Mikey Coltun is a bass player, producer, composer, and engineer currently living in Minneapolis. He currently works with Mdou Moctar, TAKAAT, Oumou Sangare, Steve Gunn, Sessa, Cheick Hamala Diabate, Noura Mint Seymali, Les Rhinoceros, KOLTUN, and Yonatan Gat's Dvorak Quartet.

As the bassist of Mdou Moctar and the band’s musical and creative director, Coltun produced, co-wrote, and recorded the monumental 2019 release ILANA THE CREATOR (Sahel Sounds), 2021 release AFRIQUE VICTIME (Matador Records), 2024 release FUNERAL FOR JUSTICE (Matador Records), and 2025 TEARS OF INJUSTICE (Matador Records). All three Matador Records releases were met with critical acclaim in publications such as New York Times, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NPR, The Guardian, and The Wire, amongst dozens of others. With Mdou Moctar, Coltun has played at some of the top festivals in the world including Coachella, Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, Fuji Rock, and Newport Folk Festival. He has played at prestigious venues such as Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Sydney Opera House, and Central Park Summer Stage.

Coltun's music ranges from noise, experimental, rock, jewish music, improvised music, and various African styles including tuareg, bambara, bubu, and soukous. He has created music for film, TV, and advertisements on various platforms including HBO, Apple TV, New York Times, Havas, TEDEd, and McCormick Spices.

At age 17 Coltun's band, Les Rhinoceros, debuted their self-titled album as part of "The Spotlight Series" on John Zorn's Tzadik label. "The Spotlight Series" was created by Zorn, the father of the downtown New York music scene, specifically as an opportunity to spotlight Coltun and other young adventurous artists. He continued to support Coltun's music with two additional album releases on Tzadik as well as a week-long residency at his music venue "The Stone'' in 2017. 

Coltun plays, records, and produces a variety of different artists from the Sahel region of West Africa. Originally traveling to Mali to play bass with Cheick Hamala Diabate for FESTIVAL SUR DE NIGER in 2011, he ended up playing bass with Toumani Diabate and Djelimady Tounkra of the Rail Band. Coltun also conducts field recordings throughout West Africa as well as records in remote rural locations around the world using a mobile recording rig. He releases a lot of the music on his Purplish Records label.

Musicians Coltun has played with include Janka Nabay & The Bubu Gang, Marisa Nadler, Ikue Mori, John Zorn, Marc Ribot, and Sunwatchers. His work is featured on records from labels such as Matador, Secretly Canadian, Tzadik, Sacred Bones, Mexican Summer, and Glitterbeat.