1930 Jesse Fortune*
1942 Brian Jones*
1953 Bill Lyerly*
1956 Michael Messer*
1982 Stefan Ulbricht
1992 Blues Queen' Sylvia Embry+
Happy Birthday
Brian Jones *28.2.1942
Brian Jones (* 28. Februar 1942 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire als Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones; † 3. Juli 1969 in Hartfield, Sussex) war ein britischer Musiker. Als Lead-Gitarrist war er einer der Bandgründer der Rolling Stones.
Am 28. Februar 1942 kam Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones als erstes Kind seiner aus Wales stammenden Eltern, Lewis Blount Jones und Louisa Beatrice Jones (geborene Simmonds), zur Welt. Er hatte zwei Schwestern, die 1943 geborene und im Alter von 2 Jahren an Leukämie verstorbene Pamela sowie die 1946 geborene Barbara. Sein Vater war Flugzeugingenieur. Seine Mutter war sehr musikalisch und gab Klavierunterricht. Auch Brian lernte durch seine Mutter das Klavierspielen. Er konnte bereits frühzeitig Noten lesen, spielte Saxophon und Klarinette. Zu seinem 17. Geburtstag bekam er eine Gitarre geschenkt und interessierte sich danach zunächst ausschließlich für dieses neue Instrument.
In Cheltenham brachte 1959 die erst 14-jährige Valerie Corbett sein erstes uneheliches Kind Simon zur Welt, was Brians Eltern dazu veranlasste, ihren Sohn zu Verwandten ins Ausland zu schicken. Wegen seiner inzwischen entstandenen Bluesleidenschaft verbrachte Jones mehr und mehr Zeit in Schallplattenläden und Musikclubs. Ende 1959 war Brian Jones wieder in Cheltenham. Bis 1961 zeugte er zwei weitere Kinder.
Bei einem Chris Barber-Konzert 1961 in Cheltenham trat der Bluesmusiker Sonny Boy Williamson auf. Durch den Auftritt war Brian Jones mehr denn je vom Blues begeistert und zog gemeinsam mit Pat Andrews und dem gemeinsamen Sohn nach London. Dort lernte er im Dezember 1961 Alexis Korner kennen. Bei nächtlichem Schallplattenhören in Korners Küche begeisterte Jones das Slidegitarrenspiel von Elmore James in Dust my Broom. Derart fasziniert, verfeinerte er seine Technik an der Slidegitarre mit großem Enthusiasmus, so dass er am 24. März 1962 erstmals von Alexis Korner auf die Bühne des Ealing Clubs gebeten wurde, um mit der Band Blues Incorporated einige Songs zu spielen. Er nannte sich zu diesem Zeitpunkt Elmo Lewis.
Über Alexis Korner lernte Brian Jones Mick Jagger und Keith Richards kennen und gründete im Juni 1962 mit den beiden die Rolling Stones. In der ersten Zeit war Jones der Leader der Gruppe.
War Brian Jones auf den 1963 bis 1965 aufgenommenen Rolling Stones-Songs meist als Gitarrist – häufig, wie etwa bei I Wanna Be Your Man und Little Red Rooster, auch an der Slide-Gitarre – und an der Mundharmonika zu hören, so trat er ab 1966 vermehrt als Multi-Instrumentalist in Erscheinung. Er ergänzte insbesondere auf den Alben Aftermath, Between the Buttons und Their Satanic Majesties Request das Klangbild der Rolling Stones. Brian Jones spielte u.a. Flöte (Ruby Tuesday, Sing This All Together, Gomper), Sitar (Paint It Black, Mothers Little Helper, Gomper), Marimbafon (Under my Thumb, Out of Time), Dulcimer (Lady Jane, I am waiting), Cembalo (Take it or leave it, Ride on Baby), Akkordeon (Back Street Girl), Kazoo, Banjo (Cool Calm and Collected), Orgel (Complicated), Piano und diverse Blasinstrumente (Saxophon, Posaune, Klarinette) (Something happened to me yesterday, Dandelion sowie auf dem Album Their Satanic Majesties Request). Außerdem bediente er auf mehreren Songs das Mellotron.
Jones’ Freundin Linda Lawrence wurde von ihm schwanger und brachte 1964 einen Sohn zur Welt, der auf seinen Wunsch den Namen Julian erhielt, den er auch bereits seinem Sohn aus der Beziehung zu Pat Andrews gegeben hatte. Der Vorname war eine Anlehnung an den von Brian Jones bewunderten Saxophonisten Julian „Cannonball“ Adderley.
Brian Jones war bekannt für seinen exzessiven Lebensstil. Er wurde von weiblichen Fans verehrt, von angesagten Szene-Leuten um Andy Warhol und Tom Wolfe hofiert und von der Presse von allen Bandmitgliedern am häufigsten fotografiert. Wegen seines fortwährenden Drogen- und Alkoholkonsums wurde Jones in ein Krankenhaus eingeliefert. Die Rolling Stones mussten deshalb einige Auftritte ohne ihn absolvieren. Derartige Vorfälle wiederholten sich zunehmend, so dass sich die übrigen Bandmitglieder mehr und mehr von ihm distanzierten.
Manager Andrew Loog Oldham favorisierte das Duo Mick Jagger und Keith Richards. Offensichtlich gelang es Jones nicht, seine kompositorischen Ideen gegenüber der Dominanz des Komponisten-Duos Jagger/Richards durchzusetzen. Hinzu kamen gesundheitliche Probleme durch sein Leiden an Asthma, das ihn zur ständigen Medikamenteneinnahme zwang. Sein Drogenkonsum tat sein übriges, um Anfälligkeiten, Ausfälle und seine psychischen Leiden zu steigern. Die Wechselwirkungen der Medikamente mit Drogen, Alkohol und anderen Medikamenten zogen gefährliche Wirkungen nach sich.
Am 14. September 1965 lernte Jones in München auf einer After-Show-Party die als Fotomodell und Schauspielerin tätige Anita Pallenberg kennen. Auch Mick Jagger und Keith Richards begehrten diese Frau, doch Brian Jones gelang es, Pallenbergs Interesse zu wecken, denn er sprach auch einige Worte Deutsch.[1] 1966 reisten Brian und Anita erstmals nach Marokko. Weitere Reisen in das nordafrikanische Land sollten folgen. Als es zwischen Jones und Pallenberg immer öfter zu Eifersuchtsszenen kam, trennte sie sich schließlich im Frühjahr 1967 abrupt von ihm, als sie erneut – zusammen mit Keith Richards – auf dem Weg nach Marokko waren, und wandte sich Keith Richards zu. Die jähe, für ihn völlig überraschende Trennung von seiner Dauerfreundin bedeutete für Brian Jones einen psychischen Schock, der sein seelisches Gleichgewicht zusätzlich schwer belastete. Vor ihrer Trennung spielte Anita Pallenberg in dem Film Mord und Totschlag (von Volker Schlöndorff) mit, zu welchem Jones die Filmmusik schrieb.
Letztmals auf Konzertreise ging Brian Jones mit den Stones vom 25. März bis 17. April 1967 in Europa. Das Abschlusskonzert fand am 17. April 1967 im Panathinaikos-Stadion in Athen statt. Seine letzten Auftritte mit den Stones hatte er im Mai 1968 beim Pollwinners Concert des New Musical Express, hier spielten die Stones zwei Songs (Jumpin' Jack Flash und Satisfaction), und beim Rock'n'Roll Circus der Rolling Stones im Dezember 1968, wo er allerdings schon nicht mehr bei allen Songs Gitarre spielte, sondern teilweise nur noch Percussion.
Im Juni 1967 flog Brian Jones, der ein Faible für die aufkommende Hippie- und Flower-Power-Bewegung hatte, nach San Francisco. Dort besuchte er am 15. Juni 1967 das Monterey Pop Festival und kündigte dort den Auftritt von Jimi Hendrix an. Mit Suki Poitier, seiner neuen Freundin, landete Jones am 4. Juli 1968 in Tanger, um die Flötenspieler von Joujouka aufzunehmen. Im November 1968 kaufte Brian Jones die Cotchford Farm in Hartfield, Sussex, welche früher Alan Alexander Milne, dem Autor der berühmten Winnie Pooh-Bücher, gehört hatte. Inzwischen war er mit der schwedischen Tänzerin Anna Wohlin zusammen.
Ausstieg aus der Band und Tod
Da die Rolling Stones seit 1967 nicht mehr auf Tournee waren, was wesentlich Jones' desolatem Zustand zugeschrieben wurde, und Jones' Anteile an den Studio-Aufnahmen stets weniger wurden, beschlossen die Stones, sich von ihrem früheren Leader zu trennen. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards und Charlie Watts fuhren am 8. Juni 1969 auf die Cotchford Farm und teilten Brian ihren Entschluss mit. Brian Jones akzeptierte ihn und nahm das Angebot der einmaligen Abfindungszahlung von 100.000 Pfund an (sowie 20.000 Pfund jährlich, solange die Rolling Stones existieren). Am 9. Juni 1969 wurde die Presseerklärung zur Trennung der Parteien herausgegeben. Zunächst hieß es, dass es zu einer einvernehmlichen Trennung infolge veränderter musikalischer Präferenzen gekommen sei. Gemäß seines 'alten' Mentors Alexis Korner schmiedete Brian Pläne zur Gründung einer eigenen progressiven Bluesband, mit der er seine vielschichtigen musikalischen Ideen endlich verwirklichen wollte. Jones schien sich im ländlichen Sussex gut zu erholen.
