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Biography & Press Kit

Michael loves fiddling, whether it’s playing Celtic rock in front of thousands, or just enjoying some quiet tunes with a few friends. He has drawn the bow across the strings all his life, and continues to explore new horizons and delve deeper into well-known territories as well.

As a California native (born in Fresno, grew up in Reedley) he was lucky to grow up in a town with very strong local support for music in the schools, where he played in school and youth orchestras (and every other musical group at Reedley High). He did not truly learn the simple joy of playing his instrument, though, until he began exploring “alternative” musical styles such as folk fiddling, country, swing-jazz, old time, etc. It’s in Scottish and Irish music that Michael has found his true heart’s home: no other kind of music both speaks to his soul and satisfies his musical mind like the power and plaint of Scots-Irish reels, jigs, airs, and songs.

In January 1992 Michael moved to Oakland and joined Tempest, forging the foundations of the fiddle-voice that has become signature to the sound of the band. Over the years, Michael has toured and recorded on and off with Tempest, delighting crowds throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. He has taken hiatus from the band periodically in order to pursue other musical and personal interests, but he and Tempest recently re-joined forces and Michael plans to explore various side projects while recording and performing with the band.

Michael has performed many different styles of music with many different bands and ensembles over the years. A short list might include Tempest, Caliban, The Cadillac Cowboys, The Sons of the San Joaquin, Melanie O’Reilly, Shay Black, and his own bands Pangur Ban, Greenmangruvin, Sgian Dhu, and The Wild Hunt. For several years he has performed and recorded with a couple of friends--Tim Hart and Tom Wagner--recently they formalized their musical relationship by giving themselves a name: GreenBridge. You can find info about this most recent musical effort of Michael's at www.greenbridge.us.

Michael has been known as a high-energy performer for years, receiving much praise from critics, the audience, and the press for his studio and live performances. He has attracted a following in his own right as a dynamic performer in both the acoustic traditional scene and as a rock violinist, and although both his performance style and his fiddling ability have matured over time, Michael still receives rave reviews from press and fans alike.

He has been described as “frenzied” (Chicago Pioneer Press Thursday, April 15, 1999) and a “fiddle demon” (Progression, Winter/Spring1998); his playing and performance as “energetic” (YAKIMA (Washington) HERALD-REPUBLIC Friday, March 24, 2000), “virtuoso” (Dayton Voice September 17-23, 1998) “hyper” (Progression, Winter/Spring 1998), and ”manic” (Anil Prasad Dirty Linen, June/July 2004) . 

“...hard-pressed to find anyone to play the violin with as much piss & vinegar as Michael Mullen.”

Mark Tinta – Glass Eye: June Review, Toledo Ohio, 2 May 2000

 

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