Mick Schafer has been playing music since his childhood. He remembers hearing his singing voice for the first time in the 8th grade choir at Our Lady of the Valley Church. A couple of kids in the pew in front of him turned around at that same moment, as captivated as he was. They had all shared something emotional and resonant in Mick’s voice. At age 20, Mick quit school and began his nomadic lifestyle performing in Europe, where he grew comfortable in front of crowds. You might know him more recently from projects such as Blackberry Jam and Tree Top Tribe. Mick is embarking on his first solo effort since his European tour: the Mick Schafer Band. The record is being mixed and mastered at Sonic Studio with Bob Stark producing, and Dean Baskerville engineering and mixing. Mick has a deep bench of performers and technicians who respect his work, scions as John Moore, and JT Thomas; Ken Scandlyn (when he’s not touring with Shemekia Copeland), Dave Captein, Timmer Blakely, Dennis Carter, Mike King, Cypress Jones and many others, Mick stays true to his Portland hometown roots. With a new record in hand this summer, Mick’s work has been compared to a mash up of Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, and Elvis Costello with a gravelly soulful voice all his own. He mixes roots with love and loss to deliver an inspired connection with his audience and their life experience. Mick Schafer | About “I really like (Mick’s) music. It’s very personal and very soulful. I like his lyrics too. It’s…spacious, even though it’s hard driving. He leaves a lot of space in his lyrics, so there’s room for (the music) to breathe. And let us (the musicians) just groove. I like his sense of timing…and really enjoy his approach, and the truthful sincerity in his music. I got goose bumps a bunch of times (about recording the record with Mick).” Dave Captain Bass Player