Am 2. Juli 1969 waren der Bauunternehmer Frank Thorogood und Janet Lawson, eine Krankenschwester und Freundin von Tom Keylock, einem Roadmanager der Rolling Stones, bei Jones und Wohlin zu Hause. Brian habe mit Thorogood Differenzen wegen angeblich noch ausstehender Gelder für Umbauten auf der Cotchford Farm regeln wollen. Nach Aussage der Anwesenden, die sich zum Teil widersprachen, beschlossen Jones, Wohlin und Thorogood zu später Stunde, einige Runden im hauseigenen Pool zu schwimmen. Wohlin habe den Pool nach kurzer Zeit verlassen und sei zu Lawson ins Haus zurückgekehrt, so dass Brian Jones und Frank Thorogood etwa 10 bis 15 Minuten allein im Pool gewesen sein sollen. Als auch Thorogood in das Gebäude gekommen sein soll, um sich eine Zigarette anzuzünden, habe Janet Lawson aus dem Fenster bemerkt, dass etwas mit Brian nicht stimmte. Sie sei hinausgerannt und habe Brian Jones auf dem Boden des Schwimmbeckens liegend gefunden.
Als offizielle Todesursache Brian Jones' wurde Tod durch Ertrinken angegeben. Bis heute halten sich allerdings begründete Theorien, Jones sei ermordet worden. Unterstützt wird die Mordtheorie unter anderem durch den Film Stoned, in welchem Regisseur und Drehbuchautor Stephen Wolley, durch Zeugenaussagen bestärkt, die These vertritt, Jones sei von Thorogood getötet worden. Im Abspann des Filmes wird erwähnt, dass Frank Thorogood 1993 seinem Freund Tom Keylock auf seinem Sterbebett den Mord an Brian Jones gestanden habe. Die Todesursache wird, 40 Jahre nach dem Ableben, von der Polizei erneut überprüft.[2][3]
Ein kostenloses Konzert der Rolling Stones am 5. Juli 1969 im Londoner Hyde Park, das schon vor Jones' Tod geplant war, wurde zu einer Gedenkfeier für Brian Jones. Auf der Bühne stand ein großes Bild von ihm, Mick Jagger las aus Adonais von Percy Bysshe Shelley, und die Rolling Stones ließen Hunderte weißer Schmetterlinge fliegen. Bei diesem Konzert vor rund 250.000 Fans trat erstmals Jones' Nachfolger bei den Stones, Mick Taylor, live mit der Band auf.
Brian Jones wurde auf dem Priory Road Cemetery in Prestbury, Gloucestershire, England bestattet. Bob Dylan, den eine Freundschaft mit Brian Jones verband, hatte den üppigen Sarg gespendet. Charlie Watts und Bill Wyman waren die einzigen Bandmitglieder der Rolling Stones, die der Beisetzung beiwohnten. Brian Jones wird, wie andere einflussreiche Musiker, dem Klub 27 zugerechnet.
Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones[1][2] (28 February 1942 – 3 July 1969) was the founder and original bandleader of the Rolling Stones.[3] Jones was a multi-instrumentalist, with his main instruments being the guitar, harmonica and keyboards. His innovative use of traditional or folk instruments, such as the sitar and marimba, was integral to the changing sound of the band.Although he was originally the leader of the group, Jones's fellow band members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards soon overshadowed him, especially after they became a successful songwriting team. He developed a serious drug problem over the years and his role in the band steadily diminished. He was asked to leave the Rolling Stones in June 1969 and guitarist Mick Taylor took his place in the group. Jones died less than a month later by drowning in the swimming pool at his home on Cotchford Farm in Hartfield, East Sussex.
Original Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman said of Jones, "He formed the band. He chose the members. He named the band. He chose the music we played. He got us gigs. ... Very influential, very important, and then slowly lost it – highly intelligent – and just kind of wasted it and blew it all away."
Biography
Early life and paternity
Jones was born in the Park Nursing Home in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on 28 February 1942. An attack of croup at the age of four left him with asthma, which lasted for the rest of his life.[5] His middle-class parents, Lewis Blount Jones and Louisa Beatrice Jones (née Simmonds) were of Welsh descent. Brian had two sisters: Pamela, who was born on 3 October 1943 and who died on 14 October 1945 of leukaemia; and Barbara, born on 22 August 1946.[5]
Both Jones's parents were interested in music: his mother Louisa was a piano teacher, and in addition to his job as an aeronautical engineer, Lewis Jones played piano and organ and led the choir at the local church.[5]
In 1957 Jones first heard Cannonball Adderley's music, which inspired his interest in jazz. Jones persuaded his parents to buy him a saxophone, and two years later his parents gave him his first acoustic guitar as a 17th birthday present.[6]
Jones attended local schools, including Dean Close School, from September 1949 to July 1953 and Cheltenham Grammar School for Boys, which he entered in September 1953 after passing the Eleven-plus exam. He enjoyed badminton and diving at school and attained first clarinet in the school orchestra. In 1957 he reportedly obtained seven O-level passes, then he continued into the sixth form and obtained a further two O-levels. He also took three A-levels in Physics, Chemistry and Biology and passed in Physics and Chemistry, but failed in Biology.[7] Jones had an IQ of 135 and was able to perform well in exams despite a lack of academic effort.[7] However, he found school regimented and disliked conforming. He disliked the school uniforms and angered teachers with his behaviour, though he was popular with classmates.[7] Jones himself said: "When I made the sixth form I found myself accepted by the older boys; suddenly I was in."[7]
His hostility to authority figures resulted in his suspension from school on two occasions.[7] According to Dick Hattrell, a childhood friend: "He was a rebel without a cause, but when examinations came he was brilliant."[7]
In late summer 1959, Jones's 17-year-old girlfriend, a Cheltenham schoolgirl named Valerie Corbett, became pregnant.[8] Although Jones is said to have encouraged her to have an abortion, she carried the child to term and placed baby Barry David (later Simon) for adoption.[7]
Jones quit school in disgrace and left home, travelling for a summer through Northern Europe and Scandinavia. During this period, he lived a bohemian lifestyle, busking with his guitar on the streets for money, and living off the charity of others. Eventually, he ran short of money and returned to England.[9]
Jones listened to classical music as a child, but preferred blues, particularly Elmore James and Robert Johnson. He began performing at local blues and jazz clubs, while busking and working odd jobs. He reportedly stole small amounts of money from work to pay for cigarettes, for which he was fired.[10]
In November 1959, Jones went to the Wooden Bridge Hotel in Guildford to see a band perform. He met a young married woman named Angeline, and the two had a one-night stand that resulted in her pregnancy. Angeline and her husband decided to raise the baby, Belinda, born on 4 August the following year. Jones never knew about her birth.[9]
In 1961, Jones applied for a scholarship to Cheltenham Art College. He was initially accepted into the programme, but two days later the offer was withdrawn after an unidentified acquaintance wrote to the college, calling Jones an irresponsible drifter.[11]
On 23 October 1961, Jones's girlfriend Pat Andrews gave birth to his third child, Julian Mark Andrews.[12] Jones sold his record collection to buy flowers for Pat and clothes for the newborn. He lived with them for a while. On 23 July 1964, another woman, Linda Lawrence, gave birth to Jones's fourth child, named Julian Brian.[13] In early October 1964, an occasional girlfriend of Brian's, Dawn Molloy, announced to Brian and the band's management that she was pregnant by Brian. She received a cheque for £700 from Andrew Loog Oldham, LTD. In return, she signed an agreement that the matter was now closed and she would make no statement about Brian Jones or the child to the public or the press. The undated statement was signed by Malloy and witnessed by Mick.[14] In March 1965 Dawn gave birth to Brian's fifth child Paul Molloy, renamed John Maynard by his adoptive parents.[15]
Forming the Rolling Stones
Jones left Cheltenham and moved to London where he became friends with fellow musicians Alexis Korner, future Manfred Mann singer Paul Jones, future Cream bassist Jack Bruce and others who made up the small London rhythm and blues and jazz scene there. He became a blues musician, for a brief time calling himself "Elmo Lewis", and playing slide guitar. Jones also started a group with Paul Jones called the Roosters and in January 1963, after both Brian and Paul left the group, Eric Clapton took over Brian's position as guitarist.[16]
Jones placed an advertisement in Jazz News (a Soho club information sheet) of 2 May 1962 inviting musicians to audition for a new R&B group at the Bricklayer's Arms pub; pianist Ian "Stu" Stewart was the first to respond. Later singer Mick Jagger also joined this band; Jagger and his childhood friend Keith Richards had met Jones when he and Paul Jones were playing Elmore James' "Dust My Broom" with Korner's band at the Ealing Jazz Club.[17] Jagger brought guitarist Richards to rehearsals; Richards then joined the band. Jones's and Stewart's acceptance of Richards and the Chuck Berry songs he wanted to play coincided with the departure of blues purists Geoff Bradford and Brian Knight, who had no tolerance for Chuck Berry.[10]
As Keith Richards tells it, Jones came up with the name the "Rollin' Stones" (later with the 'g') while on the phone with a venue owner. "The voice on the other end of the line obviously said, 'What are you called?' Panic. The Best of Muddy Waters album was lying on the floor—and track five, side one was 'Rollin' Stone'".
