BRANCHBURG, N.J.- There are some people in this world who go to great lengths to live for their passion. They sleep in basements on top of amps after late-night gigs, live on ramen and Pabst Blue Ribbon, and squat from house to house, like aprotagonist on the big screen.
For Michael Ambrose, his life has been filled with the same kinds of moments and hardships that many a great musician, artist, inventor, or writer has gone through to become something he knew he had to be. Ambrose, 29, has always been into music.
At age six, he received his first keyboard (which he
still has today). "I took to it like a fish to water," says Ambrose. "I don't know how or why, but I always knew this was something I had to do. When it feels so right and so good, how can you do anything else?"
Ambrose currently has a band called Les` Trois Chaud (The Hot Three). He sings, plays guitar and piano, and is joined by drummer Colleen Crowley, his fiancé, and a mutual friend who plays bass. They can be described as having a Folk-Pop sound with a twist of Americana.
"Playing my favorite instrument with Mike is great," Crowley says. "I've always loved playing drums and having Mike coach me through new lessons is amazing. Playing what makes me happy with the person that I love is such an amazing feeling."
When he's not making music with his band, Ambrose runs the sound at The Stanhope House in Stanhope, NJ. Ambrose is the stage manager, running sound, repairing audio equipment; generally making sure everything runs smoothly.
"This venue is steeped with rich history and culture. Etta James, John Lee Hooker, Stevie Ray Vaugh, and Johnny Winter all have passed through here. When you go to the Stanhope House, you're in the presence of greatness, and that's something you can't find anywhere else," Ambrose says.
The Specials and having a mentor like Lynval Golding (lead vocalist for The Specials) produce his first record, Ambrose has been blessed with many fortunate opportunities that have helped him shape and mold his craft to what it is today.
"Mike doesn't act like a "big fish in a small pond" like other musicians can get," says Crowley, Ambrose’s' fiancé. "He's not about the autographs and the small-town fame; he's in it for the music, he's the real deal."
One of Ambrose's oldest friends, Adam T., also an avid music lover, has noticed the dedication Ambrose has to his music. "On stage, he's a true professional. When he gets up there, he's cool, calm, and collected," says Adam. "He's a leader without ove
r-shadowing any of the other musicians, while at the same time, totally strutting his stuff."
Not only has Ambrose been into music his entire life, he also has an interest in graphic design, which followed him through his life as well. Ambrose took a few design classes in high school and would regularly make band posters.
This side skill helped him out in certain instances, where he was commissioned to create album covers and website design for musicians; he fancied being able to make some extra cash to pay bills and support his musical passion. In the spring of 2009, he interned at a branding and marketing agency, where his taste for design grew to new heights.
Eventually the agency went belly up, so Ambrose took it upon himself to continue learning not only about design, but printmaking, typesetting, and photography, which led him to enroll at Raritan Valley Community College. By the end of the spring 2011 semester, Ambrose will have an Associate’s degree in Fine Arts and Graphic Design.
"I want to be able to find the right way to blend my biggest passion with my love and appreciation for art & design," says Ambrose. "I've been into letterpress lately. Ebay has been my source for vintage letterpress machines, where I've purchased a couple (along with boxes of type) with the hopes of somehow incorporating that with my artistic view and music."
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