Artist biogs M
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Artist biogs M
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On this page: Tony McPhee, Doug Macleod, Woody Mann, Eddie Martin, Michael Messer, John Miller, Lisa Mills, Zoot Money, Big Bill Morganfield, Geoff Muldaur... AUGUST 2002 TONY TS McPHEE & JOANNA DEACON "Tony
McPhee is an incredible guitar player and all round wizz"
For more information about Tony McPhee check out the website at www.thegroundhogs.co.uk//ttext June 2004, April 2006 DOUG MACLEOD "Doug
MacLeod, now there's a man who can really play the blues"- David
"Honeyboy' Edwards, Delta Blues Legend. "Compositions that substantially expand the blues repertoire and at times push it out of its traditional confines." - Acoustic Guitar
Doug
was born in New York City and was in his early teens when his family moved to
St. Louis, where he first heard the blues. In the mid-60's he enlisted in the
Navy, and while stationed at Norfolk, VA., began to play acoustic country blues
in the coffeehouses in Virginia and Maryland. During this time he met the
one-eyed Blues-man Ernest Banks who taught him not only the music of the blues,
but also the philosophy of the blues. Doug’s quotes, " Never Play a Note
You Don't Believe" and "Never write or sing about what you don't know
about." came from those "countrified teachings". Following his
service in the Navy, Doug attended school, played the blues guitar part in the
show "Grease", explored jazz, and toured with Mary MacGregor
supporting her number one hit "Torn Between Two Lovers." After a
meeting with Shakey Jake Harris in 1977, Doug returned to his roots and began
playing the blues in the Los Angeles area. The high calibre of Doug's compositions (now numbering nearly 350) is evident on his ten albums and the works of other artists. His songs have been recorded by Albert King, Albert Collins, Son Seals, Joe Louis Walker, Papa John Creach, Dave Alvin, Eva Cassidy, Coco Montoya, Tabby Thomas, Chris Thomas King and Sun Records veteran Billy Lee Riley and James Armstrong. His material continues to be found on the TV screen in numerous shows and made-for-television films.
WOODY MANN May 2003, Oct 2004, Nov 2006
A guitarist's guitarist. You may well have one of his tutorial books! “He
blurs the line between jazz, blues, classical, and world music creating his own
sound in the process. This is brilliant playing that demands to be heard!”
Sing
Out! 'Woody Mann had his first musical schooling in the living room of Rev. Gary Davis, the now legendary blues, gospel and ragtime guitarist. Their friendship lasted until Davis' death in 1972, but the man's influence on this young student would be indelible. The passion, energy and artistry of those early Davis songs became a lasting touchstone for a young musician beginning a musical journey of his own. Woody soon went on to perform with modern day blues musicians John Fahey, British great Jo-Ann Kelly, as well as early masters of the genre like Bukka White and Son House. Complementing the early tutoring by Rev. Davis with formal training at New York's celebrated Juilliard School, he also began a period of intensive study with noted Chicago-born pianist Lennie Tristano. It was Tristano who led him into the world of jazz and its infinite possibilities. During this time Mann's early musical grounding began to blossom into an improvisational style all his own. Mann has pursued a career as diverse as his abundant skills - ranging from playing with Jazz great Attila Zoller, servings as an accompanist for songwriter Dori Previn, to being a teacher to recording artist Paul Simon. He has recorded extensively and performed everywhere from the orchestra pits of Broadway to festivals, clubs and concerts through his many tours of Europe and the United States. Mann's reach as a teacher, producer, and writer has been just as sweeping; he is the founder of International Guitar Seminars, been a faculty member at the New School, in New York City, conducted master workshops throughout the world, produced numerous recordings, and has written for most of the major music magazines. The remarkable ease with which he blends such a wide pallet of influences is evident on his two most recent internationally acclaimed solo recordings, "Heading Uptown" and "Stairwell Serenade". With his mastery of the guitar and songwriting talents, Woody brings his unique and exciting blend of blues, jazz, and world music to audiences throughout the world. Woody has not forgotten those long ago lesson in the Reverend's living room, or the earlier jazz traditions that were his wellspring. He has schooled countless guitarists through his popular books including, "Six Early Blues Guitarists", "The Anthology of Blues Guitar", "The Complete Robert Johnson", "The Blues Fakebook", and "Lisboa - The Acoustic Guitar of Woody Mann", a collection of his original compositions. He has since recorded a series of performance and instructional videos that focus on early master guitar stylists such as Lonnie Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy, Rev Gary Davis, Blind Blake, and Eddie Lang. For Woody, their music is more than an echo of an earlier time; it is the creative standard that he continues to advance - bringing the past right up to the present with his own improvisational music of today.' For more information about Woody Mann check out the website at www.woodymann.com Eddie Martin April 2002, December 2003, December 2004, Dec 2005, March 2007
