.. The CHOP SHOP PROJECT
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKHAL CALDWELL!
CHOP SHOP PROJECT is the result of a meeting between two of Detroit's most repected and talented musicians Charles Stuart and Mikhal Caldwell that took place in the mid eighties. Both were at that time already well known as "chops' kinda players and fusion guys. Both of these musicians have long been considered virtuosos. Charles was and still is a 1st call session drummer ,and was at the time doing up to 3 gigs in a day,playing in a multitude of styles and locking himself away and doing Zen like woodshedding, and doing recording sessions while handling a massive teaching roster.Mikhal was at the same time hosting a weekly television show the mutli award winning " Fretboard Frolics", playing in Detroit's first instrumental neo classical metal band 'Electric Warrior" , working in the fusion band "Clinic" ,teaching and training for his other career as a professional fighter. According to both they had heard of each other through a network of Detroit's small progressive / jazz musicians , a call was made by Mikhal to Charles and they made plans to engage in a "progressive" project which never happened due to both guys just plain being to busy to commit to a demanding project such as they were planning. 1996 , A phone call from Charles and plans are made again this time there's time and both musicians had become MONSTER players and mature well rounded musicians. After the first meeting and the material was discussed and planned within and 2 weeks the project was recorded/mixed by Jay ( Coo Coo Bird) Clifton. The result was the all acoustic instrumental CD "Earth Music" . Both the recording and the musician's performances receieved rave reviews.
