Mike Lebrun

A semi-finalist in the 2013 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition and featured soloist on Michael Buble’s 2016 release Nobody But Me, Mike has emerged as a leading voice in genre-bending, jazz-rooted music. Releasing 2 studio albums of original compositions with co-leader Josh Moshier, Mike’s groups have been featured on NPR’s nationally syndicated program Jazz Set. The group has toured throughout the U.S. and South America showcasing their talents. Mike’s composition Jambo won the 2008 International Jazz Composers Symposium’s Best Small Group Composition award. He has been a featured artist with pop & Motown icons including The Temptations and Guster. Mike’s latest project, the Drive Trio, features Grammy award winning bassist Clark Sommers and Jon Deitemyer. He also leads a jazz quartet and is a member of numerous R&B, soul, funk, and jazz bands in the Los Angeles area.

In addition to his pursuit of music creation and performance, Mike also has 10 years of experience working in the software industry and is the founder of Beakerbox Records.

Mike received his B.M. in Jazz Studies and Economics from Northwestern University in 2007, where he studied with saxophone under Frederick L. Hemke and John Wojciechowski, and his M.B.A. from the JL Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 2014.

Reviews of Mobrun's Joy Not Jaded

All About Jazz.com| Dan McClenaghan

The Millennials are here.

"Keyboardist Josh Moshier and saxophonist Michael Lebrun, a pair of Chicago-based jazz artists born in the 1980s, delve deeply into the jazz world with Joy Not Jaded. On this fine, high-energy set, the pair and their band craft a modern-leaning sound that remains true to the post-bop tradition…"

All Music Guide| Adam Greenberg

Lebrun and Moshier craft straightforward but clever pieces of melody, then use the band as a whole to ornament heavily around the themes. The result is a surprisingly coherent sound, with clear and intermingling parts, strong solos, and repeating motifs that let the full ensemble shine together.

Chicago Jazz Magazine| Philip Davia

…new and complex compositions, very melodic soloing, infectious grooves and a sense style which illustrates that the future of jazz is in good hands. read full review