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The Story of Mike...

Mike Marshall is one of the world's most accomplished and versatile acoustic musicians, a master of mandolin, guitar and violin whose playing is as imaginative and adventurous as it is technically thrilling. Able to swing gracefully from jazz to classical to bluegrass to Latin styles, he puts his stamp on everything he plays with an unusually potent blend intellect and emotion a combination of musical skill and instinct rare in the world of American vernacular instrumentalists.

Now living in Oakland, California, Mike grew up in Central Florida, where throughout his teens he played and taught bluegrass mandolin, fiddle and guitar. In 1979, at the age of 19, he was invited to join the original David Grisman Quintet and toured and recorded with Stephane Grappelli along with Mark O'Connor, Darol Anger, Tony Rice and Bela Fleck. Mike has since been at the forefront of the acoustic music scene, playing on hundreds of acoustic-music recordings both as lead artist and ensemble performer. His most recent collaborations have included cd productions and tours with mandolinists Chris Thile and Sam Bush, bassist Edgar Meyer, slide guitarist Jerry Douglas and classical violinist Joshua Bell.

In 1995, Mike traveled to Brazil and began his love affair with that music. He embarked on an in-depth study of choro music that has resulted in the creation of his group Choro Famoso. That interest has led to his own label, Adventure Music that now has released over 40 cds.

Today Mike can be heard on the 'Car Talk' soundtrack recording every week on NPR along with Earl Scruggs, David Grisman and Tony Rice. In addition Mike composed and recorded the theme music for the San Francisco based radio program 'Forum' heard daily on KQED radio.

Psychograss is another group the Mike formed along with guitarist David Grier, banjo player Tony Trischka, violinist Darol Anger and bassist Todd Phillips.

Other collaborations have included a CD with the Swedish group Väsen as well as numerous studio productions including the groups Hot Buttered Rum, Cadillac Sky, Laurie Lewis and Alison Brown.

As he does so engagingly in music, Mike also applies his adventurous aesthetic to his two principal hobbies: wine making and food. Already known as one of the best cooks in the music business, he has been trading guitar lessons for cooking lessons from Michael Peternell a chef at Berkeley's Chez Panisse. "Cooking is quite a passion for me," he told Bluegrass Now in a 2003 interview. "When I moved from Florida to join David Grisman's band here in California, it became very evident that I was too broke to afford the food I'd grown up on! So I'd call Mom: Hey, how do you make those roasted peppers? What's the deal with the sauce?' Now I make all my own pastas by hand-ravioli, gnocchi, all that stuff."

Back in the realm of music, Mike is currently working on further collaborations with German mandolinist Caterina Lichtenberg as well as his own music camp for mandoinists the Mandolin Symposium that takes place every June at U.C. Santa Cruz with over 150 mandolinists and 10 of the greatest plays/teachers in the world.

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