Michael Thomason Band

Tredje CDn från Michael, den första, "Buffalo Dreams" (2003), "Ridin' The Night Train" (2006) och nu en ny inspelad i NFZ Studio, Sulingen, Germany samt Prairie Sun Recording, Cotati, CA, USA. Michael sång och kompgitarr, Jessie Thomason sång, Rüdiger Kahran steel, Roland Legantke & Sean Allen div. gitarrer, Jens Dunker trummor, Don schmitt bas & sång.
Merparten eget matierial, men instucket finns Frizzells "Shine , Shave, Shower". "Making Love, Catching Fish" har ett mexikanskt stuk med Martin Tomeks trumpet. En speciell bonus år tvä spär inspelade 1974 (!) i Buck Owens Studio med The Buckaroos: "Julia" samt "California" och det år en annan ljudbild. Ren och skär countrymusik fjärran från fabrikerna i Nashville. Generöst med solon. Småtrevlig platta.
Lillies Ohlsson, 2010 - Kountry Korral Magazine

Es ist immer schön, wenn ein alter Bekannter zurückkehrt, vor allem wenn es genau 10 Jahre her ist. Im Jahr 2001 hatte der Amerikaner Michael Thomason eine Band aus deutschen Musikern versammelt, die allesamt viel Countryfeeling in sich trugen. Nicht ein einziges Mal klang es laut oder rockig. Überhaubt ist Michael ein Meister der sanften, Tradititionellen Country-Klänge. Das hat sich seit damals nicht geändert. Am 01. Juli 2011 erschien Michael mit seinem Partner Rüdiger Kahran aus Kiel als Duo mit zwei akustischen Gitarren und das war für den kleinen Saal der Gastätte genau richtig. Es sollte ein Open Air werden , aber das Wetter spielte nicht mit. Ein schöner Abend wurde es dennoch. Auf der ausreichend großen Tanzfläsche zelebrierten wir nahezu zu jedem Titel Twostep bis zum Abwinken. Es waren ja auch Songs, die so richtig Country-Nostalgie aufkommen ließen. Viele davon hat er selbst geschrieben, die übrigen stammen von Merle Haggard, George Strait und anderen eher traditionell orientierten Künstlern...Wenn er Songs anderer Country-Stars vorträgt, dann tut er es in seiner eigenen Weise mit ganz viel Gefühl und er bevorzugt diejenigen Songs. Ich wünsche mir mehr solcher Konzerte.
Jurgen Stier, August 2011 - WHEEL Country Mail, Country Music Magazin

Es ist immer schön, wenn ein alter Bekannter zurückkehrt, vor allem wenn es genau 10 Jahre her ist. Im Jahr 2001 hatte der Amerikaner Michael Thomason eine Band aus deutschen Musikern versammelt, die allesamt viel Countryfeeling in sich trugen. Nicht ein einziges Mal klang es laut oder rockig. Überhaubt ist Michael ein Meister der sanften, Tradititionellen Country-Klänge. Das hat sich seit damals nicht geändert. Am 01. Juli 2011 erschien Michael mit seinem Partner Rüdiger Kahran aus Kiel als Duo mit zwei akustischen Gitarren und das war für den kleinen Saal der Gastätte genau richtig. Es sollte ein Open Air werden , aber das Wetter spielte nicht mit. Ein schöner Abend wurde es dennoch. Auf der ausreichend großen Tanzfläsche zelebrierten wir nahezu zu jedem Titel Twostep bis zum Abwinken. Es waren ja auch Songs, die so richtig Country-Nostalgie aufkommen ließen. Viele davon hat er selbst geschrieben, die übrigen stammen von Merle Haggard, George Strait und anderen eher traditionell orientierten Künstlern...Wenn er Songs anderer Country-Stars vorträgt, dann tut er es in seiner eigenen Weise mit ganz viel Gefühl und er bevorzugt diejenigen Songs. Ich wünsche mir mehr solcher Konzerte.
Jurgen Stier, August 2011 - WHEEL Country Mail, Country Music Magazin

