Pianist, composer, and arranger from Amsterdam. Started his career studying classical piano at the age of nine. Received a Masters of Music in Contemporary Music( Jazz and Classical) at the Amsterdam Conservatory. In 1989 he won first prize at the Rotterdam Jazz Piano Competition, the soloist prize at the Europe Jazz Contest in Brussels, and the first prize at the Karlovy Vary Jazz contest.

From 1993-1996 he studied composition and arranging with Bob Brookmeyer at the Musikhochschule in Colonge, Germany. In 1995 Mike was appointed to the faculty of the Royal Conservatory in Gent, Belgium where he taught jazz piano until 1997.

Mike’s reputation as a soloist, accompanist, composer and arranger has
led to worldwide performances, recordings and tours with musicians
such as Toots Thielemans, Jack DeJohnette,
Deborah Brown, Erik Truffaz, Norma Winstone and Richard Galliano.

He  also recorded dozens of albums in many different genres from
Dixieland to Salsa and has arranged music for an animation movie "Run of the Mill" for Danish Børge Ring. This movie won an Oscar

On  June 12 2009 he performed at Paradox with the Vietnamese Bac Ha Music Group, which he met on one of his frequent trips to far regions, looking for interesting crossovers between jazz and world music.

It was a co-production of Paradox and Mundial productions. Mundial is a famous wordlmusic festival in Tilburg.