Mike Rud is a jazz guitarist and music teacher currently living in Montreal. Mike was 11 when he first picked up the guitar and by age 18, his interest had focused specifically on jazz. In 1988, he completed a performance diploma at Edmonton's Grant MacEwan College, and proceeded on to a Bachelor of Music degree at Montreal's McGill University, graduating in 1992. In 1994, Mike attended the Banff International Jazz Workshop at the Banff Centre for the Arts, studying with greats of modern jazz such as Don Thompson and Norma Winstone. This led to an opportunity to study in New York with the jazz guitar master Jim Hall in 1995. In 1996, he returned to Montreal for his Masters' degree at McGill. Mike has performed with Herb Ellis, Kenny Wheeler, Chuck Israels, Ralph Bowen, Joe La Barbera, Guido Basso, Ian MacDougal, P.J. Perry, Tommy Banks, Denzal Sinclaire, John Stetch and many others. He has three CDs of his own out, Whyte Avenue , Chimbe, and Live from Lotusland, and is a guest on several other CDs. Mike has taught and/or spoken at a number of music schools, including McGill University, Western Washington University, Vancouver Community College, Grant MacEwan College, Keyano College, Red Deer College, and Carleton University. He has been a featured guest artist with the University of Victoria Jazz Band, and a teacher at the UBC summer music camp, the Prairielands jazz camp in Regina, SK, and the Grant MacEwan College summer guitar workshop in Edmonton, AB. He has performed all over Canada, including appearances at the Vancouver Jazz Festival, and the Festival de Jazz de Montréal. Mike is very happy to be living in Montreal with his wife Suanne and his daughters, Kelly and Abby.