I am originally from Canton, Ohio and was a college music professor at CS Mott Community College, Flint, MI for 30 years, the Dean of the New School University Jazz & Contemporary Music Program for 2 years and President of the International Association of Jazz Educators for 2 years.

I am currently retired and am now focusing on composing for jazz orchestras. In April and May I had two performances of my compositions by the Mike Malone Writers Jazz Orchestra at The Rex Jazz & Blues Bar, Toronto’s internationally acclaimed jazz venue.

For the past three years I have been a member of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop working with world-renowned jazz composers Jim McNeely, Ted Nash, Scott Reeves and Alan Ferber. In June, my latest composition, “What Do You Want?”, was premiered at the 29th Annual BMI Jazz Composers Workshop Showcase Concert, for which I was awarded second place in the Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize.

My favorite bottle right now is the Black’s Station Dunnigan Hills Malbec ($15). I like it because it is different than South American Malbecs. It has a slightly peppery nose with rich, supple dark fruit (plums, blackberries) on the palette. It pairs well with grilled lamb chops topped with olive tapenade, accompanied by a wild mushroom risotto and a salad of grilled figs, toasted pine nuts and arugula drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

The photo is of me and my wife, Deb, enjoying a glass of Pinot Noir on the veranda of the tasting room at Rusack Vineyards, Ballard Canyon in Solvang, California. Cheers!