The Rollin' Stones played their first gig on 12 July 1962 in the Marquee Club in London with Jagger, Richards, Jones, Stewart, bass player Dick Taylor (later of the Pretty Things) and drummer Tony Chapman.[19][20]
From September 1962 to September 1963 Jones, Jagger and Richards shared a flat (referred to by Richards as "a beautiful dump")[21] at 102 Edith Grove, Chelsea, with James Phelge, a future photographer whose name was used in some of the group's early "Nanker/Phelge" writing credits. Jones and Richards spent day after day playing guitar while listening to blues records (notably Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Howlin' Wolf). During this time, Jones also taught Jagger how to play harmonica.
The four Rollin' Stones went searching for a bassist and drummer, finally settling on Bill Wyman on bass because he had a spare VOX AC30 guitar amplifier[22] and always had cigarettes, as well as a bass guitar that he had built himself.[23] After playing with Mick Avory, Tony Chapman and Carlo Little, in January 1963 they finally persuaded jazz-influenced Charlie Watts to join them. At the time, Watts was considered by fellow musicians to be one of the better drummers in London; he had played with (among others) Alexis Korner's group Blues Incorporated.
Watts described Jones's role in these early days: "Brian was very instrumental in pushing the band at the beginning. Keith and I would look at him and say he was barmy. It was a crusade to him to get us on the stage in a club and be paid half-a-crown and to be billed as an R&B band".
While acting as the band's business manager, Jones received £5 more than the other members, which did not sit well with the rest of the band and created resentment.[18][page needed] Keith Richards has said that both he and Mick were surprised to learn that Brian considered himself the leader and was receiving the extra £5, especially as other people, like Giorgio Gomelsky, appeared to be doing the booking.[24]
Musical contributions
Jones's main guitar in the early years was a Harmony Stratotone, which he replaced with a Gretsch Double Anniversary in two-tone green.[25] In 1964 and 1965, he often used a teardrop-shaped prototype Vox Mark III. From late 1965 until his death, Jones used Gibson models (various Firebirds, ES-330, and a Les Paul model), as well as two Rickenbacker 12-string models. He can also be seen playing a Fender Telecaster in the 1968 "Jumpin' Jack Flash" promo video.
Examples of Jones's contributions are his slide guitar on "I Wanna Be Your Man" (1963), "I'm a King Bee" (1964, on the Rolling Stones), "Little Red Rooster" (1964), "I Can't Be Satisfied" (1965, on Rolling Stones No. 2), "I'm Movin' On" (1965, on the EP Got Live If You Want It!), "Doncha Bother Me" (1966, on Aftermath) and "No Expectations" (1968, on Beggars Banquet). Jones can also be heard playing Bo Diddley-style rhythm guitar on "I Need You Baby", the guitar riff in "The Last Time";[26] sitar on "Street Fighting Man", "Paint It, Black"; organ on "Let's Spend the Night Together"; marimba on "Under My Thumb", "Out of Time" and "Yesterday's Papers"; recorder on "Ruby Tuesday" and "All Sold Out"; trumpet on "Child of the Moon", saxophone on "Citadel"; Appalachian dulcimer on "I Am Waiting" and "Lady Jane", mellotron on "She's a Rainbow", "We Love You", "Stray Cat Blues", "2000 Light Years from Home, and "Citadel"; and (for his final recording as a Rolling Stone) the autoharp on "You Got the Silver".
Jones also played harmonica on many of the Rolling Stones' early songs. Examples of Jones's playing are on "Stoned" (1963), "Not Fade Away" (1964), "I Just Want to Make Love to You", "Now I've Got A Witness" (1964)" (from The Rolling Stones), "Good Times, Bad Times" (1964), "2120 South Michigan Avenue" (1964) (from E.P. Five By Five), "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man", "One More Try" (1965) (from Out of Our Heads), "High and Dry" and "Goin' Home" (1966) (from Aftermath), "Who's Driving Your Plane?" (1966), "Cool Calm and Collected", "Who's Been Sleeping Here" (1967) (from Between The Buttons), and "Dear Doctor" and "Prodigal Son" (1968) (from Beggars Banquet).
In the early years, Jones often served as a backing vocalist. Notable examples are "Come On", "I Wanna Be Your Man", "I Just Wanna Make Love to You", "Walking the Dog", "Money", "I'm Alright", "You Better Move On" and "It's All Over Now". He contributed backing vocals as late as 1968 on "Sympathy for the Devil". He is also responsible for the whistling on "Walking the Dog".
Richards maintains that what he calls "guitar weaving"[27] emerged from this period, from listening to Jimmy Reed albums: "We listened to the teamwork, trying to work out what was going on in those records; how you could play together with two guitars and make it sound like four or five".[18][page needed] Jones's and Richards's guitars became a signature of the sound of the Rolling Stones, with both guitarists playing rhythm and lead without clear boundaries between the two roles.
His aptitude for playing a wide variety of instruments is particularly evident on the albums Aftermath (1966), Between the Buttons (1967) and Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967).
Estrangement from bandmates
Andrew Loog Oldham's arrival marked the beginning of Jones's slow estrangement. Oldham recognised the financial advantages of bandmembers' writing their own songs, as exemplified by Lennon–McCartney, and that playing covers would not sustain a band in the limelight for long. Further, Oldham wanted to make Jagger's charisma and flamboyance a focus of live performances. Jones saw his influence over the Stones' direction slide as their repertoire comprised fewer of the blues covers that he preferred; more Jagger/Richards originals developed, and Oldham increased his own managerial control, displacing Jones from yet another role.[28]
According to Oldham in his book Stoned, Jones was an outsider from the beginning.[29] When the first tours were arranged in 1963, he travelled separately from the band, stayed at different hotels, and demanded extra pay. According to Oldham, Jones was very emotional and felt alienated because he was not a prolific song writer and his management role had been taken away. He "resisted the symbiosis demanded by the group lifestyle, and so life was becoming more desperate for him day by day. None of us were looking forward to Brian totally cracking up".[30]
The toll from days on the road, the money and fame, and the feeling of being alienated from the group resulted in Jones's overindulgence in alcohol and other drugs. These excesses had a debilitative effect on his physical health and, according to Oldham, Jones became unfriendly and asocial at times.
Jones was arrested for drug possession on 10 May 1967, shortly after the "Redlands" incident at Richards' Sussex home. Authorities found marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine in his flat. He confessed to marijuana use but claimed he did not use hard drugs. Reacting as fans did at the arrests of Jones's band mates, protesters appeared outside court demanding that Jones be freed. He was not kept in jail but was fined, given probation, and ordered to see a counselor.
In June 1967, Jones attended the Monterey Pop Festival. There he met Frank Zappa and Dennis Hopper, and went on stage to introduce the Jimi Hendrix Experience which was not well known yet in the USA. One review referred to Jones as "the unofficial 'king' of the festival".[citation needed]
Hostility grew between Jones, Jagger, and Richards, alienating Jones further from the group.[31] Although many noted that Jones could be friendly and outgoing, Wyman, Richards, and Watts have commented that he could also be cruel and difficult.[32] By most accounts, Jones's attitude changed frequently; he was one minute caring and generous, the next making an effort to anger everyone. As Wyman observed in Stone Alone: "There were at least two sides to Brian's personality. One Brian was introverted, shy, sensitive, deep-thinking. The other was a preening peacock, gregarious, artistic, desperately needing assurance from his peers."[33] "He pushed every friendship to the limit and way beyond".[34]
In March 1967, Anita Pallenberg, Jones's girlfriend of two years, left him for Richards when Jones was hospitalised during a trip the three made to Morocco,[35] further damaging the already strained relations between Jones and Richards. As tensions and Jones's substance use increased, his musical contributions became sporadic. He became bored with the guitar and sought exotic instruments to play, and he was increasingly absent from recording sessions. In Peter Whitehead's promotional film for "We Love You", made in July 1967, he appears groggy.
Jones's last substantial sessions with the Stones occurred in spring and summer of 1968 when the Stones produced "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and the Beggars Banquet album. He can be seen in the Jean-Luc Godard film One Plus One playing acoustic guitar and chatting and sharing cigarettes with Richards, although Jones is neglected in the music-making. The film chronicles the making of "Sympathy for the Devil".