‘Multi-instrumentalist
Eddie Martin is the most remarkable bluesman of his generation’ As
an acoustic performer Eddie Martin
RA is one of the most unusual and visual acts on
the international circuit. Following
the one-man blues band tradition of Dr Ross, Joe Hill Louis and Duster Bennett,
he works various percussion effects with his feet, including tap shoes, bass
drum/suitcase and tambourine, whilst playing guitar and superb rack-held
harmonica to complement his powerful yet soulful singing. Martin's
fluent guitar playing belies years of studying Delta, Piedmont and Texan Twice
Nominated UK Blues Guitarist of the Year, with 5 CDs to his name, For more information about Eddie Martin, check out his website at www.eddiemartin.com May 2002 Michael Messer & Ed Genis
"With Ed playing rhythm guitar and Michael singing and playing slide, this
is one of the finest guitar based blues & roots acts in the world." Read the BFBR and the 'Blues Matters!' interviews May 2004, March 2006 THE SECOND MIND ACOUSTIC TRIO MICHAEL MESSER, ED GENIS & LOUIE GENIS
"What I hear
here is the real thing. Bare-bones blues gut-bucket rural
rock. RA" Johnny Cash - Nashville
Michael Messer and Ed Genis first started playing music together in 1983. Since then they have worked on seven albums together and toured extensively throughout the United Kingdom, Europe & Canada. Heavily rooted in Mississippi delta & Chicago blues, this duo explores many different genres of roots and world musical styles. By
harnessing elements of American blues, from pre-war Mississippi Delta
styles to post-war Chicago sounds, and blending them with contemporary
influences and street sounds, with slide guitar as the common link, supported by
Ed on rhythm guitar and Louie on decks, Michael
Messer creates music which is highly individual, original and universally
accessible.
Voted
‘Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year’ 2003 at the British blues awards, Michael
has an outstanding reputation amongst musicians and generally people regarded
to be ‘in the know’. As well as being an accolade to his world class
acoustic blues playing, the British blues award was also an
endorsement for his capacity to incorporate styles other than blues into his
music. Ideas borrowed from Hawaiian steel guitar, reggae, rock, hip-hop and King
Sunny Ade’s worldbeat sound all illuminate his playing. The latter style was
particularly evident on the breakthrough album that won him his initial strong
notices, Slidedance, released in 1990. The same description could equally
apply to his 1993 collaboration with Terry Clarke and Lubbock, Texas guitarist,
Jesse Taylor, entitled Rhythm Oil. The tour that accompanied its release
saw Messer experiment further with musical elements including house and reggae,
with a version of Mississippi Fred McDowell’s ‘Worried Life’
offering "an outstanding distillation of blues and contemporary music".
Virgin Encyclopaedia of the
Blues ‘Second
Mind’ follows the
widespread success of 2001’s ‘King Guitar’ album that established Michael
as one of the most respected and innovative slide guitarists around. This highly
anticipated album was recorded with a band stocked with world-class musicians,
including the great Ruby Turner on backing vocals. On ‘Second Mind’,
Michael delivered a set of recordings that stretch across the musical
landscape. Deeply rooted in and inflected with the blues, the album incorporates
a rich and diverse texture of different styles that appeal to an array of
musical tastes. Check out Michael's new CD 'Lucky Charms' on Cooking Vinyl, and his 'Play The Blues' 'King Guitar' and 'Second Mind' albums
For more information about Michael Messer, check out his website at http://www.michaelmesser.co.uk
May 2004 JOHN MILLER
“He has few peers for percussive right-hand work or beautifully voiced harmonies. This is not the boy on the magazine cover but the guy the pros admire and cop licks from (I can attest to this).” Guitarist Duck Baker “John
Miller is one of the most exciting and innovative guitarists performing
today.” So
began an article by Bob and Richard Carlin about me in the November-1979 issue
of Pickin’ magazine.
At the time, I was 28 years old, and had just finished releasing my fifth
solo album in five years.
I don’t think I would have believed you if you had told me then that it
would be twenty-five years before I would do my next solo recording.
That’s the way it has turned out though. I
started out playing Country Blues and Old-Time music, self-taught and picking up
everything I could from recordings. Before I completed college, I was approached
by two record labels with offers to record solo albums. After stating
confidently on my first album that I would never do anything but Blues, I was
recording an album of Jazz Standards within two years.
