Music:
Member Since: 4/28/2006
Band Website: michaelcheeseman.com
Band Members: Michael was born in Barbados West Indies, and is one of the most creative Artists in the music business today. He has established himself as a respected Composer, Songwriter, Musician, Arranger and Producer on the Island and abroad. He remembers seeing a guitar in the corner of his house at a very young age left there by his biggest brother Anthony, became interested, and the rest is history. His Mom who worked as a concert pianist in her early days in the US saw his interest in music and decided that she would teach him the piano. He eventually crossed over to the guitar after hearing Artiste Jimmy Hendricks whom he patterned his guitar styling from in those early days. He joined a popular local band The Brothers in 1975 where he gained a lot of experience in studio work, doing two original albums Such As life In The Tropics & Put On Yuh Wings And Fly. These songs became very popular on Barbadoss Radio which led to Michael being known for his great guitar playing. He was now in the minds of Barbadian top musicians and promoters alike. After working in other top bands at the most popular night clubs, he was picked out of many musicians to go to Germany to join up with the then popular band Caribbean Rhapsody, where he performed as lead guitarist, vocalist, percussionist, from 1979 1981. On returning to Barbados he decided to start his own band Spirit which performed in the most popular nightclubs and Hotels. He then decided with his vast experience to think about starting a show band for touring purposes, which would mean doing and Album. Fx band was started. He became the Leader, Musical director, vocalist, songwriter, producer, and arranger for the band. FX, one of the Caribbeans most exciting new bands, created a warm yet exciting atmosphere on stage with a blend of energetic performance, and striking visual. This eight-member group was full of energy, power, and multi-talented members, comprising seven on stage members and one engineer. Like most established Barbadian bands, FX used the nightclub circuit to hone its skills. The band in its fourth year had also performed before large Barbadian audiences at major events stage by the N.C.F (National Cultural Foundation) for all of Barbadoss festivals. In December 1995, Michael grew tired of playing covers, wrote and released FXs first single, Ragga Mixture and Now Jam. Ragga Mixture, which became a hit on the local market. Michael continued to build his fan club on the strength of the success of Ragga Mixture. He was able to stamp his presence on the public and claim a place in the local music arena for his band. This was the start of greater things to come. Michael moved from strength to strength. The vast experience he gained on the hotel and club circuit gave him a definite advantage over the many other guitarists on the circuit. He had the edge that would take him over the top; he had the recipe for success. In 1997, he took this recipe in the studio, wrote and produced their first CD, a major step for the band, and a bold step for a group with their youth. Summertime-Play De Music was a labor of love and determination, a melting pot of the talents and influences of producer, arranger and composer Michael Cheeseman, he decided To put out the bands own song, a distinct FX beat, with a definite fusion of R&B, Soca, Reggae, Dub, and Jazz. They release two tracks from the CD, De Gals Dem and Militant Wine, both of which became huge hits on the local market. Summertime-Play De Music was launched during Unity Jam, a massive free public concert staged in Barbados during December 1997. FX entertained the largest audience in their career, and displayed a competitive act of being experienced musicians and entertainers. The performance ended to rave reviews from the media and the public, and resulted in a surge in demand for their