First Annual Adhyâropa Records - Adhyâropa Kaleidôscopa

Looking forward to being apart of this super-heavy bill. I will be opening the show doing my solo thing at 7pm Sharp!

Saturday Oct 28th, 2023 @ the Owl Music Parlor, Brooklyn NY

SOLO Video

Just kicking around. Literally.

Force of Nature

When this man right here Benard Purdie, laid into Aretha’s Rock Steady, my head nearly popped off. Playing the intro to Home at Last and then having him come in with that shuffle was downright surreal. So thankful to have been able to lay into it with him, along with some other real heavy hitters. Big love to Walter Parks for making it happen.

JLC Charleston Music Hall. Dec 2019

To my brothers JLC, as always, thanks for having me play along…..

Photo by Terry Ogawa

Conductor boy…wait what!?!

Real thankful for being a part of Daniel Fish’s Oklahoma (2019 Tony Winner for Best Revival of a musical), as the associate musical director and #2 conductor/accordionist & drummer to my dear friend and musical director/conductor Nathan Koci, while this deep reimagining of an American classic starts it’s run on Broadway. Being a part of these rehearsals and now getting to conduct this SUPER heavy cast and band has been a gift. This reworking is great great art. Much love to Nathan, Daniel Kluger and Daniel Fish for trusting me with their work. Hope to see you at a show. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/07/theater/oklahoma-review.html

Michael Bellar SOLO opening for Jon Cleary at the Brooklyn Bowl 3/6/2019!

Super excited to open again for the great Jon Cleary in Brooklyn NY on March 6th. https://www.brooklynbowl.com/event/1789829-jon-cleary-absolute-monster-brooklyn/

Abbie Gardner's Wishes On a Neon Sign

I’m stoked to announce that a record which I produced - Abbie Gardner’s Wishes on a Neon Sign, is now released into the world! You might know Abbie from her work over the years with the group Red Molly. Abbie is a dear friend and I could not be more proud of this work we did together. The songs on this recording are fun, heartfelt and soulful and in my opinion Abbie’s best writing by far - Including one song co-written with Chris Stapleton. Along with a great band which included Abbie on lead vocals/dobro/lap steel/uke, Craig Akin/bass, Tony Mason/drums, JP Ruggieri/guitars, Fred Gillen Jr/backing vocals/washboard, Nicole Zuraitis/backing vocals, Kesang Marstrand/backing vocals, Janice Lancaster/jambalaya and yours truly on keyboards, accordion and percussion. The bulk of the record was recorded by Chris Benham at Big Orange Sheep with Kyle Cassel and Jeremy Delaney engineering overdubs at Kaleidoscope and was mixed by Chris Jacobie and mastered at Lurssen Mastering.

I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone involved with this recording.
So GO check it out! https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wishes-on-a-neon-sign/1323342865

Michael Bellar & the AS-IS Ensemble on Fresh Air

Super proud to be on this list - Thanks Terry Gross and Fresh Air.

Michael Bellar SOLO in Brooklyn NY - April 8th 2017. closing out the "What For, Why Not" Arts Festival

On Saturday April 8th I have the pleasure of performing my SOLO thing in the closing evening of the “What For, Why Not’ Series at Triskelion Arts in Greenpoint Brooklyn. The evening will be a split bill with myself and my dear friend and human spark plug Marielis Garcia. And at the end, I just bet we’ll do something together.

When they send you the track and it's Alicia Keys?!?!

I get to do a lot of remote recording out of my space in NYC for all sorts of different kinds of musical situations and I had the pleasure of playing Hammond organ on this. When the commercial peeps call, it’s not often that they are sending you a rough mix of Alicia Keys singing and playing piano. I’ve always had a great respect for her and her art and it just so happens that this is one of the greatest songs ever written. Plus at the time I didn’t even know that Lebron, KD and Serena were even going to be in this?!?! So here's to hopefully playing more with Ms Keys down the road and maybe getting some free shoes...

Michael Bellar SOLO opening for Jon Cleary at the Ardmore Music Hall 9/2/2016!

Real excited about this one - doing my SOLO thing opening for the great Jon Cleary on Friday 9/2 at the Ardmore Music Hall outside of Philly. He’s got one of those Grammy things. Might be one of the few who actually deserves one.

New York City SOLO show at the NY Society of Ethical Culture

photo by Sid Ceasar - www.ceaserphotography.com

SOLO sets in Virginia and Alabama!!

Jump Little Children Reunion shows

photo by Kate Casanova - www.katecasanova.com

The Jump Little Children “Punctured Lungs are Boring Tour" starts tonight! 12/16. To my brothers - Evan, Ward, Johnny, Mattie and Jay. Real proud of y’all and can’t wait to join in in a couple of days. As always, thanks for letting me play along. “The day of love is coming, Let’s have a parade.”  www.jumplittlechildren.com

Michael Bellar SOLO opening for Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles

Excited to be opening for the great Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles Nov 3rd in Raleigh NC at the Pour House.

Spring Southern SOLO!!!

I'll be doing some SOLO sets in NC in MAY including opening for some great groups including Jeff Sipe Trio, TAUK and Jonathan Scales Fourchestra and playing an evening of solos and duos with the incomparable Melissa Reaves!!!

New York SOLO. Rockwood Music Hall Stage 1. March 9th at 11pm.