As a pianist and keyboardist, Michael Cain has had a prolific performance and recording career, appearing on albums for labels such as Blue Note, Warner Brothers, Universal, and ECM. Cain has worked with some of the most significant names in jazz and contemporary music, including Jack DeJohnette, Ravi Coltrane, Terence Blanchard, Robin Eubanks, Pat Metheny, Charles Neville, Dave Holland, Bobby McFerrin, and Me'shell N'degeocello, for which he received two Grammy nominations as a pianist, keyboardist, and arranger.

Other notable projects include composing the music for the films “Maybe” and “Real With Me” by director Carl Ford for Black Nexxus Films. He also served as pianist and musical director for the Jose Limon Dance Company’s New York premiere of “Crossroads,” a collaboration between composer James Newton and choreographer Donald McKayle. Additionally, Cain composed the music for the Broadway play “View from 151st Street,” which ran at the George Papp Public Theater in New York. Cain was artist-in-residence at the University of Auckland, NZ the summer of 2022, and during the spring of 2024 Cain collaborated with the Boston Ballet composing electronic sound elements with Musical Director Mischa Santora and choreographer Ken Ossola for the world premiere of his ballet “The Space Between.” In September 2024, Cain was a featured artist at the Capão Jazz Festival in Bahia, Brazil, performing with his trio.

As an educator, Michael has held positions as a professor at the Eastman School of Music, the New England Conservatory of Music, and Brandon University, and is currently the Director of the Electronic Music and Recording Arts program at the MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis, MN. Michael is also Co-founder and CEO of Ekwe, a mobile-based, multicultural, digital music creation app that aims to redefine diversity, equity, and access to music creation and education.

Michael’s latest release is entitled Hoo Doo and is available on all streaming platforms.