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Who is Michael Masley

Ranked #12,186 in Music, #326,933 overall | Donates to Acumen Fund

One Of The Most Creative People You'll Ever Meet

Michael Masley is a very inventive and talented musician, and a warm and engaging person. He's pictured here with bowhammers on his fingers, used for the technique he created to play his cymbalom, a relative of the hammer dulcimer. With the addition of picks on his thumbs, he is able to bow, strike, or pluck the strings, getting mesmerizing results that can be heard in his music, available on iTunes and Amazon(see below).

He's also created a menagerie of other unusual instruments, including the gobeon, the cave cell, the reed slide, and the dulcilimba-a mountain dulcimer with a kalimba attached.

Not only has he invented new ways to play old instruments, but in his determination to make a difference in the direction our country is heading, he invented a new persona, the Artist General, who posts warnings as does the Surgeon General.

Look for Michael in ART OFFICIALLY FAVORED,
a documentary by Martin Yernazian - coming soon.

Three reasons Michael Masley deserves more recognition

Michael's musical creativity and inventiveness has been lauded by Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Jack Douglas- producer of John Lennon, Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, and many others. He's pictured here with some of his inventions. For applause from fans, see the YouTube Videos below.

His creation of the Artist General's Warnings as a means to promote his cause of getting people to think for themselves, and to demand more of the media and of the politicians that serve us, is a sample of his wide-ranging creative genius.

Michael is a very thoughtful and generous person. I've known him for many years, and he has always been more than willing to share his musical inspiration with others. Whenever he's around he's always playing some wild instrument he's invented, or beating out a rhythm on a traditional drum of some sort. His creations may look bizarre, but some of the sounds he gets from them have never been heard from an acoustical instrument.

A Taste Of Michael Masley's Music

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Cymbalom Solos from Michael Masley is used by many massage therapists for relaxation during treatment. You can hear a sample of the music above. This and other Michael Masley CDs and downloads are available from CD Baby. Buy the CD

Ringtones from Michael Masley

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Michael Masley: Accolades and Press Appearances

Best Street Musician 2007
Voted Best Street Musician in Best of the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
Michael's Music on NPR
Michael Masley was featured on NPR's All Things Considered on August 15, 1995, and later appeared on All Songs Considered: July 1, 2001
Michael Masley's Instruments
Of Bowhammers and Palmharps, Conundrums and Kabalis: Mike Masley's Urboriginal Innovations
Baker's Biographical Dictionary
Baker's Biographical Dictionary of 20th Century Classical Musicians
Beethoven On The Street
A Profile Of Michael Masley
Musikalischer Zauberer mit den "Dingern an den Fingern"
And In International Media...
Street musician has a sound that's out of this world
From Jesse Hamlin of the San Francisco Chronicle

Michael Masley will be featured in the upcoming film Art Officially Favored, Directed by Martin Yernazian 

Links

Art Officially Favored: official website
Find out more about the documentary, Art Officially Favored, featuring Michael Masley. Produced by Martin Yernazian.
If you are able to give financial support for completion of the film, it would be greatly appreciated! Select the Donate Link from the navigation bar.
Facebook Group: Art Officially Favored
Please join the official Facebook group for the Film: Art Officially Favored, and help us get the word out!
Who Is The Artist General?
Find out more about Michael's alter-ego, the Artist General.
Michael Masley's website
Hold onto your hat!
Artist General Store
Support Michael's efforts by purchasing a T-Shirt, mug, bumpersticker, totebag, or one of many other items.

Don't Miss This Video!

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Have you met Michael Masley?

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  • Reply
    David Feb 5, 2011 @ 1:02 am | delete
    Mike was forced to leave Berkeley due to an owner move-in eviction. The streets here haven't been the same since. There is nothing quite like walking down Telegraph Ave. and hearing the ethereal sounds of Mike bow-hammering away on his cymbalom! I started out as a fan, and became a friend, and I miss him terribly.
  • Reply
    rauspitz Jan 25, 2009 @ 9:33 pm | delete
    Very good lens. Very nicely done. Definitely 5 Stars.
  • Reply
    Oct 20, 2008 @ 11:14 pm | delete
    Really informative. I think you have a done a wonderful job, *****!
    I'd like to ask you to visit my lens and say hi when you get a chance.
    http://www.squidoo.com/phpBB3styles

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Artist General's Warnings on Flickr

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Help back the efforts of Michael and the Artist General

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PattB

Hi, I'm Pat, and I'm a fan of Michael Masley and his music, and of his creation the Artist General.

I've created this lens, and the Artist General Store,...
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