music. Now, with the much-anticipated release of their first Cd, which was to be released by July that year, Michael is no longer dreaming, he is well on his way to living the dream. Michael has a lot of local & international performances to his name, performing along side acts including Ky-mani Marley, Najee, Larraine Clasen (African base pop singer), Hugh Masekela, David Rudder and Charlies Routes, Morgan Heritage, Arrow of HOT, HOT, HOT fame, Mystic Revealers, SKAs New Sensation, just to name a few. Michael was the guitarist with the LYOD WILSON ORCHESTRA Barbados 1991, which incorporated members of the POLICE BAND. MUSICAL DIRECTOR for the RICHARD STOUTE TEEN TALENT SHOW BARBADOS for (5) Years 1990-1995. GUITAR TUTOR; PARKINSON MEMORIAL SCHOOL, GUEST TUTOR; THE GOVERNMENT OF BARBADOS YOUTH ACHIEVING RESULTS YOUTH DEVELOPEMENT PROGRAM. He has played with many bands over the years. TOURS: GERMANY 1979-1981 with top band RAPSODY, performing to large audiences at the ROSEN GARDEN - Mannheim and QUAZIMOTO JAZZ CLUB - Berlin, Tele spots, ARD & ZDF. NEW YORK 1998-1999 FX band, NAZARETH SCHOOL HALL, CLUB LARGE, MEDGER EVERS COLLEGE. NEW ORLEANS 2000 FX 14th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL 2000 REGGAE RIDDUMS with DAVID KIRTON. Michael has worked with many artistes including Caribbean star MAGNET MAN in which he wrote the hit single DE GALS DEM back in the 1990s. MAGNET MAN who has just lounged his Music video HOW TO LOVE has erupted on the World market in a massive way. Michael was one of the featured Artistes at THE 11TH ANNUAL BARBADOS JAZZ FESTIVAL where he shared the main stage with the likes of HERBIE HANCOCK, FOUR PLAY, JOE SAMPLE, HIROSHIMA, INDIA ARIE, KIRK WHALUM, PONCHO SANCHEZ, AND LIZZ WRIGHT, with his jazz band. Michael has performed with MAGNET MAN in France at MIDEM 2005 on the 24th of January in the salon Mediterranee at the Palais where he received a standing ovation for his great guitar playing. He is slated to perform for Prince Albert of Monaco again. Also, California, Russia, St. Petersburg June 2nd and 3rd, and Berlin Germany, August 15th and 16th, 2006. Dates will be up on his Web- Site for Japan, Australia, Switzerland, and Austria. Michael the Guitarist Musical Director of MAGNET Mans ATTRAKSHUN will be performing with the Attrakshun band. MICHAEL has just been featured as Head line act at the NOTES TO NOTE COOL JAZZ SERIES 4 billed as GUITAR MANIA on March 26, 2006 Where he performed for 2 hours with his Jazz Band to excellent reviews now on the NET and in the NATION NEWS PAPERS as MICHAEL ON FIRE the fiery GUITARIST EXTRAORDINAIRE. MICHAEL has performed with top artist Magnet Man in England at Hull City Hall. MAGNET MAN'S STAR ATTRACTION UK SERIES May 27, READING, audience of 6,000, and THE EASTERN EUROPEAN MUSIC CONVENTION at MAGRIB CLUB, St. Petersburg Russia. He is currently in the studio with one of the worlds finest Producers, Jimmy Senya Haynes who received the prestigious Grammy Award in the late 1980s for his work with STEEL PULSE. Jimmy also produced other Acts like the world renown SADE, DESIRE who has now gone double platinum sales in the U.S.A, KAREN WEELER, TRACY CHAPMAN and many other ARTISTES. He also has since then move on to working with renouwn Artist CHARLES D LEWIS who is a two million copy seller in Europe. No doubt with this combination the world can look forward to great music in the near future. His debut jazz album is soon to be released.MICHAEL CHEESEMAN THE ARTIST (GUITARIST, VOCALIST, ALL GUITARS PERC). DAVID BURNETTE (DRUMS), TERRY GRIFFITH (KEYS), WAYNE WILLOCK, (PERCUSSION), ANDRE DONAWA (BASS), FAITH HOYTE (LEAD VOCALS), BRUCE GRANT (BACK VOCALS).
Influences: WES, GEORGE BENSON, AL DIMEOLA, PAT METHENY, FRANK GAMBALE, JIMMY HENDRICK, EWF, WEATHER REPORT, RETURN TO FOREVER, CHICK COREA, JOHN COLTRAIN, MILES DAVIS, JACO PASTORIUS, STANLEY CLARKE.
Sounds Like:
Type of Label: Indie