mike seal musician

Mike has worked as a musical director, composer, producer and engineer for over 30 years. 

As a Musician

He has performed over a thousand gigs across the world, played on over 50 albums and written over 300 songs. He works with a number of professional artists as well as having his own projects. 

He has played upright bass for blues artist Sean Taylor for nine years. He has done seven UK and five European tours with him. Sean has a growing worldwide following and fifteen acclaimed albums to his credit. He won male artist of the year 2024 for FATHEA magazine. Sean was shortlisted for best acoustic artist of the year by the UK Blues Federation in 2023. In 2024 he was nominated for best traditional artist, best acoustic album and best acoustic artist. In 2025 he was nominated for the best acoustic artist, and in 2026 for the best traditional artist, best contemporary artist and best acoustic artist, and was shortlisted for best acoustic artist. Several of Sean's albums were produced in Texas by legendary producer Mark Hallman and received four-star reviews in Mojo, named americana album of the month, and have been played on BBC Radio 2.  

Sean has opened for Robert Cray, John Fogerty, John Mayall, Neville Brothers, Tony Joe White, Band Of Horses, Richard Thompson, Eric Bibb and many other legends. Mike plays on the Sean Taylor Band live album, the studio albums ‘Short Stories’, ‘At The End of Rainbow’ and First Light  having co-written songs on the last two. Live reviews of their performances togther say

‘A duo that remind you of the halcyon days of John Martyn  and Danny Thompson’. (Blues Matters) 

‘Mike’s bass is solid and dependable and adds just the right amount of depth to emphasise Sean’s lyrics and guitar/ piano’ (RnR) 

Mike has played upright bass with ‘A Different Thread’ since 2021 and has undertaken four tours with them. They are a collaboration between Robert Jackson from Lichfield, England, and Alicia Best from Durham, North Carolina, USA. Following the release of their debut album ' On A Whim' they have garnered a loyal following across the UK, Europe, the US and Central America. garnering the attention of the BBC and NPR radio, and landed them support slots with the likes of Jody Stevens (Big Star) Native Harrow, and the Milk Carton Kids. Steve Earl, praised their live performance at Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival where the artists shared a bill. Their second album 'Call of the Road',  came out in August 2023, their third is to be released in Summer 2026. Mike Plays on both.

Mike has also played upright bass and banjo for Farefeld (Caitlin Jones and Chris Elliot) since 2022. They were described by 'Bright Young Folk' as experienced storytellers who bring timeless to their music'. They have won several accolades, including the Shrewsbury Folk Festival open mic competition in 2018, and the 2022 Downend Folk & Roots Cliff Woolley Award and were a featured artist at the 2021 Folk Expo in Manchester. Their second album, ‘A Game of Two Halves’, featuring Mike, came out in January 2024. 

Mike has played multiple instruments for singer-songwriter Joe Bayliss for the last two years. Joe’s music sits somewhere amidst a cross section of John Martyn, Damien Rice and Nick Drake. who's ‘imaginative metaphors, intersperse, carefully crafted lyrical pictures’ (FATHEA). Further described as:

‘Somewhere between John Martyn and Damien Rice’, describes the soft melodies and singing that Joe performs. Songs that speak to deep emotions with their considered lyrics. All superbly  supported by Mike Seal on his upright bass'.  (Buxton Fringe Festival)

Mike plays on Joes recent album ‘Grace’, described by FATEA as ‘caressing the heart and calming the mind with his gentle music and the burnished emotions of his words. A state of grace indeed’.

Mike also plays with Cleveload, the recording pseudonym of Paul Newland, a musician based in Malvern (UK). Paul was vocalist/multi-instrumentalist in the Lowland Hundred. Their three albums, Under Cambrian Sky (2010), Adit (2011), and The Lowland Hundred (2014) were reviewed favourably in Mojo, Uncut and The Wire. Reviews of the album on which Mike plays, Muntjac say

‘Piano ripples hand in the air like Harold Budd. The earthly double bass of Mike Seal adds earthy vibrations and for over ten minutes vintage synthesizer drones stretch out to the horison like an endless midsummers day ’- The Wire

'Paul's collaboration with Mike Seal on double bass and Emma Morton of the folk trio Sairie brings depth and dimension to the album, blending psycho-geographical songwriting with avant - garde musical elements '-  Tunesaround. 

As a Songwriter

As well as co-writing with Sean Taylor and his own projects (see above), Mike co-wrote interlude music for several children’s programmes including the Beeps (48 episodes) and the theme music for Radio 4 programme 'X marks the spot'. Mike has a publishing deal with 'another planet music' managed by Mark Stratford (Rough Trade, BMG Rights, Cherry Red, Windsong, EMI, Universal, President, PIAS). 

Theatre Work

Mike has also played as a musician in dance, drama and theatre productions. The latest was Chain Stories 'an exciting site-specific performance telling the story of those who came to contact with the chains made in the Black Country''. involving dance companies from the Black Country, Ghana and Grenada. A documentary on the project has just been released. 

As a Producer

Mike produced all the music for Lonesome Gods, Manna, Queen has Two Heads and his own material. He has produced demos for Sean Taylor and A Different Thread. He is currently producing an EP for Binaural. 

Outside of Music

Outside of music Mike is a professor author of 15 books, and a freelance educational consultant.