Where once Jones played multiple instruments on many tracks, he now played only minor roles on a few pieces. Jones's last formal appearance was in the December 1968 The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, a part concert, part circus-act film organised by the band. It went unreleased for 25 years because Jagger was unhappy with the band's performance compared to others in the film such as Jethro Tull, The Who, and Taj Mahal.[36] Commentary included as bonus material indicated that almost everyone at the concert sensed that the end of Jones's time with the Rolling Stones was near, and Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who thought it would be Jones's last live musical performance.[36]
Departure from the band
Jones was arrested a second time on 21 May 1968, for possession of cannabis, which Jones said had been left by previous tenants of the flat. He was facing a long jail sentence if found guilty owing to his probation. Wyman commented, "The fact that the police had secured a warrant with no evidence showed the arrest was part of a carefully orchestrated plan. Brian and the Stones were being targeted in an effort to deter the public from taking drugs".[citation needed] The jury found him guilty but the judge had sympathy for Jones; instead of jailing him he fined him £50 plus £105 in costs and told him: "For goodness sake, don't get into trouble again or it really will be serious".[37]
Jones's legal troubles, estrangement from his bandmates, substance abuse and mood swings became too much of an obstacle to active participation in the band. The Rolling Stones wanted to tour the United States in 1969 for the first time in three years but Jones was not in fit condition to tour and his second arrest exacerbated problems with acquiring a US work visa. In addition, Jones's attendance of rehearsals and recording sessions had become erratic; and when he did appear he rarely contributed anything musically or his bandmates would switch off his guitar leaving Richards playing nearly all the guitars. According to author Gary Herman, Jones was "literally incapable of making music; when he tried to play harmonica his mouth started bleeding".[38]
This behaviour was problematic during the Beggar's Banquet sessions and had worsened by the time the band commenced recording Let It Bleed. In March 1969, Jones borrowed the group's Jaguar and went shopping in Pimlico Road. After the parked car was towed by police Jones hired a chauffeur car to get home.[39] In May 1969, Jones crashed his motorcycle into a shop window and was secretly taken to a hospital under an assumed name.[39] From this point, Jones was still attending recording sessions, but no longer a major contributor to the band's music.[39] By May, he had made two contributions to the work in progress: autoharp on "You Got the Silver" and percussion on "Midnight Rambler". Jagger duly informed Jones that he would be fired from the band if he did not turn up to a photo session. Looking frail, he nonetheless showed up and his last photo session as a Rolling Stone took place on Wednesday, 21 May 1969, first at St. Katherine Docks, Tower Bridge, London and then at Ethan Russell's photographic studio in South Kensington London. The photos would appear on the album Through The Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol.2) in September 1969.[40]
The Stones decided that following the release of the Let it Bleed album (scheduled for a July 1969 release in the US) they would start a North American tour in November 1969. However, the Stones management was informed that because of his drug convictions Jones would not receive a work permit. At the suggestion of pianist and road manager Ian Stewart, the Stones decided to add a new guitarist and on 8 June 1969, Jones was visited by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Charlie Watts where he was told that the group he had formed would continue without him.[41]
To the public it appeared as if Jones had left voluntarily; the other band members told him that although he was being asked to leave it was his choice how to break it to the public. Jones released a statement on 9 June 1969, announcing his departure. In this statement he said, among other things, that "I no longer see eye-to-eye with the others over the discs we are cutting".[42] Jones was replaced by 20-year-old guitarist Mick Taylor (formerly of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers).
During the period of his decreasing involvement in the band Jones was living at Cotchford Farm in East Sussex, the residence formerly owned by Winnie-the-Pooh author A. A. Milne[43] which Jones had purchased in November 1968. There is uncertainty as to the mental and physical state Jones was in. The last known photographs of Jones, taken by schoolgirl Helen Spittal on 23 June 1969, shortly after his departure from the Stones are not flattering; he appears bloated with deep-set eyes.[citation needed] However, Alexis Korner, who visited in late June only shortly after the Spittal photos were taken, noted that Jones seemed "happier than he had ever been".[44] Jones is known to have contacted Korner, Ian Stewart, John Lennon, Mitch Mitchell, and Jimmy Miller about intentions to put together another band. Jones had apparently demoed a few of his own songs in the weeks before his death, including 'Has Anybody Seen My Baby?' and 'Chow Time.'[45]
Death
At around midnight on the night of 2–3 July 1969, Jones was discovered motionless at the bottom of his swimming pool at Cotchford Farm. His Swedish girlfriend, Anna Wohlin, was convinced Jones was alive when he was taken out of the pool insisting he still had a pulse. However, by the time the doctors arrived it was too late and he was pronounced dead. The coroner's report stated "death by misadventure" and noted his liver and heart were heavily enlarged by drug and alcohol abuse.[44]
Upon Jones's death, The Who's Pete Townshend wrote a poem titled "A Normal Day for Brian, A Man Who Died Every Day" (printed in The Times), Jimi Hendrix dedicated a song to him on US television, and Jim Morrison of The Doors published a poem entitled "Ode to L.A. While Thinking of Brian Jones, Deceased".[46] Hendrix and Morrison both died within the following two years, both aged 27, the same as Jones.[47][47][48]
The Rolling Stones performed at a free concert in Hyde Park on 5 July 1969, two days after Jones's death. The concert had been scheduled weeks earlier as an opportunity to present the Stones' new guitarist, Mick Taylor, and the band decided to dedicate the concert to Jones. Before the Rolling Stones' set Jagger read excerpts from "Adonais", a poem by Percy Shelley about the death of his friend John Keats, and stagehands released hundreds of white butterflies as part of the tribute. The band opened with a Johnny Winter song that was one of Jones's favourites, "I'm Yours and I'm Hers".
Jones was reportedly buried 10 feet (3.0 m) deep in Cheltenham Cemetery (to prevent exhumation by trophy hunters). His body was embalmed, hair bleached white, and was placed in an air-tight metal casket.[49] Watts and Wyman were the only Rolling Stones who attended the funeral. Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull were travelling to Australia to begin the filming of Ned Kelly; they stated that their contracts did not allow them to delay the trip to attend the funeral.
When asked if he felt guilty about Jones's death Mick Jagger told Rolling Stone in 1995: "No, I don't really. I do feel that I behaved in a very childish way, but we were very young, and in some ways we picked on him. But, unfortunately, he made himself a target for it; he was very, very jealous, very difficult, very manipulative, and if you do that in this kind of a group of people you get back as good as you give, to be honest. I wasn't understanding enough about his drug addiction. No one seemed to know much about drug addiction. Things like LSD were all new. No one knew the harm. People thought cocaine was good for you."[50]
Murder claims
Theories surrounding Jones's death developed soon afterwards with associates of the Stones claiming to have information that he was murdered.[51][52] According to rock biographer Philip Norman, "the murder theory would bubble back to the surface every five years or so".[51] In 1993 it was reported that Jones was murdered by Frank Thorogood, who was doing some construction work on the property. He was the last person to see Jones alive. Thorogood allegedly confessed the murder to the Rolling Stones' driver, Tom Keylock, who later denied this.[53] The Thorogood theory was dramatised in the 2005 movie Stoned.[54]
In August 2009, Sussex Police decided to review Jones's death for the first time since 1969, after new evidence was handed to them by Scott Jones, an investigative journalist in the UK. Scott Jones had traced many of the people who were at Brian Jones's house the night he died plus unseen police files held at the National Archives. According to Jones' researcher, Trevor Hobley, a neighbor saw a large bonfire on Jones' estate in which documentation was being burned on the morning of Jones' death as he was leaving for work at 7 a.m.[49]
In the Mail on Sunday in November 2008, Scott Jones said Frank Thorogood killed Brian Jones in a fight and the senior police officers covered up the true cause of death. Following the review the Sussex police stated that they would not be reopening the case. They asserted that "this has been thoroughly reviewed by Sussex Police's Crime Policy and Review Branch but there is no new evidence to suggest that the coroner's original verdict of 'death by misadventure' was incorrect."[55]
Songwriting credits
Unsure and insecure as a composer, Jones was not a prolific songwriter. The 30-second "Rice Krispies" jingle for Kellogg's, co-written with the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency in 1963 and performed by the Rolling Stones incognito was credited to Jones; this did not sit well with the rest of the band, who felt it was a group effort and all should benefit equally.[56] Jones was also included in the "Nanker/Phelge" songwriting credit, a pseudonym used on fourteen tracks that were composed by the entire band and Andrew Oldham.
According to Andrew Oldham, the main reason for Jones's not writing songs was that Jones, being a blues purist, did not love simple pop music enough. Oldham tried to establish a songwriting partnership between Jones and Gene Pitney after "becoming bored senseless by Jones's bleating about the potential of half-finished melodies that by no means deserved completion", but after two days of sessions "the results remain best to be unheard, even by Stones' completists".[57]
When asked in 1965 if he had written songs, Jones replied: "Always tried. I've written quite a few, but mostly in blues style".[58] Many years later after his death, Keith Richards stated: "No, no, absolutely not. That was the one thing he would never do. Brian wouldn't show them to anybody within the Stones. Brian as far as I know never wrote a single finished song in his life; he wrote bits and pieces but he never presented them to us. No doubt he spent hours, weeks, working on things, but his paranoia was so great that he could never bring himself to present them to us".[59][page needed] Bill Wyman has stated that Jones was "an incredibly gifted musician, but not a song writer";[citation needed] and in 1995, Mick Jagger told Rolling Stone that Jones had been jealous of the Jagger/Richards songwriting team, and added: "To be honest, Brian had no talent for writing songs. None. I've never known a guy with less talent for songwriting."[50]
Marianne Faithfull reported that Brian Jones wrote an early version of the melody for "Ruby Tuesday" and presented it to the group. Victor Bockris reported that Keith Richards and Brian Jones worked out the final melody in the studio.[60] Additionally, Jones is credited (along with Keith Richards) for the instrumental piece "Hear It". However, in 1966 Jones composed, produced, and played on the soundtrack to Mord und Totschlag (English title: A Degree Of Murder), an avant-garde German film with Anita Pallenberg, adding the majority of the instrumentation to the soundtrack.
