare for the Common Man-Copeland, String Quartets 1&2 Charles Ives, String Quartet 1-Roy Harris. While he has not played, he has listened extensively.
John's influences are best described as eclectic. He reminds me strongly of Stewart Copeland and now as he learns, a lot like Vinnie Colauita-but not yet. John is a walking percussion genre encyclopedia expert outside of legit traditional jazz. He has not played for over twenty years for career reasons, but has now immersed himself in the vernacular deeply. He is also an audiophile and listens extensively to classical music.
Armen comes from traditional jazz. His jazz piano teacher was a student of Tristano's. Armen took two years of classical piano and music at Eastman at Rochester, but his first instrument was violin. He is very fast, soulful, and a counter personna to his piano. Armen is a fund raiser for non-profit organizations as a day job while raising millions of dollars and has done this for many years. So, we are all in various stages of becoming whole, performing musicians. Armen won the Washington Area Music Writers Association award for best Jazz composition for his song was Waltz for Bill Evans 1980. |
For guitar, bass, jazz keyboard harmony or Pro Tools/Mixing/Mastering lessons. Call 706.724.7979 and ask for Mick Rhoden.
Stay Tuned For More About Us. John will have a page soon.
For bookings, especially concerts, call 1.706.724.7979. Ask for Mick. You can e-mail us at the link below. Thanks.
End of Nice Day
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