“Michael has the soul of Hank Snow and the charisma of Kristofferson.”
Napa Register (California)

“The Michael Thomason Band is an enrichment to the American folk scene and a pleasure for the connoisseur of good homemade country music.”
newcountrymusic.de (Germany)

" The Michael Thomason Band will touch your heart with its great country sound and family feel."
R. Wafler, KURY Radio

"Just about as good as it gets! The entire organization is extremely talented and highly professional."
Mike Green, Dixon May Fair, CA

"Solid kick-ass country!"
M. Movan, KPOD Radio

“They did a great job and they were well received by our patrons. The band was very easy to work with."
Randy Hatfield, Del Norte County Fair, CA

“I was very impressed by the quality of their stage presence, the ease and strength of musicianship, the beautiful custom western outfits, and their unending cheerfulness in spite of blistering hot days or chilly nights.”
Susan Travers, Solano County Fair, CA



“The Fair patrons who had the opportunity and pleasure to see their performances were greatly entertained. (They) were all very professional and a joy to watch and listen to.”
Mike Orton, Nez Perce County Fair, ID

“They are dependable, professional, hard working and a delight to be around."
Randy Merrill, Winterset Agency

"I have always found the Michael Thomason Band to be reliable, punctual, and have a great array of material, pleasing the crowd with a long list of favorites as well as fine original material."
Armondo Miranda, Phoenix Entertainment
- Many

“Michael has the soul of Hank Snow and the charisma of Kristofferson.”
Napa Register (California)

“The Michael Thomason Band is an enrichment to the American folk scene and a pleasure for the connoisseur of good homemade country music.”
newcountrymusic.de (Germany)

" The Michael Thomason Band will touch your heart with its great country sound and family feel."
R. Wafler, KURY Radio

"Just about as good as it gets! The entire organization is extremely talented and highly professional."
Mike Green, Dixon May Fair, CA

"Solid kick-ass country!"
M. Movan, KPOD Radio

“They did a great job and they were well received by our patrons. The band was very easy to work with."
Randy Hatfield, Del Norte County Fair, CA

“I was very impressed by the quality of their stage presence, the ease and strength of musicianship, the beautiful custom western outfits, and their unending cheerfulness in spite of blistering hot days or chilly nights.”
Susan Travers, Solano County Fair, CA



“The Fair patrons who had the opportunity and pleasure to see their performances were greatly entertained. (They) were all very professional and a joy to watch and listen to.”
Mike Orton, Nez Perce County Fair, ID

“They are dependable, professional, hard working and a delight to be around."
Randy Merrill, Winterset Agency

"I have always found the Michael Thomason Band to be reliable, punctual, and have a great array of material, pleasing the crowd with a long list of favorites as well as fine original material."
Armondo Miranda, Phoenix Entertainment
- Many

These days it seems I come across good music through strange, unlooked-for channels. On an e-mail list, a friend mentioned how her father was struggling so hard to get heard in the States, and they just weren't getting anywhere. Intrigued, I asked what kind of music he did. Real country, was the reply. So I had to hear it for myself, and found out that there's even more fine, fine music being made in the San Francisco area.
Michael Thomason has been making music all his life; influenced by the Bakersfield sound, as well as the music of Elvis Presley and the style of Bob Dylan, he blended what he liked into a solid country/folk-rock sound.

He recorded his first single in 1974, "California," with the Buckeroos at Buck Owens' studio. He struck out for Austin and spent several years playing the Texas circuit, honing his sound, and eventually made his way home to California. But despite an extremely successful tour of Europe with the band Too Far Gone, Michael spent a few years at home in California raising his family, still writing but not playing anywhere regularly. But eventually, the call of the music got strong again, and he put together The Michael Thomason Band, and, after more years, more music, and more shaking things together, they put together an album of songs, "Won't You Ever Learn," in 1998.