My interests kept shifting, and I pursued them as they changed.
At the same time, I was beginning to feel hungry for the camaraderie and
shared excitement of group music-making.
After moving to Seattle in 1983, I concentrated on ensemble work, playing
with the Jazz quartet, Wide Awake, the trio, Catwalk, duos with Jazz vocalist
Rebecca Kilgore, violinist Ruthie Dornfeld, and mandolinist John Reischman, and
recording well received CDs in each of these configurations (except Wide Awake).
I continued to play solo music, but except for an occasional restaurant
gig, pretty much stopped performing public solo shows. In
2001, I was touring Japan with John Reischman, and met a Japanese fan, Kazi
Goda, with whom I had corresponded via e-mail.
One of the first things Kazi asked me was why I had quit making solo
recordings. I
didn’t have any very good reason, and he assured me that I had to start
recording and performing solo again.
Something of the certainty with which he said this brought me up short,
and I thought, “You know, he’s right!”
Upon returning from Japan, I began to think about and plan what that CD
would be. I
decided on a CD of Jazz Standards, particular favourites of mine sung and played
by me alone. Now
that I’ve made the CD, I’m excited about it, and I’m lining up solo shows
so that I can sell it and keep making more CDs and playing more shows.
It all makes sense to me. In
terms of what I’m going for musically, I want to share a musical experience
with an audience—songs and tunes from a variety of sources and styles, what I
feel and hear in the music I love. I hope it comes across. July 2005 LISA MILLS
When
Lisa Mills opens her mouth to sing, the words that follow become irrelevant in
the wake of her compelling bluesy delivery.” That’s how one writer for The
Mississippi Press described Lisa’s incredible talent and passion
for music. To
those who are first introduced to her music, she’s that exceptional blues
singer who plays damn good guitar. Her raspy voice with an unbelievable
range that is shared by few and her talent with the guitar can be intimidating
to good musicians. Lisa’s musical influences include such greats as Etta
James, Billie Holiday, Brenda Lee, and Bonnie Raitt, and those influences can be
heard in Lisa’s music. She
has also been compared to Janis Joplin, and that likeness has afforded her some
wonderful opportunities. Listeners may hear the influence of some of her favourite
artists and musicians in her music, but Lisa has, undeniably, a style
that is as unique and haunting as she is. Although she performs great cover
tunes that her audience adores, she has also written and performs some fantastic
original tunes that are just as well received. Her ambition is to be able to
write more original songs and eventually have her own blues band. Since
a very young age, Lisa has always known what she wanted to do with her life.
Music is her passion. At 14, Lisa joined a band and began playing and singing in
the local bars. Since
then, she has travelled the world playing with internationally known bands such
as Janis Joplin’s first band, Big Brother and The Holding Company in
both the United States and overseas. When asked how she felt about being
compared to Joplin, Lisa explained that she “didn’t want to be an imitation
of anyone” but she understood where she thought people found the similarity in
their music. Lisa said that she identified with Joplin’s emotionalism.
“That’s pure and honest and you can’t change that or take it away.” Lisa
feels that Joplin had “a God-given talent for empathy and expressing
herself,’ and Lisa sees herself as having those same traits. Although
Lisa admits that having the opportunity to sing in Europe and Germany in front
of 40,000 people was a monumental experience, she is also honest in telling
people that one of the benefits that she likes best about what she does is the
opportunity that she has to meet people and connect with her audience. Sometimes
that’s easier with a crowd of 40 than with one of 40,000. However, Lisa Mills
is just as comfortable at one end of the spectrum as she is the other. She loves
sharing her music with anyone who wants to listen. More
impressive than anything else about her, Lisa is real. She can touch your
soul with her music. It evokes a mood of warmth, depth, and passion. She has a
magic ability to intoxicate and captivate her audience and leave them only
wanting more. Lisa
has recorded two live CDs, and she has made one studio recording. “Blues and
Ballads” was her first live recording that includes many of Lisa’s favorite
songs of other artists who have been very influential in her music career.
This entire album is pure Lisa—guitar and vocals. She has no other
accompaniment on the CD, and many of her fans say that’s the Lisa they like
best! Her
latest CD, which was another live recording, features Lisa and the Trio.
