Great music created specifically for YOUR needs.

If you are in need of live music for any occasion, we can provide you with a wide variety of groups to suit your needs and tastes. Whether it be a variety band for a wedding reception, a big band for a formal event, a jazz quintet to fit the atmosphere of your club, soloists or duos for that special occasion in an intimate setting, or professional musicians for your CD project, we can meet your needs. Lake Effect Music bands are of the highest quality, appropriate for the occasion, and reliable.

The music of Copper Island pleases all ages because of their high quality performance of a broad repertoire. This includes vintage rock n' roll, classic rock, jazz, Big Band sounds, the best in country, Latin, polkas, waltzes, your favorite ballads of all time, and of course, requests! To see a sample of the music we offer, click here.

Looking for the best in straight-ahead and smooth jazz for your club, private party, or just great listening? Then RealTime is is just what you need! Included in their repertoire are great standards by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin; swing and bebop of Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie; the sensuous ballads of Johnny Mercer, Jerome Kern, and Hoagy Carmichael; great contemporary jazz from Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, and more! To see a sample of the music we offer, click here.

The Swing Shift Big Band is ideal for wedding receptions, formal events, festivals or any time that danceable, swinging music is needed. The ten musicians that make up the band are professionals that deliver music of the highest quality. Specializing in variety, not only do the Swing Shift Big Band play the great swing hits from the 30's and 40's, but also rock n' roll, polkas, waltzes, Latin dance favorites, and country! To see a sample of the music we offer, click here.

Ideal for small gatherings, parties in your home or setting of your choice, clubs or restaurants, Solo Guitar music provides a sophisticated, tasteful alternative for your live music needs. Mike Irish provides this gentle soothing background featuring the great jazz standards of Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and Cole Porter as well as the new standards in pop music by Sting, the Beatles, Babyface, Prince, and other contemporary artists. To see a sample of the music we offer, click here.

Mike Irish is also available as a jazz guitarist who will perform with YOUR group. Whether you have a small jazz combo, a big band, or maybe just backing a singer, Mike will provide an exciting and tasteful performance with the ensemble of your choice.

Through Lake Effect Music, you can get music arrangements/compositions customized to fit the exact needs and instrumentation of your groups. Charts can be produced for:

Lead sheets (primarily for singers)
Combos of any size/instrumentation
10-piece "Little" Big Band
Large Jazz Ensemble
Symphony orchestra

Great care is taken to produce high quality, mistake-free, individualized arrangements that sound great and really groove! Two manuscript styles are available, Jazz Text and Maestro, so please specify.

Radio remains, to this day, the most cost-effective means to target your specific audience for advertising! Lake Effect Music will develop and produce outstanding custom or generic radio spots to fit your budget and market. Why settle for run-of-the-mill radio ads when you can afford jingles that really grab the listener? Let us do a demo for you!

Mike Irish does exciting and informative one-day intensive workshops for jazz groups and individuals:

"Mr. Good-Groove"

This very popular and unique workshop is a "tune-up" session specifically for your rhythm section! In small groups of any kind, the rhythm section is the most misunderstood, yet is the "engine" of any group. Mike Irish specializes in getting your rhythm section into top form for festivals or any performances! He is a unique "music mechanic" because he offers hands-on instruction for each rhythm section instrument (keyboard, guitar, bass, drums, vibes, and percussion) and then makes sure that all the parts work together in "high performance mode"! Need your rhythm section fixed? Give "Mr. Good-Groove" a call!

Festival/Concert Preparation

If you have an upcoming jazz festival or concert, have Mike come to "tweak" your band performance for that special event. Topics covered are tuning, articulation, appropriate styles, rhythmic feel, basic improvisation, interaction of winds and rhythm section, and overall audience presentation. Often this is done in two stages. One visit comes 4 to 6 weeks prior to the performance, and then an optional final "tune-up" one week prior to the performance.

Jazz Improvisation Workshop

This workshop can be offered at three different levels -- beginning, intermediate, or advanced -- and is tailored to the needs of your students. Emphasis is placed on music understanding, and lots of playing time for students. It is definitely hands-on. Focus is also placed on practice strategies, practice resources, and listening skills.

Individual or group instruction is available for jazz guitarists, improvisers, and arrangers. Jazz guitar instruction covers natural technique, music theory as applied to the guitar, ear-training, harmony and comping, styles, practice resources, and professional survival tips. A fun, yet informative, workshop with lots of handouts and interactive examples.