The years of hard work show in this superbly produced work. With its Bakersfield sound enhanced and strengthened by Michael's folk/rock influences and a trace of European flavor, "Won't You Ever Learn" is a collection of ten songs, most of which were written by Michael, whose Dylan influences shine in his clever lyrics, taking the old country standards of heartache, cheatin', and drinkin', and turning out new ways of saying them.

"Beneath still silken skin there beats/An achin' heart that longs to cheat/She looks to love to bring her peace/And soothe her soul between the sheets."

"Born With a Broken Heart" shows still more Michael's excellent songwriting ability, a tremendous economy of words set to a rich bluesy number with a strong drum beat and some marvelously plaintive guitar licks from lead guitarist Wolfgang Litter (the European touch comes not just from influence, but the band is largely German themselves; Don Schmitt plays bass and sings harmony vocals; Herman Lammers Meyer is on pedal steel, dobro, and fuzz-steel; Harry Habrect plays accordion, piano, and keyboards). His songwriting skill is further highlighted in tracks like "Ain't It Great To Be Free," "Something to Believe In," and "Heart in a Glass," co-written with Jens Dunker.

The band also knows how to write a song or two, such as "You Looked at Me," written by drummer and co-producer Jens Dunker, which is a wonderful honky-tonk tune; "You looked at me/through the bottom of a beer glass/And what you saw/Ain't what you see/And now you're back/Back in your real world/But my memories are killing me." Just enough heartache, set to a high-energy two-steppin' number. Ditto on bassist Don Schmitt's superior "Oh Papa," which speaks to anyone who felt their father should have paid just a little more attention to them: "I remember when I was a child/At my daddy's knee/And all the things I used to do/Just so he would look at me."

The only song on the album not penned by Michael or one of the band is the eerie, beautiful "Tower of Song," by the great Leonard Cohen (http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/). This one's a personal favorite, mellow yet extremely strong, excellently laid down for Michael's rich vocals.

The Michael Thomason Band is too good to be kept a secret exclusive to North California and Europe any longer. I can't remember who it is his voice reminds me of, but it has a soothing, nostalgic feel to it that makes me think I heard it long ago, when I was growing up, so maybe he just reminds me of old-time Haggard or Owens, or there's just something about his singing that makes me extremely happy; in any case, he deserves to be heard by a wider audience. He even closes the album with an old-fashioned yodeling Western cowboy song, "Nothing Comes To Mind," so he can write and sing it all.

I admit also have a soft spot for him right off because there's a link to KPIG radio on his site (www.michaelthomason.com ), and I've only ever seen that before at www.videoranch.com (another personal favorite). In any case, give this guy a listen. You'll be glad you did.

Kathy Coleman Take Country Back April 2002

- Take Country Back

In 1986 Michael Thomason got the chance to work on a musical western, Buffalo Dreams, writing with sk dunn and Jim Neu. As well as composing the music for this play, he also took a role in it. It was performed in Napa Valley and New York City.
Michael's taken the Theme From Buffalo Dreams, co-written with sk dunn, and it's the title track of his newest disc, "Buffalo Dreams."

In this disc, Michael has once again put on display his formidable writing skills, as well as his excellent vocals. Michael wrote (or co-wrote) eight of the ten songs, all of which show off his country-folk style extremely well. He also throws in a cover of his obvious hero, Bob Dylan, with a tremendous version of "You're a Big Girl Now," as well as Neil Young's "Bound For Glory." The Michael Thomason Band, a gritty combination of American and European players, has honed their skills to a fine art, giving us music that is from-the-heart pure. It's a strange thing that a disc of music so purely American was recorded in Germany.

Right from the first swinging bars of "Anywhere By You," with its playful use of French lyrics to give it a trace of a Cajun flare, it's a remarkably listenable album, moreso considering its limited and REALLY independent release (no record label appears on the liner insert or the outside jewel cover - the word "GEMA" appears on the disc itself - the "all rights reserved" legal disclaimer appears in English and German). The professional quality is well suited to any major label out there. Michael and his band are TIGHT, extremely polished, and they lay so well it's like listening to anything being fed through a major label's "sound quality machine." But this is no construct of an engineer and an image maker. I fully expect that what I'm hearing on this disc is what I'd hear if I were standing in a honky-tonk watching them play. The second track on the disc is the title track, the "Theme from Buffalo Dreams," which is a delightful, haunting Western song that touches this western gal's heart.

