MICHAEL MESSER & THE SECOND MIND TRIO

MICHAEL MESSER & THE SECOND MIND TRIO>BANANA PEEL JAZZ & BLUES CLUB >18/12/06

This was a concert with a preliminary. We only learned about Michael Messer through his eighth
CD Lucky Charms, earlier in 2006. Smack dab in the middle, as they say, here was someone
who had eaten the country blues of the thirties, but producing a modern, present day synthesis
through his knowledge of so many musical genres outside these ancient blues, by means of
his terrific slide work, a fairly fantastic band and the use of samples of Robert Johnson,
the inevitable giant under the giants, but also other dust gathering heroes from the pre-war period.
Last summer we saw Messer at work with his electric (and also electrifying) Second Mind Band
in full strength at the Belgium Rhythm & Blues Festival in Peer (Belgium). We also heard him
backstage, but then solo and acoustic, playing for a radio station. The editor-in-chief of this e-mag
(MazzMusikaS) was full of praise about this concert, one of the best of the whole festival and of
the complete festival summer. A revelation, although Michael confided us that he had been a
regular guest on the Belgian blues stages until about 1995.

No wonder we had high hopes concerning this gig at the Banana Peel, a concert which was
intended to festively close up the 40^th working year of this already legendary club. We got
to hear a slimmed down version of the MMB, with Ed Genis, his lifelong sideman on the
acoustic guitar, and his son Louie Genis as DJ. The start was impressive with the familiar
Rollin’ & Tumblin’ with its typical native American-like shouts as can be heard on the
collection King Guitar, that has recently been reissued on Cooking Vinyl, although at first
we only heard Michael’s slide and Ed’s guitar. It took a while before the (CD) turntables
were in the mix too. When that was finally the case, the honourable blues buffs at Banana
Peel scratched in their receding hairlines. Looking around it was clear that this was, for
them at least, something they never had heard before! But quickly amazement gave way
to admiration. Michael’s playing must be tops on this planet (we’re damn sure about that!),
though this is somewhat concealed by the ease with which he plays those patterns. He
sometimes lays the resonator flat like a lap-steel Hawaiian guitar. His singing style
is uniform and directly recognisable, effective and suitable for these styles of music.
Ed Genis is an incredible sideman who follows his leader blind-folded, the result
of 25 years of playing together. Samples are well chosen, often cutting through
the ether, in between the scintillating sound of the strings. Together they make
up for a somewhat other-worldly, but at the same time gratifying country blues atmosphere.
The choice of the covers is flawless: Write Me a Few Short Lines by Mississippi Fred McDowell,
Death Letter Blues by Son House (what an execution, by the way!), and I Can’t Be Satisfied by
Muddy Waters, alongside Diving Duck, courtesy of Sleepy John Estes. This last tune is also on
King Guitar, as is Lone Wolf Blues. Messer played tunes from Second Mind (Blue Letters,
Shine On) and of course also from Lucky Charms (Take Me Back, and the title track). It is a
pity he couldn’t play some of the excellent songs from this CD as these require a full band.
No Steve Cropper or Son House then! Very refreshing was the early Chicago blues represented
by Shouldn’t Do That. This jumpy tune illustrated how the music of the Windy City in the
early thirties, still had rural and cabaret-like features, and was influenced by the then
popular sounds from Hawaii. Instructional, as from elements like that finally our
Sweet Home Chicago came forth! It’s also intriguing how his own work summarizes
this whole past, as in Robert Johnson’s Wake (“Skeletons play guitars tonight…..
Jazzman get lucky, Jazzman get gone…’’) If the first set had something of a
reconnaissance round, then the second bit came through as an overwhelming stew
of honest blues. At the end of the evening the audience inevitably was in Michael Messer’s spell.
Is it a miracle that he will return to the Banana Peel in 2007 with his complete band? ..Shouldn’t think so!
(by Antoine Légat - December 29th 2006; publication of original in MazzMusikaS)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

MICHAEL MESSER & THE SECOND MIND TRIO>ALEXANDER'S JAZZ THEATRE >CHESTER UK

Michael Messer's approach to his music isn't just idiosyncratic it's a whole personal blues genre.
His past appearances at the Wirral International Guitar Festival seem to have brought him a wide
following in the area which would explain why tonight's gig was so well attended. From the off the
man in a black hat used 'Rollin and Tumblin', 'Walking Blues' and 'Diving Duck' to show us why
he is widely considered to be a slide guitar maestro. Young Louie Genis collaged old blues
narratives and pre-recorded sounds from his turntable to provide accompanying atmospheric
backgrounds. If you can find a copy of BM! Issue 4 checkout Michael’s fascinating interview
and how he discovered Hawaiian slide guitar. Fortunately, tonight, he'd brought his 1931 cast
aluminium lap steel and used it to interpret George Gershwin's 1920s show tune 'Lady Be Good'
and I must mention Ed Genis's wonderfully nostalgic dance band rhythm guitar work during this piece.
'I Can't Be Satisfied', 'Death Letter Blues' and it was such an education to watch Messer acutely
angling his slide to include notes, a half tone above the slide position, to create extended chords.
Finally two encores, 'Sunflower River' and 'Tail Feather Blues' before being inundated with questions
on slide techniques from those of us who hung around after midnight.
Nigel Rose – BLUES MATTERS!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael Messer's Second Mind Trio
With Michael's soulful voice & brilliant slide guitar
playing; featuring the unique Louie Genis 'scratching'
with ancient blues vinyl & Ed Genis on rhythm guitar,
this trio rocked its way through one & a half hours of
the best & most original blues I have heard in a very
long time. Highly original, totally unique & very catchy.
A brilliant concert! What's On

The highly respected British slide master, Michael Messer’s
current band incarnation is named in conjunction with his
latest album. The Second Mind Band tonight featured Michael’s
long time guitar partner Ed Genis on rhythm guitar and Louie
Genis adding a great deal to the gumbo of the band with his
vinyl scratching & sampling blues icons...
...reaching back into the future. Blues In Britain

This genius of slide guitar played homage to blues roots.
By using his mastery of many different slide guitar styles and
amalgamating them he produces a great new sound. Hugh Beverton

I haven't heard anything as lyrical and as 'perfect' in a long time.
I can well understand Michael Messer's mighty reputation as the current
king of slide playing. Blues Alive

RETURN TO HOMEPAGE

IF YOU HAVE FOUND THIS PAGE & NOT GOT THE WEBSITE INDEX CLICK HERE