Revelator

Mo Michael performs "Revelator" live at RAK Studios. Morris Michael, born in London, after stints in Hackney, Caledonian Road and Tottenham, returned to Antigua 7, remaining there until he was 13. Back in England Morris continued to play music, got a Saturday job and started buying second hand blues records, adding this to his repertoire, along with a bit of jazz. He was already playing with pros before he left school, and was soon part of the British jazz/funk scene, joining a band called Mirage, in which he played keyboards, and touring with other well known jazz funk bands of the era such as Central Line. BBC Radio 1 used the Mirage track “Summer Groove” as the signature tune of their Roadshow for years. Morris was starting to get a lot of session work, both studio and live, found himself in a band that was signed to a label, landed a tour with Kajagoogoo, joined Private Lives with John Adams who signed to EMI and made a well received album, which gave him a pop profile. Morris was now firmly established in the 80’s scene. He was adaptable, could emulate players like Nile Rodgers, in short he could give people exactly what they were looking for. Quick, versatile, reliable and with a great sound, Morris was the perfect session player. The money was always secondary to music he was drawn to emotionally. During this time Mo recorded with artists such as Scritti Politti, The Blow Monkeys, Tina Turner, Ruby Turner, Evelyn Thomas, Precious Wilson, Imagination, Belouis Some, Hazel O’Connor, Living in a Box, Techno Twins, Errol Brown, Samantha Fox, Quincy Jones, Paul Weller, Wham!, Altered Images, Suggs, Erasure, Yazz and others. He did a session with Steely Dan producer Gary Katz, a song called “Rhythm of Life” which was recorded by an artist called Hugh Harris, who was going out with Sinead O’Connor. The track was in the movie “Uncle Buck”. At the end of the 80s, Morris developed RSI - Repetitive Strain Injury - that required a long period of recuperation, during which he taught himself to play yet another instrument - the harmonica. Morris started working as an independent producer, working out of a room at RAK Studios. He played harp with some blues bands, and having enjoyed doing a handful of lectures at universities and colleges, he decided to give something back by becoming a music teacher at a London academy for five years. Life-changing moments included visiting the Kalahari Dessert, spending time with the bushmen, even becoming an honorary member of the tribe and broadening his musical horizons still further. Morris has returned to music full time, has been writing like fury, started gigging again and is rapidly building a reputation as a writer and troubadour in the style of one of his heroes, James Taylor. Working at RAK with engineer/producer Wes Maebe, Morris has recorded a collection of stripped-back, blues- flavoured acoustic songs which are attracting much industry attention.

Added 2 Apr 2026