Musician Profile

Band Info

Mike Graver – Piano - From the age of five, Mike was able to play tunes ‘by ear’ on the piano. The Norfolk lad left school to live in London and gaining enormous experience working in pubs and clubs of the East End R.A.F.service in the Middle East provided more opportunity to develop working with a jazz quartet and the occasional guest appearance with Army Big Bands. Returning to ‘Civvy Street’ more experience was gained in the London jazz scene before joining Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends in the early 90s where his elegant piano contributions have been heard at major venues such as The Barbican, The 100 Club and Ronnie Scott’s plus numerous jazz festivals including Guernsey, Upton on Seven, Teignmouth and the Isle of Bute, Scotland. Mike has performed with many of the leading British stars including Digby Fairweather, Roy Williams Allan Elsdon, Pete Allen, Campbell Burnap and John Barnes. Mike has broadcast on the B.B.C. radio, appeared on television and made a number of recordings in his own right as well as contributing to Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends C.Ds and vocalist Judy Tyler’s ‘All That Jazz’ recordings in 2003. He was a founder member of Richard Leach’s 7 Stars of Jazz and has featured prominently on all five of their C.Ds.