BLUE SKIES Released!!!

Already receiving glowing reviews since it's release Friday, BLUE SKIES is simply being described as “Michael Shirtz at his best!”

His release show at the State Theatre in Sandusky, Ohio, home to his JAZZ@8 Series, set the stage for a fun and inspirational performance of the tunes and stories behind the album. His performance of such standards like Make Someone Happy & Smile and Pure Imagination paired with John Lennon’s Imagine was greeted with both emotional and celebrated reactions from the audience. Songs such as Blue Skies, Our Love Is Here to Stay, and My Funny Valentine are already receiving popularity ratings with online sales. BLUE SKIES may be his first solo album, but it is clearly an example of a lifetime of music-making and human experience.

The BLUE SKIES album is a collection of Jazz and American standards that highlights composers like Irving Berlin, Gershwin, Cole Porter, and others, as well as songs that brought joy into Michael's life. The focus of the album is to provide listeners with music that they can dance to, dream to, relax to, think to,

and help them find "blue skies" on those gray cloudy days. In addition to the songs themselves, Shirtz's musical arrangements also pay tribute to the jazz legends and singers he grew up listening to with subtle quotes and phrases throughout the album.

Album Tunes:

Blue Skies

Our Love Is Here to Stay

The Nearness of You

It’s All Right with Me

I’ve Got You Under My Skin

Cheek to Cheek

My Funny Valentine

Make Someone Happy & Smile

Pure Imagination & Imagine

Always in the Wings

Route 66