| Michael Cerulo (aka Suke) is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist whose life long love and devotion to music has given him a very distinct and identifiable sound. Whether it's his fluid guitar melodies, the warm organic tone of his flute, or his own recordings where he plays and produces all of the music, Suke's individuality, creativity and talent are evident in all of his creations.
Born on April 2, 1972 in a suburb of Boston, Suke was raised in a musical family. His grandfather (George Lane) was a composer, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader during the late 40's and early 50's (see mp3's). All five of George's siblings were musicians as well, often being employed in his big band. Suke began playing guitar and taking music lessons when he was twelve. Being persistent, with an unbending intent to learn and grow, he enrolled in Berklee College of Music in Boston. After graduating in '94, while also working for MOTU music software, Suke became a full time touring musician. Suke composed, played guitar and flute with his band Schleigho.
Schleigho (pronounced shlay-ho) was formed at Berklee in 1993 and was touring around the country a year later. The band's style is a mix of jazz and funk, with each of its four members contributing equally to bring about an unprecedented wall of sound. Being predominately instrumental, the band's incredible talent and versatility allows them to go from opening for the Allman Brothers to playing high scale jazz venues while satisfying the most discriminating of tastes. The band released their first CD (self-titled) in 1995, 'Farewell to the Sun' in 1997 and 'In the Interest of Time' in 1998. In 2000 the band signed with Flying Frog Records (owned and managed by members of the Allman Brothers). Under Flying Frog Records they released 'Continent' in 2000, and 'Live at HoDown 2000' the following year. Schleigho has met with great success over the years; from amassing a substantial and dedicated national following to 'Continent' breaking into the top 20 on CMJ and college Jazz radio charts. Averaging over 200 shows annually across the country, they have shared the stage with The Allman Brothers band, Bela Fleck, John Scofield, Karl Denson, Maceo Parker, Derek Trucks, G. Love and Special Sauce, Galactic, Moe and Soulive, to name a few. Schleigho has performed at the JVC Jazz festival (NYC), the Gathering of the Vibes, the High Sierra Music Festival, and the Berkshire Music Festival, among others, and are veterans of the club/college circuit and large festival scene. Suke also continually performs with the band Lynch, which is a song structured improvisational fusion of hip-hop, rock, and jazz, flirting with many styles from drum and bass to latin and reggae. It's a high energy show featuring Terence and Shannon Lynch of the underground success Conehead Buddha, a main stay on the Jam scene in the nineties.
Another avenue he has been steadily involved with is the production of music for film and TV. For the last eight years Suke has been developing his engineering abilities in his own project studio to further enhance his musical visions. He created Metanoia Music in which he composes, performs, engineers, mix's and masters recordings to be licensed for multimedia applications. This area of music production allows for infinite amounts of creation and timbre. Using conventional instruments, modern technology and a thorough musical background, Suke creates breathtaking music that utilizes almost any instrument in creation with lush sound design.
His sound is refreshing and his performance is intense. You can always hear diverse musical influences throughout his compositions and soloing, music from the likes of John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Roland Kirk, Pat Martino, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Mingus and Miles to Jimi Hendrix and even Igor Stravinsky. Suke currently resides in New York City and teaches over seventy students per week at the New York City Guitar School. Whether it's playing in a group context, performing, teaching or creating and producing music, Suke always incorporates a fine balance of taste and technique with a result that's not soon forgotten. He always keeps his eye and ear to the future while respectfully paying homage to his influences and tradition.
CREDITS- FILM MUSIC
*2008 Introduction music for "Isaac Asimov Memorial debate" at the LeFrak Theater at American Museum of Natural History
* 2007 "Field Trip to the Moon" a 20 minute documentary currently playing at the Rose Planetarium in the American Museum of Natural History NYC. Original score and recording.
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