In 1990, Carla Olson was given permission from Jones's estate to put one of his poems to music and thus created the Jones/Olson song "Thank You For Being There". It appeared on the album True Voices, performed by Krysia Kristianne and Robin Williamson.[citation needed]
Other contributions
In summer 1968, Jones recorded the Morocco-based ensemble, the Master Musicians of Joujouka, as the name of the Moroccan mountain village was spelled at the time, the more correct spelling of the Arabic name being Jajouka, which was later used by the band; the recording was released in 1971 as Brian Jones Presents the Pipes of Pan at Joujouka. Jagger and Richards visited Jajouka in 1989 after recording "Continental Drift" for the Rolling Stones album Steel Wheels with The Master Musicians of Jajouka led by Bachir Attar in Tangier. A homage to Jones entitled "Brian Jones Joujouka very Stoned", painted by Mohamed Hamri, who had brought Jones to Jajouka in 1967, appeared on the cover of Joujouka Black Eyes by the Master Musicians of Joujouka in 1995, this being a splinter group created by an Irish friend of the former and estranged Moroccan manager, Mohamed Hamri.[verification needed] Brian Jones Presents the Pipes of Pan at Jajouka was rereleased in co-operation with Bachir Attar and Philip Glass in 1995. The executive producers were Philip Glass, Kurt Munkasci and Rory Johnston, with notes by Bachir Attar, Paul Bowles, William S. Burroughs, Stephen Davis, Brian Jones, Brion Gysin and David Silver.[61] and included additional graphics, more extensive notes by David Silver and William S. Burroughs, and a second CD, produced by Cliff Mark, with two "full-length remixes."[62] In mid-May 1967, Jones played oboe on The Beatles' "Baby, You're a Rich Man". Jones played alto saxophone on The Beatles song "You Know My Name", which was released in March 1970, eight months after his death.[62]
Public image and legend
Anita Pallenberg has stated in an interview that he wanted to look like Françoise Hardy, he loved "dressing up and posing about" and that he would ask her to do his hair and make-up.[63] Bo Diddley described Brian as "a little dude that was trying to pull the group ahead. I saw him as the leader. He didn't take no mess. He was a fantastic cat; he handled the group beautifully."[64]
Jones's death at 27 was the first of the 1960s rock movement; Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison found their own drug-related deaths at the same age within two years (Morrison died two years to the day after Jones). The coincidence of ages has been described as the "27 Club". When Alastair Johns, who owned Cotchford Farm for over 40 years after Jones's death, refurbished the pool, he sold the original tiles to Jones's fans for £100 each, which paid for half of the work.[43] Johns noted that Cotchford Farm remained for decades an attraction for Jones' fans.
Jagger wrote The Stones' "Shine a Light" after Jones's death. It depicts Jones's behaviour and remoteness from the band, and asks God to shine a light on his soul.[65] Several other songs have been written about Jones: Morrison originally wrote The Doors' song "Tightrope Ride" for Jones, but after Morrison's death Ray Manzarek rewrote some of the lyrics so that they apply to both musicians. The Psychic TV song "Godstar" is about Jones's death, as are Robyn Hitchcock's "Trash", The Drovers' "She's as Pretty as Brian Jones Was", Ted Nugent's "Death by Misadventure", and Salmonblaster's "Brian Jones". Toy Love's song "Swimming Pool" lists several dead rock icons including Jones (the others are Morrison, Hendrix, and Marc Bolan); Jones is also mentioned in De Phazz's song "Something Special". The Master Musicians of Joujouka song "Brian Jones Joujouka Very Stoned" was released in 1974 and 1996.[66] The band Tigers Jaw heavily references Jones and his death in their song "I Saw Water".
Many of his contemporaries admit to idolising him as young musicians, including Noel Redding, who, according to Pamela Des Barres's book I'm With the Band, contemplated suicide after hearing about his death.
The 2005 film Stoned is a fictional account of Jones and his role in the Rolling Stones. The part of Brian was played by English actor Leo Gregory.
A fictionalised version of Jones and the tribute concert to him appears in Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume III: Century in its second issue, "Paint it Black".
His exceptional musicianship as well as contribution to the band is featured heavily in the documentary Crossfire Hurricane.
JESSE FORTUNE W/ BUDDY GUY - HEAVY HEART BEAT - 1963
Bill Lyerly is a well-known American roots rock artist from the US East Coast. His music is aired on AM, FM, satellite and internet radio stations all over the world. Lyerly’s most recent work, Too Hurt To Cry, was mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, the most famous recording facility in the world.
Lyerly formed his first band when he was 11 years old, and in high school he skipped class to rehearse. He performed with such greats as the Shirelles and Steppenwolf, who encouraged him to take his music seriously.
After college Lyerly co-founded Super Grit Cowboy Band, one of the first alternative country bands, which reviewers, including The Village Voice, called the “South’s hottest honky tonkers”. After writing and singing lead on most of the material on Super Grit’s self-titled first album, Lyerly decided to leave and form his own outlaw country band.
A producer at RCA Records had heard an “album” Bill had recorded at a small North Carolina studio. Finally the president of RCA was able to get Bill on the phone. A year later Lyerly signed with RCA and joined Waylon Jennings as the only artist permitted to use his road band on his recordings. Two years later, after Bill’s song “My Baby´s Coming Home” and his cover of “Mystery Train” had won him recognition and radio play around the world, the Lyerly-RCA relationship had become beyond counseling. Lyerly had become fed up with RCA’s ultimatums to go to Nashville and record slick records. That meant “selling out” to Lyerly.
When Roy Dea, one of Nashville´s last great old-school producers, decided to form his own label, LSI, Lyerly went with him. Steve Earle, a young and promising Texas singer-songwriter was also signed by LSI who released his first record “Pink and Black”. Steve and Bill quickly became friends. Lyerly’s follow up album to Prodigal Son, Higher Ground, had a progressive rock and roll and blues approach that had not been heard in Nashville before.
By the end of the 80s, Lyerly’s music had evolved into a new sound, fusing Chicago Blues (Muddy Waters), Texas Blues (Freddie King) and British blues rock (early Eric Clapton). It was served up dense, dirty and scorching hot and Lyerly referred to it as “napalm blues.” His album, "From the Old School", released on Broadcast Records in 1990, paid homage to the late ‘60s and early ‘70s British blues rock. Lyerly didn’t care that his American audience on the East Coast still grooved on traditional blues. The guitar tones on "Old School" were overdriven into heavy distortion with the power of rock and roll, making this work anything but old and taking fans back to the classroom.
In 1998 Railroad Station Blues (Riviere International Records) was released in the US and Europe, receiving instant, rave reviews in Living Blues and Blues Revue. In 1999 Cobalt Blues was released. This amazingly poetic and haunting line-up of songs was nominated for a total of five CAMMY Awards with Lyerly taking home Best New Artist in 2000. Lyerly’s song writing genius comes forward in songs such as “Dark Glasses”, where he reflects on the final days preceding his mother’s death from cancer. Motel Room Blues (Ripete Blues) was released in late 2000. La Hora del Blues, the top Blues radio program in Spain, was one of many to describe these CDs as “must hear” music. In 2001 Requiem Mess (Broadcast Records), Lyerly’s first new country album since Prodigal Son in 1982, was released. It was also the first collaboration between Lyerly and Clyde Mattocks since Super Grit Cowboy Band’s debut album. Blue Suede News called it, “one of the year’s very best.” In 2007 Broadcast issued The Twang Years, selected country recordings by Bill Lyerly from 1977-1983. Everything was digitally re-mastered plus it included some previously unreleased songs and 45 tracks.
The list of major artists Lyerly has performed with includes many R&R and Country Music Hall of Famers and multiple Grammy winners including: John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, Gregg Allman, Leon Russell, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, REM, Bill Monroe, Steve Earle, Emmy Lou Harris, John Mayall, Levon Helm, Rick Nelson and many more.
http://www.billlyerly.com/detailed_bio.html Lyerly formed his first band when he was 11 years old, and in high school he skipped class to rehearse. He performed with such greats as the Shirelles and Steppenwolf, who encouraged him to take his music seriously.
After college Lyerly co-founded Super Grit Cowboy Band, one of the first alternative country bands, which reviewers, including The Village Voice, called the “South’s hottest honky tonkers”. After writing and singing lead on most of the material on Super Grit’s self-titled first album, Lyerly decided to leave and form his own outlaw country band.
A producer at RCA Records had heard an “album” Bill had recorded at a small North Carolina studio. Finally the president of RCA was able to get Bill on the phone. A year later Lyerly signed with RCA and joined Waylon Jennings as the only artist permitted to use his road band on his recordings. Two years later, after Bill’s song “My Baby´s Coming Home” and his cover of “Mystery Train” had won him recognition and radio play around the world, the Lyerly-RCA relationship had become beyond counseling. Lyerly had become fed up with RCA’s ultimatums to go to Nashville and record slick records. That meant “selling out” to Lyerly.
