Michael Jefferson

Contributing Writer
It's only rock n' roll, but I like it.  - Photo courtesy of Gene Minasi
It's only rock n' roll, but I like it. - Photo courtesy of Gene Minasi

Having suffered the slings and arrows associated with being a public relations professional for the past 30 years in organizations such as Con Edison, The Hudson River Museum and The Westchester Philharmonic, Michael is now a freelance writer and has written articles, CD and DVD reviews for Coffeerooms.com and Goldmine Magazine. A connoisseur of 60s and 70s rock, Michael has written about artists such as Traffic, The Band, The Moody Blues, Tony Joe White, Jim Capaldi, Robin Trower and Miller Anderson. His last feature article, "Spooky Tooth: Still Lost in a Dream" was published in the November 20, 2009 edition of Goldmine. His non fiction titles include "The Mystery of the Destruction of H.M.S Hood" and "The Beeg Boy," a profile of baseball player Rico Carty. His experiences in the ring as an amateur boxer (11-0, 11 knockouts) prompted Michael to write about his ring heroes Sonny Liston, Carlos Monzon and Jose "Pipino" Cuevas.

It's likely Michael will will keep the five horror novels he has written to himself until Dean Koontz and Stephen King retire. Somewhere next to his novels are two dozen pieces he wrote during his brief incarnation as a poet. Michael's most popular poem "Calliope," was published in The New York Poetry Foundation Anthology in 1986.

Music remains one of Michael's great loves. Plucked from the chorus to be a featured soloist at age 9, he successfully maneuvered through "They Call the Wind Maria." As an adult, his hobby landed him on stage fronting a myriad of acts that have toured New England, including art rockers THC, The O'Donnell Gang, a 12-member classic rock outfit, Brass Monkey, a rock and blues quartet, Unzipped, a Ska and 80s influenced group, and R & B shouters Frankie Noire and the Blackhearts. Most recently, Michael formed the Holy Innocents, an acoustic combo in the harmonic tradition of Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Latest Articles

Trailer Park: Beth Orton's Debut Album
Beth Orton's 1996 solo debut, "Trailer Park," mixed electronica with introspective ballads that laid bare her personal life.
Mar 23, 2011 - Michael Jefferson
Argent: Astounding Keyboard Acrobatics and Tight Tunes
Argent found commercial success by mixing Russ Ballard's rock and pop influences with Rod Argent's interest in progressive rock, jazz and classical music.
Mar 16, 2011 - Michael Jefferson
Deep Purple Regroups With Burn in 1975
Adding two virtual unknowns to their roster, Deep Purple reinvented itself for a third time with 1975's "Burn."
Mar 9, 2011 - Michael Jefferson
Bolin Keeps Deep Purple Rockin' and Rollin'
Deep Purple's musical evolution continued with "Come Taste the Band," their only studio album with guitarist Tommy Bolin.
Mar 9, 2011 - Michael Jefferson
Beck, Bogert and Appice – '70s Power Trio
Beck, Bogert and Appice finally became a reality in 1972. Almost as soon as their dream band was formed, things began to go sour for the trio.
Feb 23, 2011 - Michael Jefferson
Review: Question of Balance By The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues achieved a perfect balance between their philosophical image and radio-friendly songs with their fifth effort, 1970's "Question Of Balance."
Feb 16, 2011 - Michael Jefferson
Review: Seventh Sojourn By The Moody Blues
By 1972, the Moody Blues were battling fatigue and each other, yet they produced one of their finest albums, "Seventh Sojourn."
Feb 16, 2011 - Michael Jefferson
Blondie Chaplin and Rikki Fataar Join The Beach Boys
Blondie Chaplin has played with The Band and The Rolling Stones, but his crowning achievement was singing "Sail on Sailor" for The Beach Boys.
Feb 7, 2011 - Michael Jefferson
Review: Northern Lights – Southern Cross by The Band
1975's "Northern Lights - Southern Cross" was the The Band's first album of new material in four years - and one of their finest efforts.
Jan 31, 2011 - Michael Jefferson
Review: Islands by The Band
The Band ended the first phase of their recording career with "Islands," an odd but appealing mix of new and leftover tracks.
Jan 31, 2011 - Michael Jefferson