Biography

I started playing music at a early age, beginning with cornet in school band.  In high school, I switched to guitar and was inspired by many rock and blues guitarists.  Later, my interests shifted towards jazz, and after studying for a brief period, at the West Bank School Of Music in Minneapolis, I eventually went to Berklee College of Music (1977-1979).  In 1980, I moved to Austin, TX, with my brother, percussionist Robert "Booka" Michel, and became a co-founder of "The Creative Opportunity Orchestra", a large ensemble dedicated to performing new compositions, with vocalist Tina Marsh.  In 1983, I moved to Madison, WI, where I was actively involved with the Madison Music Collective.  Today I live in Ann Arbor, MI, with my "significant other" Jackie Byars, where I continue to work. The Carl Michel Group has been performing in the Metro Detroit area since 1995.  I have performed with Alex Coke, Rich Harney, Rock Savage, Horacio Rodriguez, Joan Wildman, Hans Sturm, Ray Kaczynski, Dane Richardson, Bill Anschell, Les Thimming, Scott Fields & Drew Phelps.

Carl Michel has received two Emmy awards for Music Composition/Arrangement for his work on the documentary series Doris O’Donnell’s Cleveland at The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences-Lower Great Lakes Chapter. The series, produced by Mark Wade Stone of Storytellers Media Group, also received an award for Arts/Entertainment Program. Doris O’Donnell’s Cleveland is a 16-part series based on Front Page Girl, a Kent State University Press book by veteran Cleveland reporter Doris O’Donnell Beaufait, who began her newspaper career in 1939.