Michael Janisch (born February 2, 1979) is an American bassist, producer, composer and the owner of the record label

Whirlwind Recordings Whirlwind Recordings is a London, UK-based independent record label established in 2010 by Michael Janisch. History The label was founded in 2010 by bassist, composer, educator and producer Michael Janisch in order to release his debut solo albu ...

. He was nominated for a

MOBO Award The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and Bant ...

in 2016 in the category Best Jazz Act.

Life and career

Born in

Red Wing, Minnesota Red Wing is a city in and the county seat of Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, along the upper Mississippi River. The population was 16,547 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is part of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropo ...

and raised in

Ellsworth, Wisconsin Ellsworth is a village in and the county seat of Pierce County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,348 at the 2020 census. The village is adjacent to the Town of Ellsworth and now incorporates the formerly separate district known ...

, Janisch started playing piano at age four and electric bass at age 10. He was equally active in sports throughout his teenage years, mainly American football and track and field, and after high school received a scholarship to attend

Minnesota State University, Mankato Minnesota State University, Mankato (MNSU, MSU, or Minnesota State) is a public university in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. It is Minnesota's second-largest university and has over 145,000 living alumni worldwide. Founded in 1868, it is t ...

where he majored in

history History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...

and played football (running back) and ran track and field (sprinter). An injury in his third season prompted his return to music and a transfer to

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

, where he concentrated on

double bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...

. In 2000, he accepted a scholarship to the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

in Boston. After earning a degree, Janisch relocated to New York City and soon after London, England, the result of meeting his English wife Sarah. In November 2008, Janisch, along with co-leader and alto saxophonist Patrick Cornelius released ''Traveling Song'' the debut and only album from the TransAtlantic Collective (TAC), a contemporary

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

ensemble that operated on the international scene during the years 2005-2009, and in that time performed concerts across the US, UK and Europe. During their tours, the TAC featured many notable musicians from both the US and Europe, including pianists Kristjan Randalu, John Escreet, Dan Tepfer,

Jason Rebello Jason Matthew Rebello (born 29 March 1969) is a British pianist, songwriter, and record producer. Career Rebello was born in Carshalton, Surrey, England. His father's family is from India. Rebello was raised a Catholic in Wandsworth, London. H ...

, trumpeters Quentin Collins, Jay Phelps,

Ambrose Akinmusire Ambrose Olusiji Akinmusire ( born May 1, 1982) is an American avant-garde jazz composer and trumpeter. Biography Born and raised in Oakland, California, Akinmusire was a member of the Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble, where he caught the atten ...

, Avishai Cohen, and drummers Colin Stranahan and Paul Wiltgen. Janisch released his debut solo album ''Purpose Built'' in January 2010 featuring Walter Smith III, Patrick Cornelius, Jason Palmer, Johnathan Blake, Aaron Goldberg, Phil Robson, Mike Moreno, Jim Hart, and Paul Booth. His debut album also prompted him to create his own record label,

. In January 2013 Janisch released ''Banned in London'' along with co-leader and Cuban-born pianist Aruán Ortiz, also featuring

Greg Osby Greg Osby (born August 3, 1960) is an American saxophonist and composer. Biography Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Osby studied at Howard University, then at the Berklee College of Music. He moved to New York City in 1982, where he played with Jak ...

, Raynald Colom and Rudy Royston. In June 2014 Janisch released a collaborative album '' First Meeting: Live in London, Volume 1'' with

Lee Konitz Leon "Lee" Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American jazz Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist and composer. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's ass ...

, Dan Tepfer and Jeff Williams. On October 2, 2015, Janisch released his second solo album, a double-disc titled ''Paradigm Shift'' featuring Leonardo Genovese (piano, keyboards), Paul Booth (tenor sax), Jason Palmer (trumpet), Alex Bonney (electronics) and Colin Stranahan (drums). The album features a live recording with post production electronics and led to the formation of a sextet band of the same name. Janisch was nominated for a Parliamentary Jazz Award and

for the Best Jazz Act in 2016. Other musicians with whom Janisch have performed or recorded with include

Joe Lovano Joseph Salvatore Lovano (born December 29, 1952)"Joe Lovano." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 13. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1994. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, May 5, 2017. is an American jazz multi-instrumentalist. T ...

