Michael Landau-Tales From The Bulge (1989)

Michael Landau is a guitarist known for his numerous collaborations as a session musician on many albums by pop and rock giants worldwide. Landau was born and raised in Los Angeles. He grew up listening to the music of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Cream, and The Band. His grandfather, Ernani Bernardi, played alto saxophone during the swing era with the Dorsey Brothers and Benny Goodman. He began playing guitar at the age of 11 and soon developed a strong interest in jazz and jazz-rock, citing Weather Report, Pat Martino, and Jaco Pastorius as some of his early influences. In the mid-1970s, Michael moved to Louisiana to study and play rhythm and blues. He later toured the West Coast with The Robben Ford Band, which included Jimmy Haslip and Russell Ferrante. At 19, he joined Boz Scaggs for a world tour, and at 20, he began recording and doing studio sessions with Steve Lukather, Jeff Porcaro, and Danny Kortchmar. Later collaborations included Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, B.B. King, James Taylor, Ray Charles, and Rod Stewart, among many others. In 1989, he released his first solo album, "Tales from the Bulge", an entirely instrumental album initially released only in Japan and the USA. This work featured the invaluable contributions of renowned musicians such as Wayne Shorter, Vinnie Colaiuta, Carlos Vega, Steve Lukather, and Jimmy Johnson. In 1990, he formed the blues-rock band Burning Water, releasing four solid albums under that name. Around this time, he began working regularly with James Taylor. Later, in 1993, he was awarded Guitarist of the Year by "Guitar Player Magazine". The following year he formed The Raging Honkies, a power trio with Teddy Landau and Abe Laboriel Jr. Together they recorded two albums. In 2001, he released a double live album and a studio album, "The Star Spangled Banner", on his own label, Inconscient Records. He continues to tour with his own group, as well as with Robben Ford, The Jazz Ministry, and even James Taylor. His latest album, "The Michael Landau Group Live", was released in late 2006.