Biography
Hello. Mike Outram here. I’m a guitarist, composer and teacher from the UK. That’s me below. I guess it would be kind of odd if I’d posted a picture of Bert Weedon or something. Think I might actually be asleep in this pic. Anyhow, below is a sort of attempt at a biography. Utterly painful these things are to write, but I had a go…
Here are some of the things I’ve done that I’ve enjoyed a lot: Recording for Steven Wilson on his Insurgentes album alongside Jordan Rudess, Tony Levin and Gavin Harrison; playing on this [click here] with Danish drummer and composer Sebastiaan Cornellisen and John McLaughlin bassist Hadrian Feraud; playing classical guitar with string quartet to a film at the Sao Paulo Film Festival, Brazil; recording Laura Rossi’s soundtrack to ‘The Firm’; playing swanee whistle in a tribute to Clangers creator Oliver Postgate; playing on Theo Travis’s proggy/rock/jazz/ambient album with Robert Fripp and great UK tour with that group; a European tour with soul-funk legend Carleen Anderson; gigs in South Africa with Herbie Mann; sessions with Photek and the Cinematic Orchestra, recording math-geek-metallers The Banzai Buddy Band and writing and recording my own music.
I’ve also had the good fortune to develop within long-term group projects such as: Martin Speake’s various projects which explore contemporary jazz, Indian carnatic influenced music, free improvised music, be-bop, and so on [listen here]; Asaf Sirkis’ Messiaen-meets-Prog group; Issie Barratt’s insanely challenging Big Band; Pop/country singer-songwriter Rebecca Hollweg; The Tony Woods Project, Gareth Lockrane, Dylan Howe, Harvey Brough, Tim Whitehead, Karen Street, Jacqui Dankworth, Jamie O’Donnell, Dave O’Higgins.
I’m a professor at Trinity College of Music and The Royal Academy of Music. I teach Harmony and Theory at Guitar-X, and I’m on the faculty for the Jamey Aebersold Summer School in the UK. I’ve also taught for the Live Music Now scheme, The Purcell School, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London College of Music, Middlesex University and most other UK conservatoires. I’ve directed group workshops on improvisation, performance and composition, and have given many guitar-specific workshops as well. I’ve written a monthly tuition column in Guitarist Magazine for the past 3 years.
Right now, I’m writing and recording an album of my original music and writing a book on guitar playing. I have three ambitions for 2010: 1, finish album; 2, write book; 3, run 10k race. There’s a massive bottle of Champagne waiting if I manage to do those and I need all the help I can get.
Thanks for checking out this site. I hope there’s something of interest here :)
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi mike
Just want to say, I’m very impressed and inspired by what you have achieved and hope to one day play at the level you do.
You actually taught me my first altered scale lick on the Jamey Aebersold Summer school 2 summers ago which i still use now, possibly too much.
So I hope I’ve ‘justified your existence’ .
Michael
Hi Michael,
Thanks for that; you’re very kind :) Glad you got some use out of my class too! Are you playing/studying?? Fill me in!
Yeah, I’m in my first year studying the jazz degree now at Leeds college of music. I’m really getting into it now and I’m thinking I might apply to do a masters at Trinity or Royal Academy when I’m finished here.
Also, what were you doing up at 4:12 am?
Great you’re studying at Leeds, it’s a great city and tons of music going on up there. 4:12 = feeding time at the zoo :)
yeah there’s a great scene up here, with loads of great gigs! Quite a lot of London based groups gig up here regularly, are you planning to do any work up here in the near future?
Would love to play in Leeds. Am working on an album at the moment and really want to start gigging with that but I might just do some trio gigs in the meantime. What gigs are there now in Leeds.
Hi again
The best jazz gigs that i go to are generally at ‘The Spin Off’ which is at Santiago’s bar, the Seven Arts Centre, The Wardrobe, The Venue (at LCM), and Sela Bar. Also, there’s Wakefield jazz club which i haven’t been to yet but it’s not too far off. Other venues that are less exclusive to jazz are the Hi-Fi Club, and Smokestack. You’re probably best off talking to someone like Alex though because he’s more involved in what’s going on in Leeds.
Anyway hope to see you doing a gig up here soon!
Thanks for the heads up on those venues, Michael. Played the Wardrobe and Wakefield many times and the Hi-Fi a couple of times :)
Hi Mike,
Great site… really inspiring. Not a bad effort at the old Bio there!
I’d like to put together a site of my own as a sort of database for all my studies and projects and hopefully inspire other people – what software do you use to make/update/edit your site etc?
Hope to see you play soon and keep up the good work.
Nath.
Thanks, Nathan.
The site is based on Wordpress which is a free blogging software. You don’t really need to get into coding to use it and it’s very easily customised too. I guess I’ll need to do a proper blog post to explain what it’s all about…
See you soon.
M
Hi Mike,
I took lessons with you for a short while when I living down in Greenwich two years ago. Just thought I’d drop you a line and say hello. I’m in Leeds at the moment studying at LCM in my second year now (hopefully I’ve improved a little since those days where you had to deal with me messing up my major scales!!).
A few things…
Firstly the reference to Bert Weedon at the top of this page made me crack up… I have an ancient learn-yourself-guitar book at home by Bert Weedon… it’s really not great by any means but the picture on the front is absolutely fantastic.
I love the wordpress style website, nice theme and widgets that you’ve used–I’m actually trying to get to grips with it for my own website… so I’m taking notes!
I also noticed your conversation with Michael De Souza (who coincidentally I now know) about gigs in Leeds… I’ve been working running/promoting a few events in the city so let me know if you ever do want to gigs up here and I can point you in the direction of a few great promoters and venues.
Anyway… I hope you are well and I’m sure it wont be too long before I’m back in London asking for more lesson!
Best,
Alex
Hey Alex, great to hear from you! Glad all is well in Leeds. Bert kicks ass, eh? Any gig info is welcome, cheers :) Link me your website, be good to hear you/see what you’re up to these days. Keep in touch.
M