Lisa fondly refers to the Trio as “Lisa Mills with Sister Phyllis and Daddy
T.K.” This CD, that Lisa calls “Live at Traders,” consists of the
accompaniment of two other very talented musicians and friends of Lisa’s;
T.K. Lively, drummer and Phyllis Linton, keyboardist. This CD also
features some of Lisa’s original songs. Lisa currently resides on the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast. She has two children, of whom she is very proud, and one worn out Volvo, of which she is also very proud For more information about Lisa Mills check out her website at www.lisamills.com June 2005, Nov 2007 ZOOT MONEY
Quite
simply the biggest character on the British rhythm and blues scene since the
early 1960s, Zoot Money was born George Bruno Money on 17 July 1942 in
Bournemouth, Dorset, England. Part of a large and noisy family, both his parents
were Italian immigrants, although his father's family (really called Money) were
originally English. At
school Zoot played the French horn and sang in the choir, but it wasn't long
before he heard the call from the pied pipers of rock and roll (aka Jerry Lee
Lewis and Ray Charles - what a combination!) and found himself transformed into
a leading light on Bournemouth's vibrant music scene. In
1961 Zoot formed the first incarnation of the Big Roll band; over the next two
years the line-up settled into Andy Summers (guitar), Nick Newall (saxophone)
and Colin Allen (drums), with Zoot on piano and Hammond organ. These dramatis
personae continued for a few years with various interruptions. The first was
when Zoot, spotted by "British Blues Godfather" Alexis Korner's then
manager, was invited to play with Korner's seminal Blues Incorporated for a
temporary spell. Zoot decided to stay in London, and the other Big Rollers soon
joined him. Before
long The Big Roll Band, alongside those other luminaries of the Soho blues scene
of the time, Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames and The Animals, had become
permanent fixtures at the Flamingo Club in Wardour Street. Zoot's shows were
famed far and wide for his combination of outrageous antics (including
"shocking" trouser activity that predated PJ Proby by several years),
tight musicianship and passionate vocal delivery. At that time, to be seen - let
alone to play - at the Flamingo was just about as achingly hip as it got. Two
new members, Paul Williams (bass/vocals) and Clive Burrows (saxophone), were
added to the line-up, and things really began to take off. Since
the 1980s, during which he notably acted as musical director for "Tutti
Frutti", the BBC TV drama which first catapulted Hollywood favourites Emma
Thompson and Robbie Coltrane to fame, Zoot has continued to appear regularly
worldwide, both as a featured artist with groups such as (among others) the
Spencer Davis Band, Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames, Mick Taylor, Alan Price's
Electric Blues Band, Humble Pie, The Blues Band, The Foundations and Geno
Washington's Soul Train, and in his own right with a new-look Big Roll Band. The
present Big Roll line-up is Paul MacCallum, (bass), Steve Laffy (drums), Gary
Foote (sax) and Ronnie Johnson (guitar), although this is subject to variation.
The extended Roll Band "squad" also includes: Mike Stock and Phil
Mulford on bass, Martin Wild and Jeff Allen on drums, Mornington Lockett and Pat
Crumly on sax. Zoot accepts no substitute for Ronnie Johnson on guitar, though
Bobby Tench has been known to help out from time to time. Right now The Big Roll
Band is enjoying a monthly residency with surprise guests at the famous Bull's
Head in Barnes, West London, where two years ago the surprise was on Zoot when
friends and family conspired to startle him for his sixtieth birthday. In
a departure from his usual haunts, last year witnessed Zoot embarking on a new
solo venture, touring his new one-man blues show around Britain on an occasional
basis, and also joining forces with old pals Paul Williams, Ray Dorset and John
Baldry for the "British Legends of Rhythm & Blues" UK-wide tour. Constant
gigging coupled with the recent CD re-issues of a number of his vintage
recordings has brought renewed interest and fresh critical acclaim for Zoot, who
is now enjoying success with a new generation of fans in addition to his loyal
following. 2004
has seen further touring with ever-changing line-ups, kicking off with an
appearance at the new Bluescene in January, regular outings with Alan Price and
Papa George, a European tour with Albie Donnelly in February and a tour of
Denmark, alongside Cliff Bennett and Tony Sheridan, as special guests of Danish
60s star Peter Belli, plus numerous all-star one-offs. More retro surprises are
in the pipeline. And in between all that, the Big Roll Band keeps on rolling out
the good times to music lovers of taste and distinction all over the UK. For more information about
Zoot Money check out his website at www.zootmoney.org May 2004 BIG BILL MORGANFIELD
"A distinctive, window-rattling voice, a scintillating slide guitar RA "I think I sound like my dad, but art is so hard to duplicate. To create is a better thing. So you create your own style, with the influence of others. I learned from my daddy, but I wanted to create myself." "Blues in the blood indeed." Read the article! Born
in Chicago in 1956, Morganfield was raised by his grandmother in southern
Florida and now resides in the Atlanta area. "Daddy always wished that one
of his kids would follow him and play music," says Bill. "A few years
after he died, I bought myself a guitar and started playing a bit. In my mind, I
said I want to do a tribute to him. But it was years before I got a chance to do
anything. I kind of locked myself away for about six years and taught
myself." He
became stage-struck after performing with Lonnie Mack on Atlanta's Center Stage
before a crowd of a thousand people. "I sang and played and the people went
crazy. I was dancing around like a jumping bean. I realized I've got a love for
this." He
first formed a band that played contemporary blues but that lasted only three
months. He was unhappy with the sound of the music "so I dedicated myself
to playing at a higher level." He retreated to his room to devote his
energy to perfecting his guitar playing and sharpening his raw but undeniable
talent. In the meantime, he used his bachelor's degrees in English from Tuskegee
University and Communications from Auburn University to make a living as a
teacher while he learned to play traditional blues. He spent countless hours
methodically studying, ripping apart, and reconstructing songs. Immersing
himself in this work, Bill learned the art of songwriting. His
father's legacy lives on in the tools of his art. Big Bill has both Muddy's
touring amp and the guitars on which he composed some of his earliest works.
