Bio / Press Kit / EPK

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NOT FOR COLTRANE is Michael Duck, a guy who loves bringing together folky acoustic rock and evocative storytelling. He grew up in the Baltimore area and has been making music since high school; he lives now in Bethlehem in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, where he's been performing as “Not For Coltrane” since 2012.

COLTRANE was Mike’s dog. He was a rescue, and he came with that name. Coltrane thought he could sing, but unfortunately he was never part of the act.

Along with acoustic guitar, you might also see Mike play ukulele, harmonica, bass guitar, or hand percussion, sometimes with the aid of a looper or other effects pedals. He’s constantly adding new music to his repertoire, including songs by other Lehigh Valley performers and genre-bent reimaginings of well-known tunes (such as “Margaritaville” as a bossa nova, “Wrecking Ball” as a folky ballad, or “Danger Zone” with jazzy acoustic guitar).

On Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. ET, join Mike on YouTube for his #coltranetuesdays webcast featuring the interactive “Not For Coltrane Stump-the-Band Game,” wherein Mike has to play song requests whether he knows the songs or not.

Venues where Mike has performed include Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA; Allentown (PA) Arts Fest; the Kutztown (PA) Folk Festival; College Hill PorchFest in Easton, PA; the Bethlehem Farmers’ Market at Lehigh University; Franklin Hill Vineyards near Bangor, PA; the New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt, MD; and AS220 in Providence, RI. He’s been an Ensemble Affiliate at Bethlehem’s Touchstone Theatre; in 2019 he wrote and performed the score for an original play, “The Hidden Seed,” as part of Touchstone’s Festival UnBound.

Mike’s 2019 EP, “Fuzziness and Breath,” features some of the Lehigh Valley’s most respected musicians on its title track: Dave Fry on mandolin, Shawn Cav on bass, and Dave Deubler on drums. Recording was done at Bethlehem’s legendary Godfrey Daniels listening room – where Mike has also opened for or performed with musicians such as John Gorka, Bakithi Kumalo of the Paul Simon Band, Tracy Grammer, Ellis Paul, The Kennedys, and Bev “BC” Conklin.

Awards and Recognition

• Emmy-nominated project director of the Lehigh Valley Song Project (2021)
• “Outstanding Folk Band/Soloist” nominee, Lehigh Valley Music Awards (2018, 2015, 2014)
• “Best of the Godfrey Daniels Open Mike,” 2013

Photos

Click to download print-resolution files

• Photo by Michael Kubel Photography
• Photo by Michael Kubel Photography
• Photo by Gerard Longo / Underground Music Collective

Press

On “Fuzziness and Breath”: “The four-track, alt-folk effort is a crafty one, full of memorable hooks and a range of moods, with moments ranging from whimsical to absolutely heartbreaking.” – Underground Music Collective (2020)

“Strong storytelling. [...] ‘Fuzziness and Breath’ is a well-rounded blend of coffeehouse pop and modern folk, filled to the brim with plenty of heart and soul.” – Dustin Schoof (2019)

“Not For Coltrane, the nom de plume of Mike Duck, was fun with the rowdy, Jimmy Buffett-takeoff ‘Rudy’s Ransom Annual Pancake Breakfast’ and the upbeat, more-pop audience participation of ‘The Wind and the Rain,’ but also offered the tender, slow and quiet ‘New York to Baltimore,’ which also benefited from [Tracy] Grammer’s violin, and the broken-and-bitter song to a lost love, ‘Wish You Well.’

“His best was ‘Waiting,’ a nicely composed traditional folk number he sang in a lower voice.” – John J. Moser, The Morning Call (2014)

“Local singer/songwriter Michael Duck has been hosting the open mic for almost two years. He relinquishes the role to two other players as he performs shows throughout the Lehigh Valley as Not For Coltrane, a moniker inspired by the scolding he may give to his dog, Coltrane, from time to time.” – Matt Smith, The Express-Times/lehighvalleylive.com (2014)

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