Stormy Monday (Live) – Lee Michaels
I was turned on to Lee Michaels fairly recently by a very good family friend, and while I still have a lot to explore, he is probably my favorite keys player I’ve ever heard up to this point. His self-titled album is one of the coolest pieces of music I’ve ever heard. The entirety of the album was recorded live in the studio with Lee playing the organ and using the bass pedals, with Barry “Frosty” Smith (give him a Google) accompanying him on the drums. No one else, to my knowledge. The largeness of the sound they are able to get out of just two instruments is absolutely mind-blowing.
His cover of T-Bone Walker‘s “Stormy Monday” is the definition of a screaming B3. This is one of the bluesiest songs of all time, and Michael’s playing and singing do it absolute justice. If you’ve followed the blog for a bit, you probably know that I prefer live versions to studio songs a lot of the time, with no exception made here. I just love to hear the improvisation and additions artists make to their songs. In particular, on this track, I love how well you can hear the Leslie speaker spinning. That being said, you can’t go wrong with either rendition.
My Taste in Music 
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