The Musicians
A Modern Crooner
Michael Carter was raised inside the American Songbook. His grandfather, Harry Gould Carter — a Bay Area recording artist who performed throughout Northern California — introduced him to the standards at an early age, accompanying him on piano and guitar and bringing him onto local gigs. From him, Michael absorbed not only the repertoire, but the sound and feel of the music itself. The bass-baritone depth in his voice traces even further back, to his great-grandfather — a multi-instrumentalist whose musicianship shaped the family’s musical lineage.
He later refined his phrasing and interpretive approach under Bay Area jazz legend Nate Pruitt of Primary Colors, developing a delivery that is conversational, measured, and grounded in feel.
Drawing from Sinatra’s swing, Jobim’s restraint, and Tony Bennett’s ease, Michael approaches the repertoire as living language — timeless music shaped by phrasing, space, and tone rather than imitation.
A consistently working presence throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Michael performs regularly in jazz rooms, wineries, and cultural venues across Northern California. His delivery is intimate and unforced — close to the lyric, anchored in rhythm, and responsive to the room.
As leader of Vintage Noise, Michael shapes the ensemble’s direction and feel, guiding performances in real time alongside long-standing collaborators who share a commitment to musical integrity. The result is classic repertoire carried forward with restraint and quiet authority.
As METRO Newspaper observed, “If there’s a time for crooning to make a resurgence, it’s probably now — it’s totally vintage.” Hailed as “a latter-day crooner,” Michael has built his reputation through longevity, consistency, and an unwavering respect for the tradition he sustains.
Bossa Nova Architect
Ed Johnson is a guitarist, vocalist, and arranger whose playing is deeply rooted in Brazilian music, while drawing naturally from jazz, R&B, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and American popular song. His command of these styles, paired with a refined sense of harmony, gives his music a warmth and sophistication that feels effortless rather than studied.
As a vocalist, Johnson is often compared to Ivan Lins, Milton Nascimento, Kenny Rankin, and Michael Franks. As a guitarist, his sound is lush and rhythmic, unmistakably Brazilian, and grounded in feel. His recordings have earned international airplay for blending Brazilian influence with a modern jazz sensibility.
Johnson is also a respected composer and arranger, known for original songs with a strong Brazilian and Latin undercurrent, along with vocal and instrumental arrangements across jazz, gospel, R&B, Americana, and world music. As Russ Haines, Jazz Music Director at WWSP, noted:
“Ed Johnson is a solid guitarist with a fine touch and a talent for tasty vocals. Johnson’s love for the music is evident and the respect for the roots of the music comes across in each note.”
Within Vintage Noise, Johnson provides the band’s Brazilian core. His guitar sits just behind the beat, shaping the groove and giving the music its relaxed sway. His presence is subtle but essential — the quiet current that gives the ensemble its warmth, depth, and unmistakable sense of ease.
Bossa & Beyond
Franz J. Díaz is a pianist shaped by years on the road, in real rooms, with real audiences. He has perfect pitch, an unshakable sense of time, and the kind of musical memory that lets him step into any setting and immediately sound like he belongs. Nothing rattles him. Nothing is unfamiliar.
Originally from Colombia, Franz built his career performing across international stages, where versatility wasn’t optional — it was survival. Jazz standards, Brazilian repertoire, Latin grooves, pop, soul — whatever the setting called for, he delivered with authority, clarity, and feel. That experience shows in his playing: confident, deeply musical, and always in control.
Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Franz brings that worldliness into Vintage Noise. His piano anchors the band with calm precision, shaping harmony, rhythm, and motion without ever drawing focus away from the song. He hears everything, adjusts instantly, and makes the ensemble sound settled, relaxed, and complete.
Franz is the kind of musician bands rely on when the room matters and the music has to work — not just sound good. Inside Vintage Noise, he is the steady hand and the quiet engine, giving the group its polish, its flexibility, and its unmistakable sense of ease.
The Warm Groove
Mike Hallesy is the kind of bassist musicians relax around. His time is deep, his feel is natural, and the music settles the moment he starts playing. Nothing feels rushed. Nothing feels stiff. The groove lands where it should.
Raised on a wide range of music — from folk ukulele and jazz piano to classical cello — Mike brings a lifetime of listening into every note. That breadth shows in his touch and tone, whether on upright bass or electric. He knows how to support a song without crowding it, and how to move a band forward without pushing.
Mike has worked across the Bay Area jazz scene in settings of every size, from intimate combos to full ensembles, including performances featured as part of San Jose Jazz Summer Fest programming. That experience gives him an instinctive sense of how music behaves in a room. He hears everything, locks in quickly, and keeps the foundation steady no matter what’s happening above him.
Inside Vintage Noise, Mike is the anchor. His bass supports Michael’s vocals, gives Franz room to move, and lets the band lean back without losing momentum. He brings warmth, swing, and an easy confidence that audiences feel immediately — even if they don’t know why the night suddenly feels right.
Musical Lineage & Collaborators
These are the players who helped build the Vintage Noise sound and still light it up whenever they join us—friends, collaborators, and extended family.