You may get chills from a fever listening to this passionate and powerful rockin', down-home and funky blues debut from award winning, San Diego, CA based singer/songwriter Michele Lundeen. Known as the "Queen of Steam" for her hi-energy and sassy delivery, Michele entwines her old-school R&B and blues based roots (plus a love of Gospel) around nine self-penned originals and three choice covers ala Tina Turner, Lavelle White and 60's soulster O.V. Wright. Honest lyrics delivered with soulful conviction. Co-produced by Johnny "V" Vernazza (Gold Record winning Elvin Bishop alumni) nine of the tracks feature the smokin' backline of some No. California heavies including Johnny "V" on guitars, Steve Evans on bass (currently with Coco Montoya, Chris Cain, etc.), Gary "Smacky" Silva (award winning drummer), Austin DeLone on organ and piano (Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Dan Hicks, Norton Buffalo, etc.), Ed Early (trombonist with Elvin Bishop), Tom Poole (Etta James' trumpet man for 11 years now with Tommy Castro), Dave Stone (top Bay Area sax session man) and a duet with special guest, slide-master Roy Rogers. Three tracks (#2-#5-#9) were recorded with Michele's top-notch, seasoned San Diego band of Charles Burton (guitar), Tim Cash (bass), Ric Lee (drums) and Aristotle Georgio (harmonica on track #1) and also features guest appearances by award winning, boogie-woogie piano queen herself, Sue Palmer (track #5) and organist Ben Moore (tracks #2 & #9).
"I'm honestly moved by my experiences enough to shout them from the rooftops," Singing is a release. I'm telling/singing my story from my heart...my soul...I feel it, I believe it, and I know that the people can relate...I willingly hand over my honest emotions to the audience.”
One of four finalists in the Blues Foundation's International Blues Challenge 2006 "Best Self-Produced CD" from entries submitted from around the globe, SONG INSIDE ME was also a 2005 San Diego Music Awards "Best Blues Album" Nominee. The CD is getting airplay and rave reviews across the world. It has landed on several Top 10 and 20 Playlists, has been reported to the Living Blues Charts from stations in the USA, Canada, Ireland, and Australia and has made several "Top CD's of the Year" lists.
"The moment still shines through like it happened last night. Michele Lundeen is standing on the front edge of a Beale Street stage, having just unleashed one of her up-against-the-wall vocal assaults and the packed house at B.B. King's sits in stunned silence. Her hand is on her hip as her eyes prowl back and forth across the room. Still, no one moves. Michele commands attention and it's almost as if the audience knows better than to make the first move.
That's the sense that comes through in this long-awaited recording by Michele. She's a soul-deep singer with a penetrating presence. Her music has a force of its own, with vocals that hit you smack dab between the eyes and knock you a few feet back. There is nothing subtle about Michele's music. She's confident of what she's doing and it shows. It doesn't matter if Michele is singing country blues, mixing up some mean-street funk, locking into a Memphis groove, or launching into some high-energy blues and R&B, the music here will rub you raw.
This is all by design. Michele knows that too much music today is so homogenized and filtered that it can't stand up on it's own. But she makes music that is fierce and powerful, music that reflects what's inside her. And, if you're trying to compare her style to someone, don't bother. This is pure Michele Lundeen, a singer/songwriter with an irrepressible song inside. This music can't come from anyone else." (From CD Liner notes by Michael Kinsman - Hoodoo Productions)
PRESS:
- "Each cut on this CD shows another dimension of Lundeen's talent and the feeling comes across that she is not only secure in her singing but enjoys is immensely." .. Pete Sardon/Southland Blues
- "This album makes an excellent calling card for a performer who clearly knows the blues inside and out, and who is able to put her own stamp on the style with the strength of her vocal interpretations." ...William Ruhlmann/All Music Guide
- "San Diego's Queen of Steam supercharges a range of roots genres with her powerful voice and compelling style. Horn-driven R&B, slow blues, sultry swamp funk, shuffles, old-time jazz and Stonesy rockers all figure into the mix."
...Tom Hyslop/Blues Revue
- "Her slow and soulful cover of the 60's soul classic "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" is reason enough to discover this very talented vocalist." ...Eric Steiner/Cosmik Debris
- "Song Inside Me" is pragmatic, gut-bucket and effective...a demonstration, a sermon, a textbook and a rally -- powerful, lively and humbling... a gift of love from a leader to her community." ...Arthur Shuey III/Blues Bytes
- "Smoking band...gutsy blues flavored vocal attitude, performance, dynamics and phrasing...." ...TAXI A&R reps
- "...an often scintillating debut CD that displays her leather-lunged power, wise-beyond-her-years instinct and soulful-beyond-her-skin-color melisma to a wonderful effect. This gal is a dynamo for sure.
...Buddy Blue - San Diego Union Tribune
- "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" is wonderful soul at its very best. With Vernazza's guitar, Delone's piano and organ, excellent background vocals and a superb vocal from Michele, this is an absolute KILLER track."
...Paul Harris/Rhythm & Blues (England)
- "The success of the set is underlined by the assured handling of the slow-ish, soul-drenched title track."
...Norman Darwen - Blues In Britain
- "Your CD is absolutely wonderful! I was so "tuned in" to your romping steam type music, that I was unprepared for the sheer power and soulful beauty of the softer, subtler stuff. This deserves to be heard by the world"
...Peggy Vaughan - Author www.peggydearpeggy.com
- "The level of confidence she exudes along with the depth of soul she feels and makes the listener feel, is masterful."
Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro - www.mary4music.com
-"Your voice, Michele, is very emotional and my heart's breaking down. This good stuff is a strong impulse of blues, a high energy and a great pleasure. Recommended!" ...Francis Rateau - Programme 'Hot Time' www.couleursfm.com
- "Major discovery ... a powerful voice that is perfect for her very hot approach to blues." ... Radio Voce Spazio/ - Italy
- "She only knows one way to sing and that's from the heart." ... Kyle Deibler-Blues Bytes
Checkout www.michelelundeen.com for more info, photos, gig calendar, links, the latest news & more.
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