Mike Odlfield Hergest

With his sophomore effort for Dawn, everything came together for guitarist and songwriter Mike Cooper. Trout Steel established him as one of the pre-eminent players on the Brit folk and blues scenes. Given his organic approach to composing; his truly dazzling abilities with acoustic and slide guitars; and his predilection for just the right sidemen and arrangements, Cooper was among the most poised musicians of his generation, and Trout Steel proves the point time and again over its 11 tracks.

Mike Wheeler has been playing the blues for almost 30 years and has played with Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Shemekia Copeland, Jimmy Johnson, Son Seals, Willie Kent and a who's who of today's Chicago Blues! Mike is an extraordinary blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. He wrote most of the material on Self Made Man including the title track where he sings ''I'm a self made man and I made myself have the blues''. Mike is accompanied by his regular group including Brian James, keyboards; Larry Williams, bass; Cleo Cole, drums and special guest Omar Coleman, harmonica on three songs.

While flying home from Europe after all tours being cancelled due to COVID-19, Mike Zito decided the band would record an album. Individually they were to be quarantined for 14 days and this idea of writing, producing and releasing an album in the 14 day period seemed like quite an effort and a distraction for him. He followed no rules, he wrote what he was feeling regardless of style or genre and used his feelings of fear, hope, love and rebelliousness to fuel his creativity. Mike left the 'rules' on the floor and followed his heart. "I think these are some of the best songs I have written in years."

Elements represents the many sides of Mike Oldfield, and is a short but interesting journey through some of this multi-instrumentalist's best efforts. Sixteen of his albums are spoken for, with the same number of tracks making up this assortment…

It’s back. The debut album that blew up the ’90s blues scene. The songs that announced the touchdown of a major new talent. In modern times, as an established solo star and former member of the globally acclaimed Royal Southern Brotherhood, Mike Zito’s reputation precedes him. But turn back the clocks. Rewind the film reels. Slip through the wormhole to 1998, when a 27-year-old punk kid took his first shot in the studio. “Blue Room,” he reflects, “is the beginning of me becoming an artist.” By 1998, Zito had been around the block. Raised at the sharp end in St. Louis, Missouri, he’d witnessed the lean years of the ’70s, as his father – a union employee at the local Anheuser-Busch brewery – grafted to support five kids in a cramped apartment.

With all of its members exercising their expertise, the debut album from Mike + the Mechanics posted two Top Ten singles in the span of three months. The songwriting comes out on top before anything else, with the somber stir of "Silent Running," the record's first release, peaking at number six. "All I Need Is a Miracle" followed at number five, with its Genesis-like tempo and polished chorus, and even "Taken In" cracked the Top 40, a simple ballad that's bettered by Paul Young's genuine emotional charm. Carrack sounds just as sharp as he did with Ace or Squeeze throughout the album's nine tracks, while Rutherford's overseeing of the entire project is apparent. While Mike Rutherford's guitar work isn't overwhelming, both his six-string and bass guitar contributions complete a sound foundation for the vocals…