Michael Dorf

Biography
Dorf began his entrepreneurial career at age 23 when he opened the first Knitting Factory on Houston St in 1986. The club was opened as a showcase for jazz improvisation and experimental rock music. Early performers include Wayne Horvitz, John Zorn, Yo La Tengo, Cecil Taylor and Sonic Youth. In the early 90s, Dorf began promoting large outdoor festivals, including the New York Jazz Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival in Europe. In 1994, the Knitting Factory relocated to Tribeca, where it currently resides. Around this time, Dorf also founded the Digital Club Network, which has since been acquired by eMusic.

Dorf stepped down as CEO of KnitMedia in 2002, but does maintain relations and a significant financial interest with the business. Dorf is co-founder and operator of several non-profit organizations, including the Tribeca Partnership and Downtown Arts Development, Inc. Since leaving KnitMedia, Dorf has worked on a number of festivals. He produced the New York Jewish Music and Heritage Festival in 2004, commemorating the arrival of Manhattans first Jewish settlers in 1654.

For several years, Dorf has been working on opening a large-scale venue in downtown Manhattan named the Art Exchange. Dorf has described the space as a hip downtown Carnegie Hall.

Dorf has a rarely found cultural appreciation for even the most outsider art. Despite his stature, he remains close to the ground in Jazz and traditional ethnic music scenes in the United States and Europe.

Though Dorf managed KnitMedia with a relatively laid-back approach, since stepping down as CEO, the company has become somewhat professionalized, firing several bookers and streamlining its business model. What role Dorf played in these decisions is unclear. Some think that Dorf takes advantage of musicians who aren't savvy enough to protect themselves.