Michael Dulin is an acclaimed pianist and composer whose talent emerged early, playing music by ear as a child before performing Schumann’s Piano Concerto with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra at just twelve years old. He went on to study at Juilliard under the legendary Adele Marcus and was later a finalist in the Carnegie Hall International Piano Competition, building a career that blends classical tradition with the fluidity of jazz. His new single, “Dancing In Paris,” carries an unusually personal story behind it.
Dancing In Paris
The song traces back to a promise Dulin made his wife years earlier that he’d eventually take her to Paris. This year, he finally set out to make good on it, planning an extensive trip through France with an entire final evening mapped out in his head: dinner at the legendary Maxim’s, a stop at a jazz club, and a midnight dance beneath the Eiffel Tower. He’d already composed “Dancing In Paris” with that exact evening in mind. Then, when he told his wife the Paris trip was finally happening, she said she’d actually rather go to Italy. The destination changed, but the song stayed exactly as written, an imagined Parisian evening that now exists purely in the music itself rather than in an actual trip.
Musically, “Dancing In Paris” is warm, intimate, and gracefully energized, built to evoke a fairy-tale slow dance under the stars in the world’s most romantic city. Dulin composed and produced the track himself, playing piano and keyboards alongside James “PJ” Spraggins on drums, Scotty McDavid on horns and strings, and Jeff Miguel on soprano sax. The result stays relaxed and unhurried, an easy-going groove that leans on rich harmonies and expressive dynamics rather than reaching for anything flashy. There’s something quietly fitting about the fact that the song’s Paris exists mostly in imagination now, since instrumental music has never needed literal geography to transport a listener somewhere specific, and “Dancing In Paris” carries that sense of romance and atmosphere whether or not the trip ever happens as planned.
Final Thoughts
“Dancing In Paris” is a warm, romantic piece of smooth jazz that turns a small real-life detour into something genuinely charming, and it’s a strong showcase of Dulin’s ability to make sophisticated piano music feel intimate and accessible. It’s available now on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and Pandora, as well as on Michael’s own website. For more, visit michaeldulin.com, or follow him on Instagram and Facebook.
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