Michael Engberg: Press

Message from Michael
Denver singer-songwriter Michael Engberg makes a decent living as a solo musician. But if he ever comes up short, he can always earn some extra money the way he once did—by delivering singing telegrams.
"I’d say there are three main requirements for doing them," he theorizes. "You have to have some amount of comedic timing. You have to be able to carry a tune. And most of all, you have to have no shame."
Engberg’s job experience convinced him that he had all three of these qualities. What changed his mind was an epiphany that followed a certain memorable gig. "I had to do one for a woman who had almost died giving birth," he recalls. "She was in the hospital. It was kind of a combination of congratulations, get well and hope-you’re –feeling-better sort of thing. But it required me to appear dressed in a gorilla costume and wearing a diaper. This is what I mean about no shame. Anyway, I delivered the telegram and was walking back to my car, and I literally heard a voice that said, "Do you realize that there’s a part of you that thinks this is the best you can do?" It stopped me short. And I realized that, more than any other person or situation, I have held myself back."
Since then, Engberg, now in his mid thirties, has tried to change his perspective. The recipient of a master’s degree in music composition, he knew he had the talent and background to succeed in his chosen field. What he needed to learn, then, was how to market his skills. And he has: Today Engberg, who recently discarded his stage name, Iowa Jones, performs in a wide array of settings before a great variety of listeners. He churns out cover tunes on request. He plays classical guitar when his employers want to create a highbrow mood. He’s equally at home entertaining at weddings or ski resorts. He oversees two open stages each week—the regular acoustic get-together Wednesdays at the Mercury Café and a poetry-and-music combo Thursday at Coffee Grounds. With stringed- instrument virtuoso Ernie Martinez, he offers songs of the Old West under the moniker the Unknown Brothers. In addition he and his business partner, Robynne Pennington, run Many Hats Recordings, a project they hope to gradually turn into a full-fledged indie label.
Engberg is at his best, however, when he’s simply writing songs. The deserving winner of the Newfolk Songwriting Competition, awarded during the 1989 edition of the Texas-based Kerrville Folk Festival, Engberg documents his gifts on a new CD called The Way of the Wild Heart. The collection, which features area musicians such as Martinez, Motherfolkers bassist Mary Stribling and guitarist Neil Haverstick, is far more interesting than the self-made vanity recordings so often heard on the local level.
According to Engberg, his work is "kind of a cross between Lyle Lovett and Suzanne Vega." That’s wishful thinking: his compositions actually belong in the country-pop/easy- listening category with the recordings of Jimmy Buffet, Jackson Browne, Dan Fogelberg and Nancy Griffith. Don’t sell him short, though: If the right artist covers one of his tunes, Engberg could wind up as a Nineties Jimmy Webb or Kris Kristofferson. That’s not everyone’s dream, of course, but there are a lot of worse fates.
Rather than spending all of his time scheming to get his songs to the right people, Engberg prefers to perform them himself. He’s also penning a Broadway-style musical with a central concept that he feels is too good to mention until the project is completed, and he’s doing his part to bring more unity to the Denver music community.
"Okay, here’s my philosophy," he says. "There doesn’t need to be competition amongst us—not in the traditional business sense. I think musicians have to work a little bit on their attitudes toward one another. What you want to try to do as a musician is be good enough and original enough that people want to see you play and buy your CD. They don’t have to hate everybody else. That’s not part of it. I want the musicians in Denver to really encourage each other and support each other so we can have a really dynamic music scene here. Plus, I like the town. It’s been good to me.
And if things go sour, he still knows where to find the gorilla suit.

New release covers songs from Beatles to Hendrix -
"Bula Learns to Dance" is what Burlington native Michael Engberg is calling his latest compact disc.
While I like the title, I have one that would have been more descriptive, "Michael Finds His Groove."
Those who have followed Michael's career as a guitarist/singer/composer will, on hearing the album, recognize his growth as [a] musician since his last release six years ago.
I've been listening to the CD on my car stereo constantly since it came into my hands, just as I did with a recent John Williams disc,
Michael is not in John Williams' orbit, but "Bula Learns to Dance" is Michael "In the groove," meaning he is on the right track and headed in a higher direction.
Michael believes he CD to be "something of a snapshot of myself." He recognizes he's learned a bit, grown a bit, and lived a lot since his last issue.
I won't argue.
Michael has broken a mold. In the past he appeared more comfortable with his material than with that of the greats, I always had the feeling Michael lacked the confidence to record evergreens for fear he would suffer by comparison to famous artists.
This time out Michael does 16 pieces, only six of which are his own. The others include works by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lennon and McCartney, Harold Arlen and Yip Harberg, and Jimi Hendrix.
They all work. And Michael, joined by other musicians on some of the songs, is in to form down the line.
Michael credits what might be called his "new voice" to luthier Edward Dick, maker of the three guitars Michael uses on the release--two with steel strings and the third with nylon strings.
I would suggest he also may owe a debt to his work with another band.
He's working with a band called Bedlam Abbey, which specializes in medieval, renaissance and Celtic music.
That influence is evident in Michael's solo effort.
The band also has finished a new CD, which, according to Michael, "we are in the process of pressing and promoting." As part of the promotion, Michael will be on the road for the next couple of weeks.
But back to "Bula," she who has learned to dance.
Bula is the nickname of the daughter of a couple of dear friends of Michael,
"Almost from the time she has walked, Bula has danced," Michael said. "It was her joyful dancing that inspired me to write the title piece of this collection of songs played on the guitar."
Michael said that while putting the album together he realized there are two themes running through it.
"First, there is the dancing, and the sensuality and pleasure in movement. Second, this recording has become a family album. Many of the pieces are dedicated to family members and friends (who are sometimes as close as family, maybe closer)." Michael's family includes his father and mother, James and Sharon Engberg of Burlington.
I would suggest you run right out and buy the record on the Many Hats Recordings Label (MHR0003), but I can't.
What I am playing is a testpress/ prototype. the master hasn't gone to the press.
Michael is aiming at a fall release. I'll let you know when it is available to the public--and I'll accompany that word with a recommendation that you then rush out and buy it.
Meanwhile, Michael is trying to organize a CD release concert in Burlington. He's shooting for sometime around Thanksgiving.
I'll also let you know when and where if Michael finds a sponsor and venue.