Dianne Reeves Dianne Elizabeth Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer, who has won five Grammy Awards for her albums. Early life and education Dianne Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan, into a musical family. Her father sang, her mothe ...

Seamus Blake Seamus Blake (born December 8, 1970) is a British-born Canadian tenor saxophonist. Early life and education Blake was born in London, England and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His mother introduced him to jazz when he was a c ...

George Garzone George Garzone (born September 23, 1950) is a saxophonist and jazz educator from Boston, Massachusetts. Biography Garzone is a member of the Fringe, a jazz trio founded in 1972 that includes bassist John Lockwood and drummer Francisco Mela, wh ...

, Aaron Parks,

Kurt Rosenwinkel Kurt Rosenwinkel (born October 28, 1970) is an American jazz guitarist, composer, bandleader, producer, educator, keyboardist and record label owner. Biography Born in Philadelphia to a musical family, Rosenwinkel began taking piano lessons when ...

, Will Vinson, Mark Turner,

Kenny Wheeler Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, Order of Canada, OC (14 January 1930 – 18 September 2014) was a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. from the 1950s onwards. Most of his performances were rooted in jazz, but he w ...

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations re ...

Evan Parker Evan Shaw Parker (born 5 April 1944) is a British tenor and soprano saxophone player who plays free improvisation. Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free ja ...

Gary Husband Gary Husband (born 14 June 1960) is an English jazz and rock drummer, pianist, keyboard player and bandleader. He is also a composer, arranger, producer and educator. Husband was a member for 16 years of John McLaughlin's group The 4th Dimen ...

Shirley Horn Shirley Valerie Horn (May 1, 1934 – October 20, 2005) was an American jazz singer and pianist. She collaborated with many jazz musicians including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Toots Thielemans, Ron Carter, Carmen McRae, Wynton Marsalis and oth ...

Gary Burton Gary Burton (born January 23, 1943) is an American jazz Vibraphone, vibraphonist, composer, and educator. Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the prevailing two-mallet technique. This approach caused ...

Ingrid Jensen Ingrid Jensen (born January 12, 1966) is a Canadian jazz trumpeter. Music career Jensen was born in North Vancouver and grew up in Nanaimo. She received a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. After graduating from Berklee, she ...

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, and music instructor, who is currently the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has been active in promoting classical and jazz music, often to young ...

Kurt Elling Kurt Elling (born November 2, 1967) is an American jazz singer and songwriter. Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Elling became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran church. He sang in cho ...

, Sir John Dankworth,

Roy Hargrove Roy Anthony Hargrove (October 16, 1969 – November 2, 2018) was an American jazz musician and composer whose principal instruments were the trumpet and flugelhorn. He achieved critical acclaim after winning two Grammy Awards for differing styles ...

and Clarence Penn. In addition to performing, Janisch teaches jazz double/electric bass at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Whirlwind Recordings

Janisch founded the label in 2010 to release his debut solo album ''Purpose Built'' and has subsequently produced more than forty records for other musicians. The label releases albums from musicians mainly based in the UK, USA, and Mainland Europe. In October 2013, Janisch curated the first Whirlwind Festival at

Kings Place Kings Place is a building in London's King's Cross area, providing music and visual arts venues combined with seven floors of office space. It has housed the editorial offices of ''The Guardian'' newspaper since December 2008 and is the form ...

in London featuring 18 bands and 86 musicians from the label across three days.

Discography as a leader or co-leader

References

External links

Michael Janisch Official Website

Whirlwind Recordings Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Janisch, Michael American jazz double-bassists American male double-bassists People from Ellsworth, Wisconsin Musicians from London Berklee College of Music alumni Guitarists from Wisconsin 1979 births Living people 21st-century American double-bassists 21st-century American bass guitarists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Whirlwind Recordings artists