The owner of Bossa Nova Hotel…
Michael Sembello was born in Philadelphia in 1954. A talented songwriter, guitar player and vocalist, he started his career joining Stevie Wonder’s band in the first seventies. Later on a became a well known session player for the likes of Sergio Mendes, The Jackson 5, Stephen Bishop, Randy Crawford, David Sanborn and many others.
In 1983 he released his first solo record entitled Bossa Nova Hotel and scored a big chart success with the song Maniac. After this big break, he collaborated as writer/producer with many big names like Chaka Khan, George Benson or Donna Summer.
In 1986 he recorded Without Walls. Michael returned to his fans’ attention with the third solo in 1992 entitled Caravan Of Dreams. 1996 and 1997 were a couple of good years for Sembello’s fans cause he recorded his fourth cd, Backwards In Time, collaborated with the group Brother Time as a guest vocalist and also was the leader of a new project called The Bridge.
Discography
Moon Island
EMI Music 2009
Tracks: It's All In The Game, After The Love Is Gone, Maniac, A Day In The Life Of A Fool, Tainted Love, Lovin' You, Let's Groove, Feelin' Alright, La Isla Bonita, Inside My Love, What You Won't Do For Love, That's The Way Of The World, Through A Child's Eyes & Lovin' You.
Musicians on the Moon Island album: Michael Sembello, Bruce Gaitsch, Janey Clewer and others.
Bossa Nova Hotel
Wounded Bird Records 2007
Tracks: Automatic Man, First Time, Cowboy, It´s Over, Maniac, Godzilla, Talk, Cadillac, Lay Back & Superman.
Musicians on the Bossa Nova Hotel album: Michael Sembello, Carlos Vega, Danny Sembello, John Sembello, Chris Page, Don Freeman, Vinnie Colaiuta, George Johnsen, Larry McNeely, Paulinho Da Costa, Oscar Castro Neves, Dennis Matkosky, Dennis Karmazyn, George Duke, Jerry Hey, Gary Herbig, Gary Grant, Bill Reichenbach, Cruz Sembello, Nathan Watts, Leza Miller & Phil Ramone.
The Lost Years
Cool Sound Records 2003
Tracks: Heavy Weather, I Believe In You , What You Really Want, Burn It Up, Maniac, Black Rain, One Planet One People, Rocking Chair, Tear Down The Walls, Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore, The Winter Of Our Love, Voodoo & Where Are We Now.
Musicians on the The Lost Years album: Michael Sembello, Jeff Paris, Jennifer Batten, Timothy Drury, Brian O´Doherty, Randy Waldman, Vinnie Colaiuta, Nathan Watts, Bail Kecak Chanters, Ellis Hall, Gina Haley & Bobby Caldwell.
The Lost Years
Frontiers Records 2003
Tracks: Love Doesn´t Live Here Anymore, Tear Down The Walls, The Winter Of Our Love, Black Rain, Heavy Weather, One Planet One People, Maniac (new recorded jazz version), The Life Of My Broken Heart, Where Are We Now, Rub The Stone, Voodoo, What You Really Want & Burn It Up.
Musicians on the The Lost Years album: Michael Sembello and others.
Ancient Future
Legend Records 2002
Tracks: Rub The Stone, Heavy Weather, Too Much Bizarre, One Planet One People, Maniac (new recorded jazz version), Rocking Chair, Dangerous Questions, The Road To Lonely, The Life Of My Broken Heart, I Believe In You, You Can Never Go Home & Where Are We Now?.
Musicians on the Ancient Future album: Michael Sembello, Vinnie Colaiuta, Greg Bissonette, Raymond Pounds, Humberto Hernandez, Greg Phillinganes, Nathan Watts, Alfred Rubalcava, Dave Boruff & Gary Grant.
Backwards In Time
Columbia Records 1997
Tracks: Too Much Bizarre, Never Go Home, Backwards In Time, The Life Of My Broken Heart, Exotic Erotic, Dangerous Questions, The Road To Lonely, Rocking Chair, I Believe In You, Who Is, Ride The Snake, Rub The Stone & One Of Me Is Crazy.
Musicians on the Backwards In Time album: Michael Sembello, Vinnie Colaiuta, Greg Bissonette, Raymond Pounds, Humberto Hernandez, Greg Phillinganes, Nathan Watts, Alfred Rubalcava, Dave Boruff, Gary Grant, Toshi Kubota, Niki Harris & Gina Haley.
Caravan Of Dreams
Polydor Records 1992
Tracks: Heavy Weather, Where We Gonna Dance, Thing Called Love, Movers And Shakers, Passion, Black Rain (Miles To Go), Winter Of Our Love, Shangri-La, State Of My Heart, The Cure For Love, The Harder Love Falls & Where Are We Now.
Musicians on the Caravan Of Dreams album: Michael Sembello, Danny Sembello, Jennifer Batten, Chris Papastephanou, Joe Milner, Tim Drury, Brian O´Doherty, Cruz Sembello & Richard Elliot.
Without Walls
A&M Records 1986
Tracks: What You Really Want, Last To Know, Funkabilly Swing, Is This The Way To Paradise, Burn It Up, Angelina, Tear Down The Walls, Gravity (Special Dance Mix), Wonder Where You Are, Dangerous & The Picture.
Musicians on the Without Walls album: Michael Sembello, Steve Rippley, Bud Rizzo, Richard Rudolph, David Boruff, Herb Alpert, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dennis Matkosky, Steve Porcaro, Ron Powell, Bobby Caldwell, Cruz Sembello & Danny Sembello.
Bossa Nova Hotel
Warner Bros 1983
Tracks: Automatic Man, First Time, Cowboy, It´s Over, Maniac, Godzilla, Talk, Cadillac, Lay Back & Superman.
Musicians on the Bossa Nova Hotel album: Michael Sembello, Carlos Vega, Danny Sembello, John Sembello, Chris Page, Don Freeman, Vinnie Colaiuta, George Johnsen, Larry McNeely, Paulinho Da Costa, Oscar Castro Neves, Dennis Matkosky, Dennis Karmazyn, George Duke, Jerry Hey, Gary Herbig, Gary Grant, Bill Reichenbach, Cruz Sembello, Nathan Watts, Leza Miller & Phil Ramone.