Mike Sugar Cahen

Born in London of Franco-Nigerian heritage in the days when Radio one played an endless stream of creative music : Beatles, Stones, Hendrix and all the others. I started playing when damaging a record player's needle was the only way to learn. Started off being influenced by the British Blues boom chaps, then back- tracked to where it all started. In order to understand open tunings I noticed that Keith Richards often had a capo on the fourth fret so fumbled around till I figured it out...My mother was friends with Raymond Fol a French pianist from the Django Hot Club days who had a trio with Ellington's drummer Sam Woodyard, Raymond took me backstage in jazz festivals and introduced me to Buddy Guy and other musicians, a real eye opener at the time. I can also remember buying a Roy Buchanan record with pianist Jean Roussel, Ray Gomez and Andy Newmark on the back cover, Jean was wearing the same African shirt as me and something told me that I'd meet him someday.......After playing in local bands I decided to set off for the MI ( GIT) in L.A . A great year meeting great musicians : Jennifer Batten wearing glasses and before her blonde hairdo, Frank Gambale, Joe Diorio, Joe Pass, Steve Trovato, Scott H, Buzzy Feiten etc and had a couple of private lessons with.... Ray Gomez. Other 'students' included Olivier ' the doc' Tomao, Enzo Todesco, Curt Bisquera, Jose Barrachina, Pascal Corriu, Jean Marc Belkadi , the days when you could buy a 335 for 400 dollars ! Returning to Paris I started working on various projects, studio sessions and production work and stumbled on...... Jean Roussel ! Over the years I've had had the pleasure of working with some great artists....Jean Roussel, Elkie Brooks : Unfinished Business tour, Tour 2000, BBC live in Belfast, The Blues and the hits Tour, Shangri La tour, Live 2000, Tour 2004, Live at the Shepherds Bush Empire, etc and on projects including Jean Roussel, Geoff Whitehorn, Marten Ingle, Steve T Johnson, Jaimie Little, Jac Bouniard, Roger Inniss, Arnaud Frank, Duncan MacKay, Mike Richardson, Brian Badhams, Tom Dostel, Rosa Avila, Alvin Lee, Al Hodge, Jaimie West Oram,David Bromberg, Chris Harling/Alexander O'Neal/Dionne Warwick, Suzi Quatro, Lionel Ritchie, Trevor Morais, Benjamin Zephaniah, Emana, Howie G, The One ( with JR, Baps, Thomas O, Nico Mirande and Farid, TV Ads. Production work includes : Coast to Coast, Amanda Fahey featuring songs by Sal Bernardi and the greatly missed arranger/conductor Brian Fahey ( 'Sign of the swinging cymbal' the Alan Freeman signature tune, Shirley Bassey and Ella Fitzgerald ) Current projects include the band RogMikEnzo with Roger Inniss and Enzo Todesco. Sponsors : Bare knuckle pick ups, Hardcase, Gibson, Fender, Sheldon and Cornford amplifiers.

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