| Intro | American guitarist | ||
| Is |
Guitarist Jazz musician Musician Jazz guitarist |
||
| From | United States of America | ||
| Type | Music | ||
| Gender | male | ||
| Birth | 1 June 1958, Los Angeles | ||
| Age: | 62 years | ||
| Family |
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Michael Landau (born June 1, 1958) is an American musician, engineer, and record producer. He is a prolific session musician and guitarist who has played on a large number of albums since the early 1980s with artists as varied as Minoru Niihara, Joni Mitchell, Seal, Michael Jackson, James Taylor, Helen Watson, Richard Marx, Steve Perry, Pink Floyd, Roger Daltrey, Glenn Frey, and Miles Davis. Landau, along with fellow session guitarists Dean Parks, Steve Lukather, Michael Thompson and Dann Huff, played on many of the major label releases recorded in Los Angeles from the 1980s–1990s. He has released music with several record labels including Ulftone Music and Tone Center Records, a member of the California-based Shrapnel Label Group.
In addition to his session work, Landau has also fronted several bands including Raging Honkies and Burning Water. In the early 1980s, he was also in the band Maxus that featured future Los Angeles session musicians Robbie Buchanan, Jay Gruska, and Doane Perry.
Early life
At age 19, he joined Boz Scaggs for a world tour and by the age of 20, he started to do session work on the recommendation of long time friend, Steve Lukather.
Influences
Landau cites influences including The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Cream, The Band, Weather Report, Pat Martino, and Jaco Pastorius.
Equipment
Landau has a signature Single coil guitar pickup with Suhr Guitars called the ‘ML.’ In 2013, Fender announced that they would be collaborating with Landau on a signature stratocaster. In 2015, Fender released the ‘Michael Landau Signature’ amplifier, a modified version of Hot Rod DeVille III
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Landau used a rack switching system made by Bob Bradshaw of Custom Audio Electronics. Other notable users of such systems were Steve Lukather and Eddie Van Halen among others.
Discography
Solo
- Tales from the Bulge (1990)
- The Star Spangled Banner (2001)
- Michael Landau Live 2000 (2001)
- The Michael Landau Group-Live (2006)
- Organic Instrumentals (2012)
With Renegade Creation
- Renegade Creation (2010)
- Bullet (2012)
With Hazey Jane
- Holy Ghost (2009)
With Stolen Fish
- Give Me A Ride (1999)
- Like I Said (2001)
With The Raging Honkies
- We Are The Best Band (1994)
- Boner (1996)
With Burning Water
- Burning Water (1991)
- Mood Elevator (1992)
- Live And Lit (1993)
- Abbandonato (1994)
With Rita Lee
– Bom Bom (1983)