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Gritty and
smooth, edgy yet melodic, the soulful bluesy jazz-rock
compositions of the Eric Michaels Organ Trio are
uniquely memorable because they are enhanced by an
instrument that transcends generations -- the Hammond
B-3 Organ. From humble church prayer songs, to the
sepia-tinted-postcard nostalgia of the late 40's and
50's dance halls, roller rinks, and live radio shows,
through the 60's rock era and into the 70's disco clubs, the Hammond
organ's sound has never faltered or changed. It doesn't
matter whether the music is Gospel, Blues,
Country-Western, Rock, Jazz, or Hip-Hop,
virtually every musical genre has accepted
this instrument with open arms.
It was the
sheer complexity of the instrument that attracted the
attention of a teenaged Eric Michaels, a native
Chicagoan born into a musically -- minded family. His
fascination began while hoping to catch the latest pop
hit on the radio, when he heard an incredible sound
instead. It was "Misty" being played by Richard "Groove"
Holmes on the Hammond B-3. Eric was captivated to say the
least. His investigation for the sound led him to a
small club on Wells Street (no longer there) called "The Hungry
Eye." Although too young to enter the establishment, he
had a perfect view through the window and could
clearly see the backside of
the organ. He was astonished by the organist's physical
coordination - playing
bass with his left hand and feet on the bass pedals, while
simultaneously using the upper keyboard to play melodies and
improvisations. "I couldn't take my eyes off the organ
player.", says Eric in awe. "It was like watching a pilot
handling the controls in the cockpit of a jet airliner"
he says. He knew he had to learn how to fly that plane.
As Eric's
passion for uncovering the organ's secrets evolved, so
did his experience, and "chops." Inspiration came from
legends like:
Jimmy Smith,
"Brother" Jack McDuff,
"Groove" Holmes,
Ray Charles;
even pop artists like:
Brian Auger,
Stevie Winwood, Keith Emerson
and the one and only
Joey DeFrancesco. The
list goes on forever. There isn't enough space here to
describe Eric's colorful music career in detail, but it's a great
ride and it's taking a new spin with his new CD, which
blends Jazz, Blues, R&B and Rock
into some totally unique and diverse sounds.
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