Michael McGinnis Bio

Saxophone/clarinetist Michael McGinnis has been performing and teaching in New York City since 1997.

He performs regularly with the Four Bags, OK|OK, the Loser’s Lounge, and the Lonnie Plaxico Group.

His debut recording was released in 2001 on RKM Music (an independent NYC-based label started by 

Ravi Coltrane).  He has also recorded CD’s with the four bags, DDYGG and the MG Marching Band for

NCM East.   

Michael is also a busy sideman and has worked with a wide range of artists including Art Lande,

the Ohad Talmor/Steve Swallow Sextet, Ravi Coltrane, Steve Coleman, Alice Coltrane, John Hollenbeck,

Slavic Soul Party, Deidre Murray, Stew and the Negro Problem, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra conducted by 

Buddy Morrow, Quartet Muartet (Turkey), the Portland Symphony Orchestra, and Barry Manilow.  

He has toured the US and internationally including Japan, Turkey, Africa, France, Italy, Switzerland, 

Austria and his performances and compositions have been featured on WNYC, WFMU, VH1, ABC, MTV, 

The Daily Show and HBO.  He has performed at the Istanbul Jazz Festival, Jazz a la Villette Festival (Paris),

 Konnichiwa Fest (Japan) and Celebrate Brooklyn Festivals.  In NYC he has performed at many major

 venues including Lincoln Center, the Blue Note, Sweet Rhythm, Joe’s Pub, Symphony Space, Tonic, Roulette 

and the Stone.  Michael is also in demand as a studio musician and arranger for various projects that use 

woodwinds, brass & strings.

Michael is a native of Sanford, Maine and studied saxophone with Bill Street in high school and at the

University of Southern Maine where he received his Bachelor’s Degree.  In 1995, Michael attended the

Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY where he earned his Master’s Degree.  He is a founding partner

of the Creative Music Workshop, a faculty member of the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and the Village

Community School.

Michael is a Selmer Paris performing artist and plays Selmer saxophones and clarinets and Bill Street mouthpieces exclusively.  

Selected Discography

Michael McGinnis & Between Green, “Tangents” RKM Music, 2003

Alper Yilmaz, “Clashes”, Kayique Records, 2007

Seiko Akita, “Temptation”, SAM Records/Vales Records, 2007

DDYGG, NCM East, 2004

The MG Marching Band, NCM East, 2005

The Morpholinos, NCM East 2004

The Four Bags, “Live at Barbes”,  NCM East, 2007

The Four Bags, NCM East, 2003.

The Four Bags, “Offshore”,  NCM East, 2004.

Anna Dagmar, EP, 2006

Allison Tartaglia, “Ready”, Make Haste Records, 2003

Amy Rigby, “Little Fugitive”, Signature Sounds, 2005

Baby Steps, “Kiss Me, Stupid”, 2003

Take the Next Step, Eastman School of Music Jazz Department, 1996