Mike Casey (Spotify "Best Of") on SoundBetter

Saxophone based artist & composer: 9-time Amazon Pandora Spotify "Best Jazz Of", 100 million streams, #1 on Bandcamp jazz/fusion chart, featured by BBC, Triple J, NPR & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, presented original music on some of the jazz world's top stages including (The Original) Kennedy Center.

Trained in both Jazz & Classical and endorsed by both Yanagisawa saxophones & Conn-Selmer, my music draws from a myriad of influences within and outside of jazz.

My services can be as simple as playing over an EDM or hip hop track for you to chop up as you wish, producing funky horn arrangements for an R&B/Funk tune, playing on or producing your jazz album.

I can record my parts from my home studio in Los Angeles, but in-studio work can be arranged as I perform internationally.

If the sax solo is pre-written by you, a flat session fee will suffice. If I am composing a sax solo (or horn parts) from nothing for your project, which outside of a jazz context usually means I'm composing, I would ask for a fair % of the publishing royalties to account for the composition work involved.

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

Credits

Endorse Mike Casey (Spotify "Best Of")2 Reviews

by Kyle S.
I hired Mike to track on one a song, and he exceeded my expectations! He came in and laid down a tasteful solo along with some really nice held note stuff that really enhanced the overall production of the song. If you're looking for a pro who cares about his craft and is a good hang, look no further!
by Nick
Mike was able to come in and immediately lay down quality sax on a session after hearing the material just once. Would definitely endorse bringing him on for session work on a variety of instruments.

Interview with Mike Casey (Spotify "Best Of")

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Learning Spanish :)
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Digital - more flexible!
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: You're getting me at my best :)
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Boundless creativity!
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: What's your turnaround time? And generally a week at latest.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That a sax solo has to be the same cookie cutter "play super sweet, loud, and high" thing over and over. There's so many areas to explore - I try to be in the moment and bring something fresh to the table.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What is the story behind the song? What is your goal for my part in the track? What sound are you going for? What about for my track?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: The clearer your instructions and goals the better!
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: sax, a loop pedal, macbook, ableton push and recording interface!
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: 15 years! More on my journey: http://mikecaseyjazz.com/bio
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Eclectic
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Childish Gambino - love the way he thinks.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Separate creation from editing.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Everything!
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Storytelling.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Fire. Passion. Originality. Lyricism. Musicality. Storytelling. Sound
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Listening, then being in the moment and creating. A day later coming back to edit with fresh ears.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Ableton Live, Shure SM57, Macbook Pro, Yanagisawa saxophones!
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Joshua Redman
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Sax solos