Mikael Jorgensen (born June 4, 1972) is lead pianist and keyboardist for the band Wilco as well as a member of the band Pronto. He first appeared on Wilco's 2004 release, A Ghost Is Born. On that album, he received songwriting credit for "Hell is Chrome" and "Theologians". In 1999, he released the album "Western Hamlet" with the group Movere Workshop.
Jorgensen, an ex-Chicago-based engineer and now full time musician initially came aboard Wilco in 2002 to perform real-time sound manipulations on the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot tour, sitting just off stage left, triggering the samples and sonic flourishes required to bring the YHF material to life. As the tour rolled on, Jorgensen gradually moved onto the stage itself, manning his laptop as well as taking on more and more keyboard duties. Since his days in Chicago, Mikael has relocated to Brooklyn, NY, where he currently resides.
"It became apparent that Mike was a very proficient piano player that could do a lot more than we were using him for," says Wilco singer/songwriter Jeff Tweedy. "At that point, he started becoming a full-fledged member of the band, contributing parts to the new songs and even handling more of the nuts and bolts architecture of the older songs."
Prior to his days in Chicago and with Wilco, Mikael honed his musical skills in New Brunswick, NJ, developing his production skills, collaborating with local musicians and DJing. He has earned a degree at DeVry University in North Brunswick, NJ.
Mikael Jorgensen's father was born in Denmark but moved to the United States in the 1950s, and his mother was born in Norway, Hedmark.