Customer Reviews

Lee Michaels

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The best "live" studio recording of Lee and Frosty ever put on vinyl or CD. By the way, the orginal album, cut in summer of '69, did not ever have seperate cuts for the opening medly.

If you were blessed enough to see Lee and Frosty when they took the album "on the road", you will remember that their set opened up with the medly just as it is on the CD or LP. We remember 'cause we ruined so many records moving the needle off of Frosty's drum solo. We don't skip it on the CD however, as Frosty's bare-handed riffs during the drum solo, bring back such great vibes!

Mounumental in setting all standards for rock, jazz, funk, etal, performed on the legendary Hammond B-3; Mr. Michaels was/is ahead of his time extracting many of the finest licks ever created on the infamos Hammond Organ. He brought the organ to the forefront in the midst of the acid rock scene, wailed on that Hammond and then moved on....

I saw Lee Michaels, his B-3 and Frosty's drum kit as a teenager on Long Island in a place called The Action House. It was the only place in the late 1960s that would attract name acts from the small NYC venues or larger concert halls. (There was no Fillmore then). The house band at the Action House was the Vanilla Fudge, whose gravel-funked Motown tunes also employed a B-3.

I remember going to see Traffic and the lead act was Lee and Frosty, who I had never heard of and could have cared less about at the time. I just stood there absolutely stunned by the energy, funk and drive of the performance. I always loved the B-3 organ, that was why I was there to see Steve Winwood and Traffic.

Lee just honked on that organ and the spinning leslie speakers just made the experience unforgetable 30 some years later, and I was at Woodstock, George Harison's Concert for Bengladesh, and lived out on the west coast for 20 years catching many a Dead concert.

Still, that introduction to live music in my formative years stays with me. I bought all his albums thereafter, but nothing met the heights of the "live" album.

We also shouldn't forget that the tunes on which Lee played harpsicord were very interesting. "Who'da thunk" that a classical instrument could be used so effectively in rock and roll.

What a great memory trigger this recording is....Remember hearing side-two of this album as a high-schooler out in the Los Angeles area, played on KLOS, the whole "Want My Baby, Who Could Want More, Frosty's, etc. piece. Sort of became a nightime cruising-anthem-of-youth piece. I could not stop playing "Heighty-Hi," "Stormy Monday," and the other side before the drum solo. I have gone through 2 vinyls of this and am thankful to have the chance to purchase this c.d., though I have a "Best of" c.d. with 2 of these songs on it. The first part of "Want my Baby," along with "Hold on to Freedom" from the live recording rank as my favorite B3 playing of all-time, though Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff (and Gregg Allman) are really good too. This is Lee at his most sonic; hard to believe that it is a studio recording -- I can still listen again and again and be thrilled!

It's amazing what two guys can do with a Hammond and a drum set. Yes, there are a few piano-based tracks on here too, but the first two tracks with Michaels on Hammond organ are simply the best in his blues-gospel-based rock style. This recording shaped the sound of future rock organ playing. Incredible solos, great vocals. If you're interested in Hammond B3/C3 organ playing and haven't heard this album, YOU MUST BUY IT! Lyrically, perhaps a bit weak, but that's not the point here. Lee Michaels could bring down the house unaccompanied! My only complaint: On the vinyl version, the first side is made up of several separate tracks. On the CD, they made the whole first side into one track - so there's no easy way to program your CD player to skip the drum solo, which, while quite good for its genre, grows old upon repeated listenings. That aside, EVERY student of blues and rock music should be exposed to, at the very least, Michaels' rendition of "Stormy Monday" - quite possibly the best, certainly musically superior to the much-more-famous Allman Brothers version. If you're a budding rock keyboardist who wants to understand "how it's done," STUDY THIS ALBUM, INCLUDING the final piano-based track, "Heighty Heigh." You stand to learn a lot.

What an organist!... I was a Lee fan back in high school when Lee was on the radio late 60's early 70's. Sad he gave up on music, because the industry treated him badly. He sure can belt out a tune and make the keys scream. I have everything he ever put out, on vinyl and CD

Lee has always been my favorite I saw his concert twice one in Akron Ohio then again in Nashville since no one really knew much about him his concerts were like he was playing just for you. The live version of Tell Me How Would You Feel is just as great as the recording he never missed a beat I morn the lost of Frosty the baddest drummer I heard..

My god, what a butt kickin album. Who needs a bass player? Not Lee and Frosty thats for sure. This whole album rocks and I dont care who you are, if you like hard drivin music you will love this album. The master of the hammond organ will always be Lee, and he shows why on this album. Highty Hi is the groove hippy anthem song and Stormy Monday is a blues shin kicker that is one of the best versions of this song I have ever heard. Frosty's drumming is the perfect match to the blazzing organ style of Lee on this album. If you haven't heard this album you must have been living in a cave or something.

I have seen Lee in concert when i was young. He was fabulous live. It is a shame that he passed on at such an early age. It is a great tribute to see his work being put onto CD. Story Monday, what a great rendition. His memory lives on.

Bought the album back in early 70's, bought the eight-track and cassette. Picked up the casette for like $2.99 back in the 80's at a discount record store. What a sound, unduplicated in the industry. Lee is a legend. Lee ROCKS. The Hammond is bitching, this is definitely one of the best organ pieces of all time. This album was recorded live in a six hour session. Unbelievable. Highly recommend. Crank up the volume and Bass and enjoy!!!

This is a really good album especially if you dig keyboard music. Michaels is a keyboard legend. I had this album when it first came out now I have the CD. However the track list is incorrect. Where you have the song Frost on the medley it should be Frosty's [it is his drum solo] and there is a final tune on the medley that's not listed it's [ Think i'll go back ] Just check the CD you'll see what I mean. Weather or not you correct the track list I don'tcare but it's a great album.