Michael Powers - Onyx Root (2004)

Tracklist

01. Successful Son
02. Can't Quit You Baby
03. Baby's Got A Train
04. She's About A Mover
05. Shock
06. Country Boy
07. Bird On A Wire
08. Psychotic Reaction
09. Night In Madrid
10. Another Man Done
11. Graffiti
12. All Over Town
13. Shimmy Up


Onyx Root takes the listener through the different tastes of 60s and 70s soul, blues and psychedelic music seen through the eyes of Michael Powers, whose music career spans over 40 years performing with the Ad Libs, James Cotton and Moonbeam and sharing the stage with icons such as James Brown, Bo Diddley, the Ronettes, Chuck Berry, Robert Cray, and Johnny Winter.
Guest appearances on Onyx Root include drummer Steve Jordan (Keith Richards, Blues Brothers, Sheryl Crow), bassist Neil Jason (Paul McCartney, Roxy Music, Cyndi Lauper) and members of Columbia recording artist Ollabelle – Amy Helm (vocals), Jimi Zhivago (keyboards & guitars), Fiona McBain (vocals) and Glen Patscha (piano).
The album features six originals, four of which Powers co-composed with either Michael Rachinsky, Steve Jordan or Luigi Franconi. "Took 20 years to be discovered overnight" sings Powers in Successful Son (Michael Powers), the opening track of the album. Two instrumentals Night in Madrid (Michael Powers/Luigi Franconi) and All Over Town (Michael Powers) are a perfect complement to Shimmy Up (Michael Powers/Steve Jordan) and Shock (Michael Powers/Michael Rachinsky).
The remaining seven songs are covers rearranged with Powers unique gritty edge. Powers reworked Country Boy (Muddy Waters) into an almost entirely new song. From the touching blues of Can’t Quit You Baby (Willie Dixon) to the soul/pop of She’s About A Mover (Sir Douglas) and the searing guitar work on the psychedelic Psychotic Reaction (Count Five), Powers navigates each genre as if he owns it.
With such a diverse collection of songs and influences, Onyx Root takes the listener on an incredible ride. Michael Powers’ story is none other than one man paying his dues to play the blues.

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