QUOTES ABOUT KEVIN !
Roger Kellaway ( www.rogerkellaway.com ) Composer-Pianist-Jazz Musician: "I must complement you on your 'time feel' and your ability to play "in the pocket" with your bass, keyboard and guitarist. As a rhythm section player, you know how much that means to me."
Mike Lang ( http://catalinajazzclub.com/lang.htm ) Pianist, Hollywood Wrecking Crew Member: "Thanks (Kevin) so much for sharing it with me ... beautifully filmed and edited ... the sound is great … I'm touched … it's really nice to see a music video done with this level of quality… :) :) :) ... the sound is great- loved the playing - everyone sounds really good … the keyboard player is really unique … special … loved all of his choices; Great to hear you play… awesome feel; All the material is great (of course) and the singer/guitarist is really musical… I did feel some limitations in his singing… but it's all musical, honest and real ! Wishing you every success with this… it's clear everyone has there heart and soul in it! Hope you get gigs, an audience… all good things! xo, m."
Scott Yanow, Jazz Journalist/Historian: " 'Hitchhiker' was written by drummer Kevin Michaels aunt and uncle Cielle and Michael Kollander for the Four Preps in 1966, and was originally recorded as a 45 released by Capitol. The vocal recording is a nice mainstream pop record for the time. Michael Kollander was a staff writer for A&M and Capitol in the 1960s (including for the 5th Dimension and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) and also played guitar with many notables including Bobby Darin, the Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Charo, and Tom Scott. Cielle Kollander was a backup singer for the Fifth Dimension, Andy Williams, Les Baxter, Roger Kellaway and others. Their nephew, Kevin Michaels, started his career recording on percussion for the Beach Boys, played with the members of Canned Heat, and has led a variety of groups since that time. When he was booked in 2018 to headline at the Woodystock Blues Festival, Kevin Michaels decided to pay tribute to his aunt and uncle by writing a new arrangement of "HitchHiker." The performance, which will be released in April, takes the pop tune and recasts it as a soulful instrumental played by a jazz septet comprised of Michaels on drums, guitarist Ronnie B. Good, keyboardist John Gulack, bassist George M. Webster, trumpeter Roy Wiegand Jr, trombonist Roy Wiegand Sr. and tenor-saxophonist Mike Nelson. It has fine solos from Nelson and Good with strong accompaniment by Gulack's keyboards and the brass section. The relaxed groove is infectious and, even though the piece has been modernized a little, the new arrangement keeps the essence of the original song. When it was played for Cielle Kollander, she was visibly touched to hear the song revived in this fashion. Listeners will enjoy comparing the two versions."
Ted Piercfield (Chase Band): Your Hitchhiker and Superman Lover sounds nice, very mellow !
Joe Porcaro (Drummer/Percussionist/Teacher): "Kevin. Man, I'm so proud of you. I was totally impresed with your band. l liked the singer very much. Good pitch and voice. That's a nice good solid band you have.Everybuddy seem to groove with each other. I thought you came up with a great presentation of songs you guys get into. The songs were short and write to the point what your band sounds like. I wish you all the best."
LeRoy Downs (KKJZ radio host): "Yeah man! Bessed for all of these beautiful moments in the music !!!" (referring to my August 4th 2018 concert at Adelanto Stadium).
Kenny Kasman of the Kazmaniax: "You sound like Neil Peart, Billy Cobham, and Vinnie Colaiuta all rolled into one!"
Kuniko Ishida: "Your drum sound and style is like Nigel Olsson, the drummer for Elton John"
"You sound like the early Mitch Mitchell and Keith Moon"
"You drum like Ginger Baker"
Nick Future, Producer: Keith Washington: "Your playing reminded me of Tony Williams."
Johnny Mayer: You play hard without your ego getting in the way, and very polished."
George Mason - Jazz Bassist: "You're going to be big!"
Will Ray - Hellecasters: "You have more chops than any other drummer i've played with!"
You must remember that what people say is only a partial truth about Kevin, and based only according to their own particular perceptions, personal proclivities, taste, and style, rather than on knowledge gained personally from a handful of exceptional instructors that Kevin personally chose to study under. All of these experiences combined have really broadened and diversified his styles of music, knowledge, coordination, and technique. More importantly, all of this has resulted in a new style of application and approach to music, which is now at the forefront of this 'New Music Business.'