Rock Archeologia

Michael Seven - Michael 7 (1969 LP Amos Records) 

Artist: Michael Seven
Album: Michael 7
Label: Amos Records
Catalog#: AMOS 7011
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1969
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Duration: 00:32:09

• I remember when Mike was paying his dues... accompanying the great and near great of vocaldom ... sometimes instrumentalizing in an upholstered sewer. He was scuffling, like the rest of us, a gig to make ends meet; a job to gam experience and exposure. He worked in L A.'s Harlem and its plastic canyons and valleys. Through it all he kept his integrity, never sacrificing taste for economic expediency, Once he even did an album on that synthetic monster, the Moog and seemed to make it sound like a legitimate instrument, which it is not.
• MIKE MELVOIN has mastered the keyboard ... the satellite instruments of electronics and made beautiful, meaningful things become sound happenings; he is a very hip, aware, young, together human being. That is the first prerequisite for a musician who can extend that into his work, lift a lead sheet or score, as it were, and bring it home to your heart and mind, Music is, I think, something emotional, beyond words and notes on paper. What good a gorgeous transcript, unless someone can lift it off the page and bring it home. Say ... do you remember when big bands wero alive arid woll and living in America? There wore dance bands ... Swig bands.. . . jazz bands and just plain bland bands. There were sections of brass, reeds and rhythm. Seated ! MI stage right, during instrumental, were a boy and girl singer. Sometimes one would get up and within four bars of muelC reach a big black microphone and croon (hopefully) if it was the boy... chirp (usually) If it was the girl. Sometime! these boy and girl singers would do it together... right there in front of everybody. This was called a "duet." At any rate, il was a wonderful ora. Nothing adorned more satisfying than to hoar, live and in person, a band doing it together became they got it together; theater bookings, proms, ballrooms, Glen Island Casinos, the maroon reef of aomo cdgowator beach hotel. Some of the bettor known orchestras starred in movies; it wa«. all HI all a wonderful, memorable and sentimental time.
• Well, then was Hum and now iu now. The bands are gone. Oh! Every so often a group of musicians is gathered for another blast from the past. The auditorium Is filled with aging cltfeeni trying to bring it bock. It's all very nice for a moment or I wo, but then tho reality of the; years norm by leaves you wondering about tho might have boons or could have beeiis or what ifs. Old Timers' Game ,1! Yankee Stadium; what a totally depressing and degrading experience for a once proud champion, on exhibition in an ill-fitting uniform that won't move anymore. Wow! Lot mo remember tho greatness of Joe "D", Sandy Koufax, Stan Musial, Jackie Robinson, Tod Williams end Bob Feller as they wore. "Let It Be!' Here we are I he "now" era. (Isn't there always one') f he Beatles are the tree... tho others the branches. Sections of saxes, trombones, trumpets and rhythm havo become seemingly obsolete as wo know them. Now, electronics, recording techniques and skilled musicians have formulated a now way of life. It is a good way and horo wo are together in this incredible ago of ficicntitlc owl technological accomplishment!., And it's only the beginning. Gool Neil Armstrong and his space cadet* made It and Vaughn Monroe, after racing with It for so long, finally grabbed a "Moon Maid" and threw in tho towel.
• Mike Melvoin is now. After building fabulous surroundings for Peggy Lee's. latest album, ho charted tho course for the si-thugs herein (That Peggy Lee album, by the way . . . "Bridge Over Troubled Wator" is, I think, her best in a longtime.) First, and fnromoiit, the musicians, That is the key to any outing. Lvcn if, sometimes, an itom is not a total commercial success ... and no one really ever really knows at a record date, at least artisticaly. you have an accomplishment. Now, like doiriK a picture or a play, you hnvo an able cast; tho top star; in thoir flola. You find material commensurate with the limes .. . your players and compositions that stand up as compositions. You don't do an Impression of imitation (cover) of a hit record. Holl... you can buy tho damned original and, no doubt have. Wo hope you did. Ain't nobody gonna sing "Let It Be," hotter thnn Paul and hir. group. And no B. B, Gunn will outdo King. So you do it your own way, respectfully and most Important, honestly, with love for the original. Hoy.... I'm Speaking for Miko, and d.irn it, no spoaks for hlmrwlf better thnn I could. Ho tells It like it Is through his languange. EnJoyl

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 • Side One:
A1. Hum A Song 03:09
A2. Figures 03:10
A3. Let It Be 04:07
A4. Vehicle 02:52
A5. The Thrill Is Gone 03:02
 • Side Two:
B1. Make Me Smile 02:49
B2. I Wanna Give You All My Love 03:14
B3. Love Or Let Me Be Lonely 03:05
B4. Soolaimon 03:43
B5. Little Green Bag 02:57

Personel:
Mike Melvoin - Piano, Organ
Dick Hyde - Trombone
Gary Coleman - Vibes
Louis Shelton - Guitar
James Hughart - Bass
Hal Blaine - Drums
Thomas Scott - Sax
James Horn - Sax on "Little Green Bag",
"The Thrill Is Gone" and "Figures"
Larry Knechtel - Bass on "Love Or Let Me Be Lonely",
"Hum A Song" and "Soolaimon"
Dennis Budimer - Guitar on "I Wanna Give You All My Love",
"Let It Be", "Make Me Smile" and "Vehicle"

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• Many Thanks to EW