Ciao, sono Mike Merlot, tastierista a Locarno. Sono arrivato in Ticino qualche anno fa, venendo da Zurigo, e lo trovo un posto meraviglioso, anche se il mio italiano è ancora improvvisato.
Dopo qualche altra avventura lavorativa ho ripreso la mia vera passione nel 2018: l’organo Hammond e il pianoforte. Continuo a studiare gli standard Jazz ma mi diverto almeno altrettanto con il Blues, il Rock e il Soul.
Per il momento metto alcuni registrazione su questo sito. Ci sono stati altri progetti oltre a quelli menzionati qui, aggiornerò la pagina nel tempo.
Mandatemi un messaggio se avete idee di collaborazione! Possiamo comunicare in italiano, tedesco e inglese. Cari saluti!
Hello. This is Mike Merlot, keyboard player based in Locarno / Ticino. I arrived here some years ago, coming from Zurich, and find it a wonderful place to be, even if my Italiano is still improvisato.
After some more business adventures, I took up my real passion again in 2018 – the Hammond organ and the Blues and Jazz piano. I keep studying Jazz Standards but I enjoy myself at least as much with Blues, Rock and Soul.
i am posting some samples, bad live recordings and stuff from years ago. There were other projects than the ones mentioned here, and I will update this page in time.
Send me a message if you have ideas for collaboration! We can communicate in italiano, german and english. Take care!
Some soloing…
Lou & the Groove Machine (2009-2012)
New Orleans Blues & Funk
Lou Steiner, guitar, vocal
Pierroz, bass
Rob Otiker, drums
Mike Merlot, keys
My latest gig as sideman, we were touring for some years the Blues bars, music restaurants and local Open Airs in almost all of Switzerland.
The Soul Monks (2008-2013)
Soul Jazz & Funk
Lars Kruse, guitar
Mike Merlot, keys
Philipp Ackermann, bass
Mario Caspar, drums
Guest singer: Jay Nicehill
The Soul Monks I:
Thomas Waeber, drums
Guest singer: Jürg Keller
The Monks were playing Soul Jazz in the style of Booker T., but also little known covers of Soul Jazz bands and musicians like Ron Levy, Nils Landgren, Buzz Feiten, The Sugarmen 3, Willie Bobo, The New Mastersounds, John Scofield, Grant Green and others. Guest singer Jay added songs by Chaka Kahn, Amy Winehouse or Cookin on 3 Burners.
The Retros & Marc André (2004-2011)
Cocktail Blues & Lounge Jazz
Marc André, vocal
Mike Merlot, keys
Lars Kruse, guitar
Main attraction of The Retros was the singular voice of Marc André, who today is singing in a Blues band, even if his heart belongs to Elvis and Las Vegas crooners like Dean Martin.