Bridging the worlds of Jazz, Blues, Cabaret and the Theatrical Stage, Waylen Miki brings an eclectic and exhilarating style to live performance and studio recordings.
Waylen studied piano and composition at the University of British Columbia’s School of Music, and honed his technical skills working in festivals, hit shows, and even the occasional cruise ship. As one of the founding members of Vancouver band The Molestics, Waylen began exploring his penchant for combining and intersecting different musical genres as the band mixed Jazz, Blues, Latin and Country into their popular live act.
A subsequent move to Toronto brought gigs with the likes of Albert Shultz, Scott Thompson, Sandra Caldwell and Jeff Healey, as well as co-composing the score for the National Film Board of Canada’s short film, The Walking Catfish Blues. These raised the young pianist’s profile, bringing him to the attention of Toronto Jazz Impresario Jaymz Bee.
In 2002, Waylen joined Bee’s Royal Jelly Orchestra, quickly becoming a fixture in the big band’s live appearances and recording ventures, as both an experimental performer and an accomplished Music Director.
Completing arrangements for the RJO’s Toronto Launchpad album led to recordings with some of its singers; Marieve Herington’s Blossoming CD, Terra Hazelton’s debut Anybody’s Baby and Serafin’s 2am At The Torch Café all feature Waylen’s arrangements and inimitable piano interpretations. He has also appeared in Serafin’s music video for My Funny Valentine, and on Richard Underhill’s The Old Guys, both airing on Bravo Television.
Waylen’s first passion, though, lies with music theatre, and to this end he served as Composer and Music Director for celebrated productions of SARSical: The Musical, Rosie’s Café, and Sweeney Todd. Supporting appearances for these shows were featured on CBC Radio and Television, while SARSical enjoyed rhapsodic reviews:
“SARSical is uniquely Torontonian, and madly entertaining… a slickly produced piece of entertainment, with great music.” Richard Ouzounian, The Toronto Star
Waylen is a regular guest on JAZZFM.91’s Ralph Benmergui Show and Jazz in the City, and is currently finishing a novel detailing life as a cruise ship musician.
December 11, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Hey Waylen. I was looking in on your website and thought I would send a little hello while I’m here. Jo has been been sharing good news about your musical happenings. Mark and I hope to see you at Christmas. We are going to Claire’s for the 26-28 and arriving in Toronto on the afternnon of the 28th. We hope you can have dinner with us in the evening. Love. Bob (and Mark)
July 4, 2008 at 8:49 am
hi waylen, as a founding member of the molestics, i hate to let you know you weren’t a founding member.
it’s odd a person would try to pad their resume
with a band nobody remembers, but you know, it’s
even more pathetic that i care. maybe i bother to
correct that as you never seemed to like or respect me. cheers.