On Stage

American Bach

In a daring collaboration, Miles and cellist Jill Kaeding breathe new life into J.S. Bach’s Cello Suites. Miles puts the original cello melody on the banjo and Kaeding plays a contrapuntal continuo accompaniment.

Sound impossible? Perhaps. But this is consistent with Bach’s brazen imagination.  And when Miles debuted this concept for the first time in 1997, it was warmly embraced by artists, critics and one of the world’s greatest living cellists, Janos Starker.  Jill Kaeding has played throughout the classical world and with the likes of Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles.

“Miles has dared to take on some of the most dramatic and profound music ever written…and succeeded”
- Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times

Mississippi River Suite

Miles uses the Mississippi, the river that divides the nation, as the foundation for this musical, poetic portrait of a divided nation.  With this work, Miles has gone deep inside America with his rendering of our struggling, red-blue nation.  The powerful and penetrating voice of Zahra Glenda Baker— known across the country for her prowess as singer & storyteller—is complemented by the banjo with flute, cello, guitar, and percussion.

“Mississippi River Suite is an evocative, haunting, beautiful, timely, epic work of music and spoken word. Miles shows how music can speak to these times we're living in.”
 - Chris Kennedy, Professor Emeritus, Western Wyoming College

"This is a masterpiece— this piece is overpowering.”

- Tony Trischka, renowned banjoist

From Senegal to Seeger:
Stories of the American Banjo

In this tour-de-force Miles portrays the banjo’s journey from an African instrument in the hull of a slave ship to the “our towns” of America.

Miles weaves this musical narrative with five banjos, a fistful of songs, and the exquisite work of Pete Seeger, Carl Sandburg, Woody Guthrie, Walt Whitman, Solomon Northrup and J.S. Bach and many others.

Protest songs, fiddle tunes, minstrel songs, ragtime and a dazzling array of banjo playing form the backbone of From Senegal to Seeger, but it is the poetic and compelling stories along the way that complete this portrait of America.

“HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. An exhilarating, musical and multi-dimensional journey….a provocative political and social history of America.”
- Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times

Solo Acoustic

Miles is the perpetually curious political banjo poet, who can render Bach, Stevie Wonder and the blues. He pushes the boundaries of what is possible. Question is, what will he play next? With banjo and guitar, Michael’s concerts are a musical buffet—his own compositions, classical gems, electrifying covers, and stories of four decades of travels. Add in literature, politics, passion, folk songs and things you’ve probably never heard before.

“Give the banjo to Michael J. Miles and you'll hear a mighty soul-stirring sound.”
- Hedy Weiss, Chicago SunTimes