More importantly, Bill carries Muddy's spirit and love for the blues, and says
he feels a spiritual bond with his father when he's on stage. "My
dad had a reputation for being a very dignified person, a very proud man. He
gave us kids all a certain inner strength to go out and do whatever we needed to
do." Musically, his father's influence came somewhat later. "Whenever
I got the chance to hear him, it struck me strongly." But Bill didn't start
off with the idea of being a professional musician until years later. It wasn't
until after his father's death in 1983 that Bill decided to explore his musical
heritage. "It gave me such an empty feeling, like someone had pulled the
bones out of my body, like something was missing. I never sat down and asked all
the questions I had for him. Now I feel like I get a chance to talk to him
through my music." In
1999 Big Bill's debut recording, Rising Son, was cut in Chicago.
Muddy’s long time guitarist, Bob Margolin, who also played on the record,
produced the album. Three other former members of the Muddy Waters Blues Band
also joined Bill in the studio: Willie "Big Eyes" Smith on drums, Paul
Oscher on harmonica and Pinetop Perkins on piano. Bill said of the sessions,
"It was so inspiring playing with these musicians. Working with them in the
studio was a special experience. They really brought out the best in me; those
sessions left me with memories I'll never forget." Recent
release Blues In The Blood fulfills the promise of greatness displayed
in his debut recording. It not only features Bill's distinctive, window-rattling
voice and scintillating slide guitar, but also showcases him as a songwriter,
with all the songs having been penned by Morganfield except for one Muddy Waters
cover. "I think it's in the genes," says Bill. "I think I sound like my dad, but art is so hard to duplicate. To create is a better thing. So you create your own style, with the influence of others. I learned from my daddy, but I wanted to create myself." Blues in the blood indeed. For more information about Big Bill Morganfield check out his website at www.bigbillmorganfield.net May 2006 GEOFF MULDAUR
Geoff Muldaur is one of the great voices and musical forces to emerge from the folk, blues and folk-rock scenes centred in Cambridge, MA and Woodstock, NY. During the 1960's and '70's, Geoff made a series of highly influential recordings as a founding member of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band and the Paul Butterfield's Better Days group, as well as collaborations with then-wife Maria Muldaur and other notables (Bonnie Raitt, Eric Von Schmidt, Jerry Garcia, etc.). He left the stage and
recording world in the mid-1980's for a working sabbatical but continued,
however, to hone his craft, albeit 'flying beneath radar'. He composed scores
for film and television, garnering an Emmy in the process, and produced off-beat
albums for the likes of Lenny Pickett and the Borneo Horns and the Richard
Greene String Quartet. And his definitive recording of "Brazil"
provided the seed for - and was featured in - Terry Gilliam's film of the same
title. Geoff's newest albums
have met with high critical acclaim and feature Geoff's unusually crafted
interpretations of classic, oftentimes obscure, American material as well as his
own unique compositions. The recordings include performances by David Lindley,
The McGarrigle Sisters, John Sebastian, Van Dyke Parks, Roswell Rudd, Amos
Garrett, Lenny Pickett and Howard Johnson in supporting roles. And about a recent performance in London, The London Times wrote, "Immaculate guitar picking was matched by vocals that were rich, and bore out the guitarist, Richard Thompson's praise for him: 'There are only three white blues singers, and Geoff Muldaur is at least two of them.'" For more information about Geoff check out his website at www.geofmuldaur.com |
