Top Musicians Play on Michael’s New CD
Album Mixed at Historic Hyde Street Studios,
Mastered by Engineer With Grammy Credits

Roadhouse blues and roots rock singer songwriter Michael Robinson has finished another set of songs backed by leading Bay Area blues musicians who provided a tight, polished sound to Michael’s upcoming CD “Playing in the Dark.”

In all, the disc features two different rhythm sections formed by veterans who have played with such local blues legends as Daniel Castro, Tommy Castro and Johnny Nitro. The basic tracks for Playing in the Dark were laid down in separate sessions; one at Studio B in Campbell, Calif., and the other at Oakland’s Studio 880, where blues giant Robert Cray and local punk heroes Green Day also have recorded.

All of Michael’s vocals were recorded at San Francisco’s historic Hyde Street Studios where such luminaries as the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Credence Clearwater Revival, James Brown, Paul Simon and Herbie Hancock have made records. Sound engineer Gabriel Shephard mixed “Playing in the Dark” in Studio A, which features a rare vintage Neve mixing console that delivers a unique tone.

Noted engineer Paul Stubblebine mastered Michael’s disc. Stubblebine blues credits include John Lee Hooker’s Grammy winners Chill Out and Don’t Look Back, and Grammy nominated releases for Charlie Musslewhite and John Hammond as well as releases by Taj Mahall, Otis Spann, and Johnny Shines.

Michael used a variety of musicians to give the CD a more diverse sound while maintaining a tight groove for the music, which has received enthusiastic responses from fans who have heard a sample CD of the full-length release due out in June 2006. He also co-wrote half of the songs on the disc with Johnny Nitro, a mainstay of the North Beach blues scene who also has appeared at the renowned San Francisco Blues Festival.

Musicians who appear on “Playing in the Dark” include:  

• Chris Sandoval, currently the drummer for Tommy Castro. Sandoval has worked with Joe Louis Walker, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood, the Tubes, Ike Turner. Freddie Hubbard and Maria Muldaur.

• Burton Winn, a bassist who formerly worked with Sandoval in Johnny Nitro and the Doorslammers. Winn has played recently with the Andre Devito Band and Steve Freund and also has worked with Angela Strehli and JJ Malone.

• Billy Lee Lewis, a drummer who has gigged extensively with slide virtuoso Roy Rogers and was the former long time drummer for Tommy Castro. Lewis also has penned several “Road Warrior” columns for Drum Magazine.

• Willie Riser, a bassist who has played more than 9,000 live gigs. Some of the artists he’s supported over the years include Otis Clay, Carla Thomas, Lady Bianca, Frank Biner & The Night Shift, and Jules Broussard.

• Mike Emerson, keyboardist and Hammond B3 player who has backed up Daniel Castro, Zigaboo Modeliste, James Armstrong and Johnny Dyer. Emerson also leads his own group, the Mike Emerson Project.

• George Bishirat, a harmonica player who appears on three tracks Bishirat has a distinctive day job as a college law professor and has degrees from Georgetown, UC Berkeley and Harvard universities.

• Jasmien Hudson, Annie Park, Linda Batiuk and Susan James provide backing vocals.

Although he began the project with another producer, Michael took over those duties, writing the musical and vocal arrangements for the remaining songs and over seeing the recording sessions. After initially finishing the disc, Michael then delayed its release for more than a year to write all new melodies that reflected a gutsier singing style and wider dynamic range.