Michael Hill's Blues Mob
Encyclopedia
Michael Hill's Blues Mob is an American
blues
trio
. The members have variously included Michael Hill, his bass guitar
playing brother, Kevin, and singing sisters, Wynette and Kathy.
Originally formed in the early 1990s by Michael Hill (born 1952, The Bronx
, New York
, United States
), the Blues Mob is a trio - however they sometimes add keyboards
. Hill came to blues music from the atypical social and musical background of the Bronx and the Black Rock Coalition
.
With the release of their first album
Bloodlines in 1994, Michael Hill's Blues Mob established themselves. Bloodlines went on to earn the Living Blues Critic's award for Debut Blues Album of the Year. The next four years saw the band release two more albums on Alligator Records
; Have Mercy! (1996) and New York State Of Blues (1998). Michael Hill's Blues Mob have appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival
and Memphis in May
. Their tours have included most of Europe
, with five trips each to Brazil
and Australia
.
Michael Hill's Blues Mob released their fourth album, Suite: Larger Than Life in 2001 on Singular Records in the US
and Dixiefrog in Europe
. This was followed by a concept album
, Electric Storyland Live (2003), and the compilation album
, Black Gold and Goddesses Bold (2005).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
. The members have variously included Michael Hill, his bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
playing brother, Kevin, and singing sisters, Wynette and Kathy.
Originally formed in the early 1990s by Michael Hill (born 1952, The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), the Blues Mob is a trio - however they sometimes add keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
. Hill came to blues music from the atypical social and musical background of the Bronx and the Black Rock Coalition
Black Rock Coalition
The Black Rock Coalition is a New York-based artists' collective and non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the creative freedom and works of black musicians....
.
With the release of their first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
Bloodlines in 1994, Michael Hill's Blues Mob established themselves. Bloodlines went on to earn the Living Blues Critic's award for Debut Blues Album of the Year. The next four years saw the band release two more albums on Alligator Records
Alligator Records
Alligator Records is a Chicago-based independent blues record label founded by Bruce Iglauer in 1971.Iglauer started the label with his own savings to record and produce his favorite band Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers, whom his employer, Bob Koester of Delmark Records, declined to record...
; Have Mercy! (1996) and New York State Of Blues (1998). Michael Hill's Blues Mob have appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival
Chicago Blues Festival
The Chicago Blues Festival is an annual event held in June that features three days of performances by top-tier blues musicians, both old favorites and the up-and-coming. It is hosted by the City of Chicago Mayor's Office of Special Events, and always occurs in early June...
and Memphis in May
Memphis in May
Memphis in May is a month long festival held in Memphis, Tennessee. The festival itself is split into four main events: The Beale Street Music Festival, the kick-off event which showcases a mix of local and national music acts, International Week, a group of events dedicated to the country that is...
. Their tours have included most of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, with five trips each to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Michael Hill's Blues Mob released their fourth album, Suite: Larger Than Life in 2001 on Singular Records in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Dixiefrog in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. This was followed by a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, Electric Storyland Live (2003), and the compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Black Gold and Goddesses Bold (2005).
Discography
- Bloodlines (Alligator RecordsAlligator RecordsAlligator Records is a Chicago-based independent blues record label founded by Bruce Iglauer in 1971.Iglauer started the label with his own savings to record and produce his favorite band Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers, whom his employer, Bob Koester of Delmark Records, declined to record...
, 1994) - Have Mercy! (Alligator Records, 1996)
- New York State Of Blues (Alligator Records, 1998)
- Suite: Larger Than Life (Singular Records, 2001)
- Electric Storyland Live (Ruf Records, 2003)