MKS 
 BIO 

Michael Kalisky Schutz, born on August 15, 2001, embarked on his musical journey in 2012, choosing the guitar as his instrument of choice. Demonstrating an extraordinary aptitude for the electric guitar, he swiftly mastered the instrument while maintaining proficiency in classical and acoustic guitars.

 

His formal music education at 'Metro-West' High School in Raanana, Israel, immersed him in diverse courses, allowing him to excel in jazz history, music history, arrangements, hearing, and harmony.

Despite receiving a four-year scholarship to Berklee College of Music, he deferred his studies for mandatory military service in the Israeli army, during which he continued refining his skills under the guidance of notable mentors.

 

Michael's dedication to music culminated in his debut instrumental album, "The Voice of Peace," released in the summer of 2020. His subsequent achievements include recording his second album, "BACKWISE," in July 2022 with the "Michael Kalisky Schutz Quartet" and producing his third album,  "WHOAMI," released in July 2024, showcases his talents as a composer and arranger with a lineup of accomplished musicians. "WHOAMI" is another milestone in Michael's evolving musical journey.

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More about MKS

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His primary choice of guitar is electric, though he is proficient in classic and acoustic guitars as well. Michael received formal music education at 'Metro-West' High School in Raanana, Israel, where he immersed himself in courses such as Jazz History, Music History, Arrangements, Hearing, and Harmony. He joined the local Big Band, led by Yuval Tabechnik, as the lead guitarist, and the Jazz ensemble under the guidance of Yair Laron. In the summer of 2018, he had the opportunity to take the 'Five Week' course at Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA, graduating with exceptional grades in all his courses.

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Michael's remarkable talent earned him a four-year scholarship to Berklee, which he was unable to pursue immediately due to his mandatory three-year service in the Israeli army. Nevertheless, he continued to hone his skills on the electric guitar with Raz Cogman and the classical guitar with the esteemed guitar master, Yaron Hasson. He achieved excellence in music during his youth, graduating with distinction in 2016 and 2017, and in 2018, he received a special excellence music award from the city mayor.

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Throughout the years, Michael dedicated himself to composing, arranging, and recording music. In the summer of 2020, he released his debut instrumental album, "The Voice of Peace," where he showcased his talents on multiple instruments. The album's title pays homage to Abie Nathan.

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In 2020, Michael enlisted in the IDF, where he received two certificates of excellence during his military service. In November 2021, he joined "Rimon's Jazz Institute," for exceptional jazz musicians led by Ronen Shmueli. In parallel to his RIMON studies, he concurrently became a lead guitarist with Guri Agmon's Herzelia Big-Band. In Dec 2022 Following the completion of 'RIMON,' Michael was chosen to attend Berklee College with a complete tuition scholarship, where he is presently pursuing studies in Jazz. 

 

On July 2022, he recorded his second album, "BACKWISE," live with the "Michael Kalisky Schutz Quartet," featuring Koren Berkovich on drums, Roy Zilbershere on bass, and Ilay Shachal on alto saxophone. The Quartet showcased their talents in a live performance at the 'Guitar Loft' in Tel Aviv.

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His third album titled "WHOAMI" (Who am I?), which he both composed and arranged, was recorded in Tel-Aviv. The album features a lineup of musicians, including Tom Maor on drums, Yaniv Bar on bass, Ilay Shachal on alto saxophone, and others. Notably, two tracks on the album were collaboratively recorded with vocalist Yael Elany. The recording process took place in the 'MITZLOL' studio in TLV, under by Jonathan Barak. The album's mixing was handled by Nirel Sharon, while the mastering was made by Paul Blakemore in the USA. The album's visual design was art directed by Michael Kalisky Schutz, accompanied by a photograph produced and captured by Rupert Truman from the UK.​ The album was released in July 2024. The first single, 'Rejected,' was released in May 2024.

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Michael's musical style predominantly falls within the realm of Jazz Fusion, although he delves into various genres, including beats, classical, and rock-oriented tracks. Here is a link to MKS Gear.