Originally from Oregon, Mike Stinnett cut his teeth in the 1980's playing hard-biting saxophone in the bar bands and garage bands of the Pacific Northwest. This period culminated with a Sub Pop recording appearance with Mark Lanegan (Queens of the Stone Age, Screaming Trees) on Lanegan's Whiskey for the Holy Ghost CD, at the invitation of co-producer Mike Johnson (Dinosaur Jr.). 

 

After moving to Texas and earning a graduate degree in saxophone performance from the University of North Texas, Mike spent several years playing reed instruments in the critically acclaimed minimalist rock orchestra Little Jack Melody and His Young Turks from Denton, Texas -- a group Rolling Stone Magazine dubbed ". . . deeply weird, utterly fab."

 

As a multi-stylist, Mike has appeared in a wide array of musical genres with artists such as (the late) Tex Beneke of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, David Ossman of Firesign Theater, Polish fiddler Brian Marshall, Italian singer/songwriter/performance artist Vinicio Capossela, klezmer fiddle master Steven Greenman. He has also performed with several local and regional artists.

 

Mike teaches saxophone, flute and clarinet, and his teaching style is organic, positive and encouraging. His lessons are tailored to the student's goals, and geared to provide a challenging fun environment for learning music. Mike welcomes students of all ages, levels and styles.