When Roy Dea, one of Nashville´s last great old-school producers, decided to form his own label, LSI, Lyerly went with him. Steve Earle, a young and promising Texas singer-songwriter was also signed by LSI who released his first record “Pink and Black”. Steve and Bill quickly became friends. Lyerly’s follow up album to Prodigal Son, Higher Ground, had a progressive rock and roll and blues approach that had not been heard in Nashville before.
By the end of the 80s, Lyerly’s music had evolved into a new sound, fusing Chicago Blues (Muddy Waters), Texas Blues (Freddie King) and British blues rock (early Eric Clapton). It was served up dense, dirty and scorching hot and Lyerly referred to it as “napalm blues.” His album, "From the Old School", released on Broadcast Records in 1990, paid homage to the late ‘60s and early ‘70s British blues rock. Lyerly didn’t care that his American audience on the East Coast still grooved on traditional blues. The guitar tones on "Old School" were overdriven into heavy distortion with the power of rock and roll, making this work anything but old and taking fans back to the classroom.
In 1998 Railroad Station Blues (Riviere International Records) was released in the US and Europe, receiving instant, rave reviews in Living Blues and Blues Revue. In 1999 Cobalt Blues was released. This amazingly poetic and haunting line-up of songs was nominated for a total of five CAMMY Awards with Lyerly taking home Best New Artist in 2000. Lyerly’s song writing genius comes forward in songs such as “Dark Glasses”, where he reflects on the final days preceding his mother’s death from cancer. Motel Room Blues (Ripete Blues) was released in late 2000. La Hora del Blues, the top Blues radio program in Spain, was one of many to describe these CDs as “must hear” music. In 2001 Requiem Mess (Broadcast Records), Lyerly’s first new country album since Prodigal Son in 1982, was released. It was also the first collaboration between Lyerly and Clyde Mattocks since Super Grit Cowboy Band’s debut album. Blue Suede News called it, “one of the year’s very best.” In 2007 Broadcast issued The Twang Years, selected country recordings by Bill Lyerly from 1977-1983. Everything was digitally re-mastered plus it included some previously unreleased songs and 45 tracks.
The list of major artists Lyerly has performed with includes many R&R and Country Music Hall of Famers and multiple Grammy winners including: John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, Gregg Allman, Leon Russell, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, REM, Bill Monroe, Steve Earle, Emmy Lou Harris, John Mayall, Levon Helm, Rick Nelson and many more.
"Railroad Station Blues/ I Can't Understand"- Bill Lyerly Band
Michael Messer *28.02.1956
"Michael Messer is a virtuoso slide guitarist who has one of the best bands performing
some of the greatest blues tunes produced this century. His playing encompasses the
entire history of the blues but is totally individual and contemporary. His use of
turntables in the band adds a new element to the music and Messer’s
haunting vocals ooze authenticity and integrity. The American magazine, ‘Spirit’
listed Michael as one of the greatest slide guitarists ever alongside
Duane Allman and Ry Cooder". Dave Tracey
Michael Messer was born in Middlesex in 1956. Throughout his childhood and teens
he played rock music with his two brothers and in various local bands. In his early
twenties, Messer spent time in Nashville where he had the chance to meet and hear
some of the ‘greats’ of country music performing in their home environment.
These included Roy Acuff, Hank Snow and Johnny Cash. Back home in England in the
late seventies, Messer was mastering the art of Mississippi Delta Blues slide guitar,
buying his first National steel guitar in 1979. He began playing blues gigs, both as a
solo artist and in various local bands in the early eighties.
In 1983 he met Ed Genis and they began playing music together, a partnership that has
lasted for the past three decades. During that same year, Messer started gigging regularly with
British blues singer, Mike Cooper, and through him he got known on the folk and blues circuit.
In 1984, Cooper asked him to play slide guitar on The Continuous Preaching Blues, an album
he was recording with Ian Anderson (now editor of fROOTS).
The Michael Messer Band was formed in 1985 and they cut their first album, Diving Duck,
in 1987 which received some fantastic reviews. “Beautifully played.
Diving Duck is the kind of album Ry Cooder should be making”. Q magazine
In 1989 Messer produced and played on an album with the legendary Venice Beach busker,
Ted Hawkins, called I Love You Too, which was later re-released as Nowhere to Run.
In that same year he became friends with the late S.E. Rogie and produced some tracks
for his New Sounds of S.E .Rogie album.
Messer’s second album Slidedance was released in 1990, and one year later, he was voted
Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year at the BBC Awards. “To say that Messer is a slide guitarist
is like describing Mother Theresa as a nun! Slidedance is possibly the finest
blues / world music album of the year.
One of the best slide guitarists Britain has ever produced”. Time Out
Rhythm Oil, a trio album with songwriter Terry Clarke and Texas guitar ace, Jesse ‘Guitar’ Taylor,
was released in 1993. The CD boasted sleeve notes written by the late Johnny Cash, a rare honour
shared with Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson. “What I hear here is the real thing - Bare-bones
blues gut-bucket rural rock. This record carried me away to a long time ago, down a delta dirt
road to a land of my musical good-old-daysing.
PS…Don't squeeze the trigger, if you can't stand the recoil.” Johnny Cash
1995 saw the release of Moonbeat, which featured a mixture of world music and blues, as well
as DJ Louie Genis (son of guitarist Ed Genis) scratching and sampling with old blues vinyl.
"MOONbeat is an extraordinary, innovative album that deserves to be heard".
In 1999, Messer went to Alberta to record with Canadian guitarist Doug Cox. One of
Cox’s songs from the sessions, Cold When I’m Dead, which features Messer playing electric slide
guitar, can be heard in the soundtrack of the Terry Gilliam movie, Tideland.
In 2001 Messer released King Guitar, a compilation album comprising of sixteen tracks from his
back catalogue. The album received critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, it reached number
one in the US Living Blues chart and in May 2001 was the most played album on US college radio.
One prominent American reviewer described Messer as “an unavoidable force in modern blues” and
commented that “King Guitar has met a new century with style,
grace and a new colourful direction for the music”.
Second Mind, recorded and released in 2002 followed the widespread success of King Guitar.
This highly anticipated and critically acclaimed album featured Messer’s regular band, plus the
great Ruby Turner on backing vocals. DJ Louie Genis came back into the fold and this time
instead of working on one or two tracks, he cut loose and played on the whole album,
creating a sound that was both totally contemporary and very traditional. The album
won the Best Blues Guitar Album at the 2003 International Guitar Federation awards,
beating other nominees including Chris Rea, Sonny Landreth and Eric Bibb.
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.
‘Michael Messer is one of the most important bluesmen in Britain and mightily relevant
throughout the blues world. He has progressed from being an excellent technician - on
the National Steel especially, to being in the vanguard of the 21st century blues. And
that doesn't mean he has forsaken traditional values either. A beautiful amalgam of
history and foresight; musicality and grit; blues, boogie and beats -
Second Mind is a work of near genius’.
Joe Cushley – Mojo/Blues Matters/Seasick Steve's manager
Messer signed to Cooking Vinyl in 2005 and released his eighth album, Lucky Charms,
in February 2006. Recorded and mixed the old way with no digital trickery or computers,
just reels of tape, live performances, an old mixing desk and a lot of patience. The album
features ten original songs. Louie Genis, by this time very much a part of the Messer sound,
was scratching and texturing with loops, old vinyl and homemade samples, and the music had
a more acoustic feel to it than Second Mind. Ed Genis played rhythm guitar, Richard Causon
on keyboards, Jerry Soffe on bass, Simon Price played drums, and of course
Michael Messer sang and played slide guitar. Lucky Charms sold worldwide and garnered some
fantastic reviews. With tour dates, festival appearances and live sessions for many
radio stations during the following years, Michael Messer has become known worldwide
for his unique sounding band, Michael Messer & the Second Mind Band.
In 2007 Soyuz Music in Russia released Lucky Charms, Second Mind & King Guitar.
The albums garnered excellent reviews and magazine coverage in the Russian press
and in April 2007 Lucky Charms reached number ten in the Russian rock music charts!
2007 also saw the release of the National Debt album, 'From the Horse's Mouth'. The album was
featured on Mark Lamarr's BBC Radio 2 show and received great reviews from the British music press.
In July of 2007, along with the Campbell Brothers and Debashish Bhattacharya, Michael Messer was
one of three featured slide guitarists at the Cognac Blues Passions Festival.
Also in 2007 Michael Messer & BJ Cole debuted their steel & slide guitar show 'That Sliding Sound'
at the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain.
2008 marked 25 years of Michael Messer & Ed Genis playing together as a duo.
The year featured an amazing run of sell-out UK & European tour dates.
2008 was also the year that Michael Messer stepped into another area of the industry and
launched his own brand of resonator guitars. True to form and always breaking the mould,
Michael's venture into the guitar industry is very unusual among recording artists.
The Michael Messer 'MM' range of resonator guitars have become brand leaders in
the acoustic resonator guitar market around the world.