Tremendous plays on words run through Michael's songs, such as his sorrowful "Drifting with the Wind," featuring some beautiful pedal steel playing from Rüdiger Karahn (who also puts in some time on rhythm guitar), surprisingly lighthearted "Damned If You Do," and the incredible "Green to Whiskey Eyes," a truly authentic western swing two-stepping tune with fine, fine lyrics. Michael is a tremendously skillful writer. He works his words deftly, a craftsman, carefully putting each phrase right where it should be. With "Now There You Go Again," "Break It Easy," and "Open Road," he wraps things up neatly, and closes it all with the Bob Dylan cover.

Overall, this is a truly excellent disc. I enjoyed listening to every single track, and have decided Michael Thomason belongs in my "most listened-to" racks. I'm really happy he "fell in my lap," so to speak, and I eagerly look forward to hearing more from him. I hope others find him, too. Check out Michael at www.michaelthomason.com

Kathy Coleman Take Country Back April 2002
- Take Country Back

In 1986 Michael Thomason got the chance to work on a musical western, Buffalo Dreams, writing with sk dunn and Jim Neu. As well as composing the music for this play, he also took a role in it. It was performed in Napa Valley and New York City.
Michael's taken the Theme From Buffalo Dreams, co-written with sk dunn, and it's the title track of his newest disc, "Buffalo Dreams."

In this disc, Michael has once again put on display his formidable writing skills, as well as his excellent vocals. Michael wrote (or co-wrote) eight of the ten songs, all of which show off his country-folk style extremely well. He also throws in a cover of his obvious hero, Bob Dylan, with a tremendous version of "You're a Big Girl Now," as well as Neil Young's "Bound For Glory." The Michael Thomason Band, a gritty combination of American and European players, has honed their skills to a fine art, giving us music that is from-the-heart pure. It's a strange thing that a disc of music so purely American was recorded in Germany.

Right from the first swinging bars of "Anywhere By You," with its playful use of French lyrics to give it a trace of a Cajun flare, it's a remarkably listenable album, moreso considering its limited and REALLY independent release (no record label appears on the liner insert or the outside jewel cover - the word "GEMA" appears on the disc itself - the "all rights reserved" legal disclaimer appears in English and German). The professional quality is well suited to any major label out there. Michael and his band are TIGHT, extremely polished, and they lay so well it's like listening to anything being fed through a major label's "sound quality machine." But this is no construct of an engineer and an image maker. I fully expect that what I'm hearing on this disc is what I'd hear if I were standing in a honky-tonk watching them play. The second track on the disc is the title track, the "Theme from Buffalo Dreams," which is a delightful, haunting Western song that touches this western gal's heart.

Tremendous plays on words run through Michael's songs, such as his sorrowful "Drifting with the Wind," featuring some beautiful pedal steel playing from Rüdiger Karahn (who also puts in some time on rhythm guitar), surprisingly lighthearted "Damned If You Do," and the incredible "Green to Whiskey Eyes," a truly authentic western swing two-stepping tune with fine, fine lyrics. Michael is a tremendously skillful writer. He works his words deftly, a craftsman, carefully putting each phrase right where it should be. With "Now There You Go Again," "Break It Easy," and "Open Road," he wraps things up neatly, and closes it all with the Bob Dylan cover.

Overall, this is a truly excellent disc. I enjoyed listening to every single track, and have decided Michael Thomason belongs in my "most listened-to" racks. I'm really happy he "fell in my lap," so to speak, and I eagerly look forward to hearing more from him. I hope others find him, too. Check out Michael at www.michaelthomason.com

Kathy Coleman Take Country Back April 2002
- Take Country Back