*JUST IN!* Kinsman Dazz Band – Ghetto Preacher b/w Saved – Creative Soul UK 7″

Very limited ‘Nu Soul’ release by the founding member of the legendary ‘Dazz Band’ singing out the pain caused by the social injustice still happening in America, another recording which might only get heard locally over there in the US and by a few Soul people here in Europe like so many of these great tunes over the last six decades.

background info from liner notes:

Michael J. Calhoun has accomplished greatness in music for over 30 years. He was influenced by such luminaries as B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, The Beatles, and Motown, and of course his Cleveland soul brother and early days mentor, the legendary Lou Ragland, along with blues legend Travis ‘Moonchild’ Haddix, and Richard Shann of Complexus.

Michael’s career launched as a founding member, singer, composer, and guitarist of ‘Kinsman Dazz’. The band scored major hits with Twentieth Century Fox where he was mentored by both Marvin Gaye and Philip Bailey of ‘Earth Wind & Fire’. The group eventually moved to Motown records and became the Grammy award winning ‘Dazz Band’.

After leaving the ‘Dazz Band’ Michael then joined with Juan Lively to form ‘Voyeur’, signing with MCA, then later returning to the ‘Dazz Band’ for one more album.

In 1994, Michael was presented with a Platinum Membership by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The same year Michael wrote and produced Cozette Morgan’s critically acclaimed album “Stay With Me” and in 2003 his first solo album “In Blue” was released.

Music is in Michael’s DNA and his multiple talents honed over 40 plus years as a composer, producer, arranger, musician, and singer as proven in the emotion and energy poured into “Ghetto Preacher”,  a song of social injustice and hope, and “Saved” in which Michael give tribute to his spiritual roots, fulfilling a promise to his mother.