In 2009 Michael Messer and blues legend, Louisiana Red, toured the UK. The tour was
a sell-out and was highly praised by the music press. The concerts were just the two musicians
playing as a duo and showed Messer in a whole different setting. Instead of leading the
music, Michael was the accompanist and 'glue' that held the whole thing together.
Many compliments were paid to the duo's incredible performances, but especially to Messer's
masterful understanding of the music and his superb accompaniment skills.
2010 featured another Michael Messer & Ed Genis tour around the UK and Europe.
They played a string of very successful shows at some of the UK's leading venues.
Also in 2010, Michael Messer was the featured musician in his own episode of the
BBC TV show, ZingZillas. This episode of the BBC's highly rated children's show
has proved popular and has been regularly repeated on the CBeebies BBC channel.
For the past couple of years Michael Messer has toured the UK and Europe and has
been involved in various recording projects, including playing on BJ Cole's album,
'Transparent Music 2'. This year, 2012, saw the re-release of National Avenue
and the inclusion of eight of Messer's tracks on Cooking Vinyl compilation albums.
Michael also produced the debut album for singer/songwriter, Lucy Zirins.
2013 started with the Mahindra Blues Festival in India.
The Lucy Zirins debut album 'Chasing Clocks' was released in March and
has become a highly acclaimed recording, receiving great reviews and
radio airplay worldwide. During the summer of 2013, Messer was the
co-producer, along with Richard Causon, of the new album by EARL
called 'Peanuts & Monkeys'. The album was released in October and Michael
is appearing at some shows and on radio sessions with the band.
During this year Michael has had tracks included on 14 Blues
compilation albums.
September 2013 saw the first concert of Michael's new Delta Blues project
with Hindustani slide guitarist, Manish Pingle, from Mumbai, and Tabla
player, Gurdain Rayatt, from London. The trio did their first concert at London's
legendary Troubadour Club. The concert was recorded and filmed
and is due for release on DVD in 2014.
The Second Mind Band, Michael Messer & Ed Genis, and doing solo shows, Michael continues
to tour, playing at venues and festivals worldwide. Michael Messer is firmly established as
one of the world's leading slide guitarists and blues innovators.
Michael Messer’s significance as a blues artist is further confirmed by his inclusion in
"The Virgin Encyclopaedia of the Blues.” Messer’s name appears alongside many of the
blues ‘greats’ who influenced his playing.
Newtone® Guitar Strings in conjunction with National Reso-phonic® Guitars have a Michael Messer
brand specifically made for the National steel guitar, which reflects the esteem in which he is held.
These are the brand leaders in their field and used by many National steel players around the world.
http://www.michaelmesser.co.uk/ some of the greatest blues tunes produced this century. His playing encompasses the
entire history of the blues but is totally individual and contemporary. His use of
turntables in the band adds a new element to the music and Messer’s
haunting vocals ooze authenticity and integrity. The American magazine, ‘Spirit’
listed Michael as one of the greatest slide guitarists ever alongside
Duane Allman and Ry Cooder". Dave Tracey
Michael Messer was born in Middlesex in 1956. Throughout his childhood and teens
he played rock music with his two brothers and in various local bands. In his early
twenties, Messer spent time in Nashville where he had the chance to meet and hear
some of the ‘greats’ of country music performing in their home environment.
These included Roy Acuff, Hank Snow and Johnny Cash. Back home in England in the
late seventies, Messer was mastering the art of Mississippi Delta Blues slide guitar,
buying his first National steel guitar in 1979. He began playing blues gigs, both as a
solo artist and in various local bands in the early eighties.
In 1983 he met Ed Genis and they began playing music together, a partnership that has
lasted for the past three decades. During that same year, Messer started gigging regularly with
British blues singer, Mike Cooper, and through him he got known on the folk and blues circuit.
In 1984, Cooper asked him to play slide guitar on The Continuous Preaching Blues, an album
he was recording with Ian Anderson (now editor of fROOTS).
The Michael Messer Band was formed in 1985 and they cut their first album, Diving Duck,
in 1987 which received some fantastic reviews. “Beautifully played.
Diving Duck is the kind of album Ry Cooder should be making”. Q magazine
In 1989 Messer produced and played on an album with the legendary Venice Beach busker,
Ted Hawkins, called I Love You Too, which was later re-released as Nowhere to Run.
In that same year he became friends with the late S.E. Rogie and produced some tracks
for his New Sounds of S.E .Rogie album.
Messer’s second album Slidedance was released in 1990, and one year later, he was voted
Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year at the BBC Awards. “To say that Messer is a slide guitarist
is like describing Mother Theresa as a nun! Slidedance is possibly the finest
blues / world music album of the year.
One of the best slide guitarists Britain has ever produced”. Time Out
Rhythm Oil, a trio album with songwriter Terry Clarke and Texas guitar ace, Jesse ‘Guitar’ Taylor,
was released in 1993. The CD boasted sleeve notes written by the late Johnny Cash, a rare honour
shared with Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson. “What I hear here is the real thing - Bare-bones
blues gut-bucket rural rock. This record carried me away to a long time ago, down a delta dirt
road to a land of my musical good-old-daysing.
PS…Don't squeeze the trigger, if you can't stand the recoil.” Johnny Cash
1995 saw the release of Moonbeat, which featured a mixture of world music and blues, as well
as DJ Louie Genis (son of guitarist Ed Genis) scratching and sampling with old blues vinyl.
"MOONbeat is an extraordinary, innovative album that deserves to be heard".
In 1999, Messer went to Alberta to record with Canadian guitarist Doug Cox. One of
Cox’s songs from the sessions, Cold When I’m Dead, which features Messer playing electric slide
guitar, can be heard in the soundtrack of the Terry Gilliam movie, Tideland.
In 2001 Messer released King Guitar, a compilation album comprising of sixteen tracks from his
back catalogue. The album received critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, it reached number
one in the US Living Blues chart and in May 2001 was the most played album on US college radio.
One prominent American reviewer described Messer as “an unavoidable force in modern blues” and
commented that “King Guitar has met a new century with style,
grace and a new colourful direction for the music”.
Second Mind, recorded and released in 2002 followed the widespread success of King Guitar.
This highly anticipated and critically acclaimed album featured Messer’s regular band, plus the
great Ruby Turner on backing vocals. DJ Louie Genis came back into the fold and this time
instead of working on one or two tracks, he cut loose and played on the whole album,
creating a sound that was both totally contemporary and very traditional. The album
won the Best Blues Guitar Album at the 2003 International Guitar Federation awards,
beating other nominees including Chris Rea, Sonny Landreth and Eric Bibb.
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.
‘Michael Messer is one of the most important bluesmen in Britain and mightily relevant
throughout the blues world. He has progressed from being an excellent technician - on
the National Steel especially, to being in the vanguard of the 21st century blues. And
that doesn't mean he has forsaken traditional values either. A beautiful amalgam of
history and foresight; musicality and grit; blues, boogie and beats -
Second Mind is a work of near genius’.
Joe Cushley – Mojo/Blues Matters/Seasick Steve's manager
Messer signed to Cooking Vinyl in 2005 and released his eighth album, Lucky Charms,
in February 2006. Recorded and mixed the old way with no digital trickery or computers,
just reels of tape, live performances, an old mixing desk and a lot of patience. The album
features ten original songs. Louie Genis, by this time very much a part of the Messer sound,
was scratching and texturing with loops, old vinyl and homemade samples, and the music had
a more acoustic feel to it than Second Mind. Ed Genis played rhythm guitar, Richard Causon
on keyboards, Jerry Soffe on bass, Simon Price played drums, and of course
Michael Messer sang and played slide guitar. Lucky Charms sold worldwide and garnered some
fantastic reviews. With tour dates, festival appearances and live sessions for many
radio stations during the following years, Michael Messer has become known worldwide
for his unique sounding band, Michael Messer & the Second Mind Band.
In 2007 Soyuz Music in Russia released Lucky Charms, Second Mind & King Guitar.
The albums garnered excellent reviews and magazine coverage in the Russian press
and in April 2007 Lucky Charms reached number ten in the Russian rock music charts!
2007 also saw the release of the National Debt album, 'From the Horse's Mouth'. The album was
featured on Mark Lamarr's BBC Radio 2 show and received great reviews from the British music press.
In July of 2007, along with the Campbell Brothers and Debashish Bhattacharya, Michael Messer was
one of three featured slide guitarists at the Cognac Blues Passions Festival.
Also in 2007 Michael Messer & BJ Cole debuted their steel & slide guitar show 'That Sliding Sound'
at the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain.
2008 marked 25 years of Michael Messer & Ed Genis playing together as a duo.
The year featured an amazing run of sell-out UK & European tour dates.
2008 was also the year that Michael Messer stepped into another area of the industry and
launched his own brand of resonator guitars. True to form and always breaking the mould,
Michael's venture into the guitar industry is very unusual among recording artists.
The Michael Messer 'MM' range of resonator guitars have become brand leaders in
the acoustic resonator guitar market around the world.
In 2009 Michael Messer and blues legend, Louisiana Red, toured the UK. The tour was
a sell-out and was highly praised by the music press. The concerts were just the two musicians
playing as a duo and showed Messer in a whole different setting. Instead of leading the
music, Michael was the accompanist and 'glue' that held the whole thing together.
