Michael Brothers
Michael Brothers is the retired Director of Jazz and Percussion Studies at Southeastern Louisiana University. He established the Jazz Studies degree and revitalized the annual Bill Evans Jazz Festival into the major educational event it is today. His teaching included Applied Percussion to undergraduate and graduate percussion majors, and courses in Percussion Methods, Percussion Pedagogy, Jazz History and Jazz Pedagogy. He was Director of the University Jazz Ensemble, University Percussion Ensemble and the Spirit of the Southland Drumline.
A native of Oakland, California, his forty-five-plus year career as a drummer and percussionist spans a wide range of musical experience including performances with big bands, symphony orchestras, recording sessions and Broadway, including over 6,600 performances of the Broadway musical The Phantom of the Opera, the longest continually running Broadway tour in history. Prior to his tenure at Phantom, he was the drummer or percussionist on several first national tours including City of Angels, Bye Bye Birdie (with Tommy Tune and Ann Reinking), Starlight Express, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber in Concert (with Sarah Brightman), Les Misérables and Me and My Girl.
His extensive credits include performances with some of the world’s legendary entertainers such as Victor Borge, Peter Cetera, Mitzi Gaynor, Marvin Hamlisch, Rupert Holmes, Gladys Knight, Liberace, Maureen McGovern, Anthony Newley, Patti Page, Chita Rivera and Dinah Shore. His albums Reunion and Three Times Two have received extensive airplay throughout the United States, Australia, Canada, France, The Netherlands and United Kingdom. His newest album, House Sessions, Vol. 1 is expected to be released in 2026.
He continues to be an active performer locally and nationally, including as the drummer for the John Mahoney Little Band, one of New Orleans' premier jazz ensembles. Michael holds degrees in Percussion Performance from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL (MM) and Loyola University New Orleans (BM). Visit his website at www.michaelbrothersmusic.com.
