Whether blowing bebop over a Mingus tune or freely improvising with Anthony Braxton, Michael Rabinowitz's contributions have changed the conception of what the bassoon can do. Since graduating with a BFA in music performance from SUNY at Purchase in the late seventies Michael's improvisatory skills opened the door for the bassoon to enter a variety of musical environments not traditionally associated with the instrument.

He has recorded with Ira Sullivan, Red Rodney, Wynton Marsalis, John Hicks, Dave Douglas, Chris Potter and Joe Lovano. Michael is a founding member of The Charles Mingus Orchestra which can be heard regularly at the jazz clubs in NYC. His quartet Bassoon In the Wild has performed at the The Vanderbilt Planetarium, Frick Museum, JVC Jazz Festival, Penn State, Django and other venues in NYC.. Buffet Crampon USA has been Michael's sponsor for the past twenty five years and has supported his participation in performances and master classes at the IDRS most notably the Jazz at June Festival in Oklahoma with oboist Paul McCandless. In 2009 Michael was awarded a grant from Chamber Music of America in collaboration with French oboist Jean Luc Fillon and released their CD On the Reed Again. In 2014, Michael formed a group called The Odd Couple Quintet with jazz horn virtuoso John Clark. Cats Paw Records released Michael’s six CD as a leader called Uncharted Waters in 2017 which garnered international praise. In the past year Michael has taught master classes and performed concerts at Curtis/Boston Conservatory and the following Universities: Appalachia State, James Madison, Yale & Michigan. In early March of '23 his 7th CD called Next Chapter was released featuring recent compositions accompanied by a stellar NYC trio.