Michael Osborn
What Goes Around
Checkerboard Records -2007
This recording features John Moore on drums, Tom Szell on bass, harp master Bill Rhoades on harp, D.K. Stewart on piano and an old friend of Michael’s on guitar! All original songs!
What Goes Around offers a clinic in playing terrific blues guitar that doesn’t overwhelm the song. His contemporary-yet-traditional style, beholden to no single influence, is gritty yet sophisticated, with surprising flourishes, a great awareness of the pocket, and cool note choices. Osborn is pushed to excel partly by the presence of Robben Ford, who contributes his unmistakable guitar to five tracks. Bill Rhoades’ harmonica serves as a model not only of phrasing and tone but of when to lay out.
– Blues Revue
Blues guitar “veteran” Michael Osborn (John Lee Hooker, The Ford Band, Charlie Musselwhite) comes with a brand new album. Together with his friend Robben Ford who plays guitars on several tracks. Bill Rhoades on vocals on two tracks and on harmonica. I wrote “veteran” in the opening sentence: .. but Michael sounds as fresh as a young (blues) cat. Lots of energy and superb guitar licks, crystal clear vocals and very good song writing!
–Ton Wanten- Triple R Blues Radio
Michael is one of the limited group of guitarists around who know that less really means more. His technique is precise and his playing is imaginative but he never shows off. The blues he plays is traditional but sounds fresh and fun. Michael’s original material – it’s strong and can hold it’s own along classic blues songs. With “What Goes Around” I like what I hear, a lot!
– Przemek Draheim, Radio Sfera — www.sfera.umk.pl — in Torun (Poland)
If you love your Blues guitar aggressive, biting and inventive yet still anchored in B.B. & FREDDY, you’ll probably love Michael Osborn. There’s a whole lot of Power-driven fun mixed with a wealth of supreme talent on this disc. 5 Bottles for a CD that’ll surprise many and have all of Michael Osborn’s fans saying, “I told ya so!”
-Real Blues Magazine
For his sophomore release on his own Checkerboard label, Michael Osborn proves that the sensational guitar work found on “Touch Tone” was absolutely no fluke. The new recording, “What Goes Around,” delivers first rate Blues. No questions asked. It is a testimony on how Blues guitar should be played, with tone and craft that relies on no hand-speed flying across the frets to lay down as many notes as possible. Rather this a tastefully rendered example of creating exceptional music by stretching notes and little fills that hit the mark to perfection.
-Bluenotes, Cascade Blues Association
If you check your John Lee Hooker records from the Coast To Coast Band period, chances are you’ll see the name of guitarist Michael Osborn. Well, here he is in his own right, accompanied by guests Bill Rhoades and Robben Ford, and demonstrating why Hooker admired him so much.
– Juke Blues
When you see Michael’s name on the sleeve, you know you are going to hear some quality guitar work.
–Blues Matters