Michael Staron

Acknowledged in Jazz Times as “a versatile, forwarding looking and accomplished performer,” Michael began his professional career playing Latin Tropical music in Chicago’s inner city at age fifteen. His jazz bass playing has been reviewed in Cadence, Pulse, Jazz USA, Jazz Review, Jazz Word, Jazz Weekly, AMG, New City, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, The Wire, Jazz at a Glance, Beyond Coltrane, Chicago Reader, All About Jazz, Progression Magazine, and live performances of Michael have been aired on BET, 190 North and local cable.

Michael is also an accomplished theatre / pit musician, his performance credits include - national tours of Evita, the international and national touring companies of A Chorus Line, Sid Caesar, Red Skelton, Bob Newhart, Eddy Arnold, Roger Williams and Joseph with Donny Osmond.

Mr. Staron has taught over 140 sections of Music Appreciation at Triton College, DePaul University, Benedictine University and the Chicago City Colleges. In 2013 Michael co-designed a fully online music appreciation course that is currently running at Triton College.

"He’s a versatile, forward looking and accomplished performer." --  JazzTimes

"…Has exceptional chops and the smarts to get beyond his schooling." -- The Wire

"His bowing is some of the best I ever heard. He is a true rival of Mike Formanek, Dave Holland and Paul Rogers." -- Beyond Coltrane / Fred Barrett

"Mike to me has a lot of technique and he’s perfect for playing in a trio because he’s inspirational, he will follow my chords, whatever melody I play he will follow, he will change key with me which is what I need."  --  Hal Russell, Hal an Oral History