Bluesletter

May 19, 2001                                                             edited and compiled by ^steam

New Artist of the Week

Michael Messer

King Guitar

What do you think of when you hear the names J.B. Hutto, Dave Hole and Sonny Landreth, great slide guitar players? Now you can add another name to that list, Michael Messer. Fans in the UK have recognized Messer as one the world's great National Steel players for well over a decade, now with the May 22nd, 2001 release of "King Guitar" on the Catfish Label, Messer should break through in the North American market. Composed of 17 superb tracks including 10 original compositions, the album showcases Messer's blues recordings and interpretations leaving no doubt as to why he merits an entry in the Virgin Encyclopedia of the Blues. Messer combines elements of Hawaiian slide guitar, Delta and Chicago blues with gritty, heartfelt vocals to create an all around great album for any music lover. We couldn't help but turn up the stereo, not wanting to miss a single note of some of the best slide guitar we've heard in years. This is a CD you'll be playing over and over. The title track "King Guitar" pays homage to likes of Tampa Red, Lonnie Mack, Jimmy Vaughn and Johnny Winter, the rest of the CD proves Messer's name deserves to be added to that list.

This album should be a strong contender for the Blues album of the year & is a must buy for any music lover
Nathan Face & Steam.

""To say that Messer is a slide guitarist is like describing Mother Theresa as
a nun! Messer is one of the finest slide guitarists
 and blues music innovators that Britain has ever produced." Jim Driver - Time Out Magazine

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