Mike Landau is one of my favourite guitar players. He has a new killer album out called Organic Instrumentals. Mike Landau is to me like a modern Jimi Hendrix. He is one of those guys who can play almost any style of music, effortlessly.
If you are not familiar with his work, then let me just mention a few things from Wikipedia:
Prolific session musician and guitarist who has played on a large number of albums since the early 1980s with artists as varied as Seal, Michael Jackson, James Taylor, Helen Watson, Richard Marx, Steve Perry, Pink Floyd and Miles Davis. Landau, along with fellow session guitarists Dean Parks, Steve Lukather and Dann Huff, played on many of the major label releases recorded in Los Angeles from the 1980s-1990s
Mike has an incredible experience as a guitar players, because played with virtually almost everybody back in the 80s and 90s. However, Mike is not just a studio rat. No, he has his own distinct style and tone. Tone? Yes, his tone is to die for. Using Fender, Gibson and Suhr gear, he is in my opinion the guitarist with perhaps the best consistent guitar tone today. He uses effects masterfully - he doesn't overdo it. Mike has chops, skills, tone, and taste.
His new album Organic Instrumentals is a wonderful collection of tasty instrumentals. You will find blues, jazz, softer tunes and grooves on this album.
This is a stellar record, with a mixture of electric and acoustic sounds. Larry Goldings on organ does a fabulous job on this record as well.
If you like Jeff Beck, Jimmy Herring, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix - you are bound to dig this tasty album. It's not a show-off album - it's all about good songwriting and tasty melodies and playing. Highly recommended for any guitarist! I give it a 9 out of 10.
Track Listing: Delano; Sneaker Wave; Spider Time; The Big Black Bear; Karen Mellow; Ghouls and Goblins; Bug Sur Howl; Wooly Mammoth; Smoke; Family Tree.
Musicians on this record:
Michael Landau: guitar; Larry Goldings: organ (1-3, 5-9), piano (3), Estey reed organ (9), carillion (9); Jimmy Haslip: bass (1, 3); Charley Drayton: drums (1, 8); Vinnie Colaiuta: drums (2); Teddy Landau: bass (2); Gary Novak: drums (3-7); Andy Hess: bass (4, 5, 8); Chris Chaney: bass (6); Walt Fowler: flugelhorn (7).
By Robert Renman - www.dolphinstreet.com
» RSS