Mike Casey is a saxophonist & songwriter who wears his heart on his sleeve and aims to tell a story above all. Not one to rely on sizzle over substance, his compositions and playing style focus on rhythm, melody, space, lyricism, dynamics, contrast, communication and phrasing - not simply "displaying" skill for ego's sake - while delivering each musical statement with power, honesty, and passion. Mike's recent crowdfunded, self-released debut The Sound of Surprise broke 500,000 streams since its February 2017 release - no easy feat for a new jazz artist without label or management backing - with significant highlights from NPR Music, Jazz in Europe, Jay-Z's TIDAL, Peet's Coffee, jazz icon Sonny Rollins, Sofar Sounds NYC and Spotify - who recently featured him as the cover of its influential "State of Jazz" playlist, sandwiched between cover features from icons like Chick Corea & Brian Blade. Always searching deep within to communicate his emotions through art, Mike has enchanted audiences with mature lyricism and a formidable sound that commands the attention of the listener. 2018 marks the release of his sophomore album Stay Surprising - continuing on the theme of surprising the listener - which is exactly what he hopes you'll do with his saxophone samples in this exclusive Splice pack. Demo beat produced by A-P.