Michael Kline

Michael Kline, President of Spy Boy Productions, has worked in the entertainment business for the past twenty years, focusing on the booking and management of internationally known jazz artists on his own talent roster, Michael Kline Artists. Through his work with Michael Kline Artists, Michael has forged collaborative relationships with festival promoters and presenters world wide, and both he and his team have acquired first hand knowledge of festival and event production. Born in Reading, PA, Michael piled in the car every Friday night for the weekend trip to Cape May. He learned the art of negotiation on those trips while wrestling control of the radio from his grandmother. After graduating from Albright College in 1983, Michael and his record collection moved to Cape May full time and worked for Pat Jackson Jewelry, Stevo Stereo, All Steamed Up, Fruit of the Balloon, and for two seasons in the legendary kitchen of The Shire, then Cape May’s one and only jazz club. From 1986-1990, Michael managed Pinebrook Clothing on the Washington St. Mall, but, more importantly, he controlled the store’s tape deck, which featured the sounds of Big Bill Bronzy, John Coltrane, Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Buddy Johnson and Louis Jordan.

In 1990, Michael left Cape May and moved to New Orleans, quickly immersing himself in that cities incredible culture through his work with WWOZ, the highly respected and in﬑uential “voice of New Orleans.” For twelve years, Michael was the morning drive jazz dee-jay and was instrumental in the incredible growth of the community radio station. By 1997, he combined his work at the station with his work as the in-house booking agent for Burgess Management, handling the booking agency duties for artists such as Terence Blanchard, Charlie Haden, Lizz Wright, Claudia Acuna and others.

Post Katrina, Michael returned to Cape May and opened Michael Kline Artists, which now represents Grammy Award Winners, Guggenheim Fellows, NEA Jazz Masters, and Down Beat Poll Winners. In 2012 Michael launched Spy Boy Productions LLC., producers of the Exit Zero Jazz Festival, and created the highly successful summer music series, Rootstock, on the grounds of Hawk Haven Vineyard and Winery.