Mike Painter Trio Live @ Cuore 18/12/07

I do like the cool mod-soul sounds of Mike Painter:

Composer and Hammond player from Milan, Mike Painter began his career in the early eighties as member of the mod-beat band "Four By Art". The band were prime movers of the neosixties scene for a long time, boasting the self-produced single "My mind in four sight" and two albums for the Electric Eye label produced by Claudio Sorge (at the time Sorge was an editorial staff member of "Rockerilla" music magazine. He is now Editor of "Rumore") Following this success, Mike then formed mod-soul group "The Investigators" releasing a record for Vox Pop, one of the most highly-regarded Italian labels of that time.

By now heavily influenced by the acid jazz scene, he continued to tour extensively with a series of changing line-ups inspired by Booker T. & the MG's, Jimmy Mc Griff, Corduroy and the James Taylor Quartet. Then it was time for a leap into a wider market with the pop-soul ensemble "Il Santo" where he teamed up with Alex Loggia (ex Statuto), pressing an EP for the Lilium label (distributed by Sony Music). Mike and Alex continued to collaborate as "Mr. Tokyo And Beat Goes On", a ska-rocksteady flavoured offshoot of Il Santo. Mr Tokyo went on to release the album "Summer Sessions" on the Audioglobe label. Finally, after many years spent in different bands here it is - his first solo project: "MIKE PAINTER AND THE FAMILY SHAKERS". Teaming up with former Casino Royale player Roberto "Gato" Barbieri (tenor sax and horns arrangements) and Alex Loggia (guitar), Mike brings us a rich blend of sublime Hammond leads and cool modern jazz sounds. www.mikepainter.net