Many compliments were paid to the duo's incredible performances, but especially to Messer's
masterful understanding of the music and his superb accompaniment skills.
2010 featured another Michael Messer & Ed Genis tour around the UK and Europe.
They played a string of very successful shows at some of the UK's leading venues.
Also in 2010, Michael Messer was the featured musician in his own episode of the
BBC TV show, ZingZillas. This episode of the BBC's highly rated children's show
has proved popular and has been regularly repeated on the CBeebies BBC channel.
For the past couple of years Michael Messer has toured the UK and Europe and has
been involved in various recording projects, including playing on BJ Cole's album,
'Transparent Music 2'. This year, 2012, saw the re-release of National Avenue
and the inclusion of eight of Messer's tracks on Cooking Vinyl compilation albums.
Michael also produced the debut album for singer/songwriter, Lucy Zirins.
2013 started with the Mahindra Blues Festival in India.
The Lucy Zirins debut album 'Chasing Clocks' was released in March and
has become a highly acclaimed recording, receiving great reviews and
radio airplay worldwide. During the summer of 2013, Messer was the
co-producer, along with Richard Causon, of the new album by EARL
called 'Peanuts & Monkeys'. The album was released in October and Michael
is appearing at some shows and on radio sessions with the band.
During this year Michael has had tracks included on 14 Blues
compilation albums.
September 2013 saw the first concert of Michael's new Delta Blues project
with Hindustani slide guitarist, Manish Pingle, from Mumbai, and Tabla
player, Gurdain Rayatt, from London. The trio did their first concert at London's
legendary Troubadour Club. The concert was recorded and filmed
and is due for release on DVD in 2014.
The Second Mind Band, Michael Messer & Ed Genis, and doing solo shows, Michael continues
to tour, playing at venues and festivals worldwide. Michael Messer is firmly established as
one of the world's leading slide guitarists and blues innovators.
Michael Messer’s significance as a blues artist is further confirmed by his inclusion in
"The Virgin Encyclopaedia of the Blues.” Messer’s name appears alongside many of the
blues ‘greats’ who influenced his playing.
Newtone® Guitar Strings in conjunction with National Reso-phonic® Guitars have a Michael Messer
brand specifically made for the National steel guitar, which reflects the esteem in which he is held.
These are the brand leaders in their field and used by many National steel players around the world.
Rollin' & Tumblin' - Michael Messer, Manish Pingle, Gurdain Rayatt
Stefan Ulbricht *28.02.1982
Stefan Ulbricht, 1982 in Bonn geboren, entwickelte bereits mit 5 Jahren seine Vorliebe für Musik. Er begann mit Gitarrenunterricht, wechselte im Alter von 14 Jahren zum Klavier. 1997 wurde er durch eine TV-Sendung mit dem „Boogie und Blues Virus" infiziert.
Autodidaktisch beschäftigte er sich mit seinem bevorzugten Musikstil. Innerhalb kürzester Zeit lernte er auf Jam-Sessions viele bekannte Star-Musiker der Szene kennen. Ein besonders freundschaftliches Verhältnis verband ihn mit dem „Altmeister des Boogie" Leopold von Knobelsdorff, dem er viele musikalische Impulse verdankte.
Seit 1999 ist Stefan Ulbricht vielerorts musikalisch sehr aktiv. Referenzen sind: Hamburger Jazzmarathon 2002, Zukunftspreis 2006, Frankfurter Musikmesse, Pianistenfestival in Hamburg (u.a. mit Vince Weber, Gottfried Böttger, Frank Muschalle, Axel Zwingenberger) Medienkulturnacht in Bonn, Bonner Sommer, Boogie Woogie Konzertexpress mit Axel Zwingenberger, Boogie & Blues Festival mit Leopold von Knobelsdorff, Internationales Boogie Woogie Festival in Laroquebrou/Frankreich 2009, diverse Jazznights, regelmäßige Konzerte in Jazzclubs u.a. Dr. Jazz in Düsseldorf, unzählige Firmen- und Privatanlässe jeglicher Art.
Seine Zuhörer begeistert er, teils piano solo, teils in Begleitung anderer Musiker durch seine schnellen und melodiösen Boogies, Jazz- und Bluesstücke der 30er, 40er & 50er Jahre. Die stampfenden und rollenden Bassfiguren, sowie die swingend schönen Melodien sind sein Markenzeichen.
Einige Eigenkompositionen sowie viele Klassiker wie z.B. „Boogie Woogie Stomp" oder „Lady be good" im Stil von Albert Ammons spiegeln dies wider.
Im Januar 2003 spielten Dennis Koeckstadt (Pianist bei B.B. & The Blues Shacks), sein Bruder Jan (Schlagzeug) und Stefan die neue Boogie & Blues Platte 'Shift it up' an 2 Flügeln ein. 17 Titel voller Drive & Swing!
Seit einigen Jahren bildet er zusammen mit Michael van den Valentyn das Boogie Duo '4 Hands Shakin´'. Aus dieser Formation ist auch die dritte von insgesamt vier CDs entstanden, die im Oktober 2004 live in Wiesbaden eingespielt wurde. Sie trägt den Titel 'live in Wiesbaden' und ist voller Groove.
Die neuesten CDs 'Big Bigger Boogie' und 'The Boogie Rocks' hat Stefan auf dem weltgrößten, serienmäßig gebauten Flügel, einem Fazioli F308, zusammen mit dem Schlagzeuger und Boogiepianisten Moritz Schlömer im April 2009 aufgenommen. Ein einzigartiger Bass-Klang zeichnet die gemeinsamen Aufnahmen mit Moritz Schlömer aus!
Am 24. Oktober 2009 wurde Stefan Ulbricht mit dem German Boogie Woogie Award in der Kategorie Nachwuchspianist 2009 ausgezeichnet.
'Die Boogie Woogie Szene Deutschlands wird seit einigen Jahren bereichert durch den ganz eigenen Stil des Preisträgers, der auf den Fundamenten der klassischen Boogie Woogie Tradition etwas Neues aufgebaut hat.
Dazu schaut er über den Tellerrand des klassischen Boogie-Repertoires und verleiht auch stilfremden Stücken den Boogie-Groove. Damit verschafft er seinen Zuhörern ganz neue Hörerlebnisse.'
Weitere Informationen unter www.pinetop.de
Seit 2010 ist Stefan Ulbricht Organisator und Veranstalter der Siegburger Boogie & Jazz Night. Hierzu lädt er internationale Künstler aus der Szene ein.
Durch seine junge, frische Art diese Musik vorzutragen, bleibt kein Fuß still stehen!
Autodidaktisch beschäftigte er sich mit seinem bevorzugten Musikstil. Innerhalb kürzester Zeit lernte er auf Jam-Sessions viele bekannte Star-Musiker der Szene kennen. Ein besonders freundschaftliches Verhältnis verband ihn mit dem „Altmeister des Boogie" Leopold von Knobelsdorff, dem er viele musikalische Impulse verdankte.
Seit 1999 ist Stefan Ulbricht vielerorts musikalisch sehr aktiv. Referenzen sind: Hamburger Jazzmarathon 2002, Zukunftspreis 2006, Frankfurter Musikmesse, Pianistenfestival in Hamburg (u.a. mit Vince Weber, Gottfried Böttger, Frank Muschalle, Axel Zwingenberger) Medienkulturnacht in Bonn, Bonner Sommer, Boogie Woogie Konzertexpress mit Axel Zwingenberger, Boogie & Blues Festival mit Leopold von Knobelsdorff, Internationales Boogie Woogie Festival in Laroquebrou/Frankreich 2009, diverse Jazznights, regelmäßige Konzerte in Jazzclubs u.a. Dr. Jazz in Düsseldorf, unzählige Firmen- und Privatanlässe jeglicher Art.
Seine Zuhörer begeistert er, teils piano solo, teils in Begleitung anderer Musiker durch seine schnellen und melodiösen Boogies, Jazz- und Bluesstücke der 30er, 40er & 50er Jahre. Die stampfenden und rollenden Bassfiguren, sowie die swingend schönen Melodien sind sein Markenzeichen.
Einige Eigenkompositionen sowie viele Klassiker wie z.B. „Boogie Woogie Stomp" oder „Lady be good" im Stil von Albert Ammons spiegeln dies wider.
Im Januar 2003 spielten Dennis Koeckstadt (Pianist bei B.B. & The Blues Shacks), sein Bruder Jan (Schlagzeug) und Stefan die neue Boogie & Blues Platte 'Shift it up' an 2 Flügeln ein. 17 Titel voller Drive & Swing!
Seit einigen Jahren bildet er zusammen mit Michael van den Valentyn das Boogie Duo '4 Hands Shakin´'. Aus dieser Formation ist auch die dritte von insgesamt vier CDs entstanden, die im Oktober 2004 live in Wiesbaden eingespielt wurde. Sie trägt den Titel 'live in Wiesbaden' und ist voller Groove.
Die neuesten CDs 'Big Bigger Boogie' und 'The Boogie Rocks' hat Stefan auf dem weltgrößten, serienmäßig gebauten Flügel, einem Fazioli F308, zusammen mit dem Schlagzeuger und Boogiepianisten Moritz Schlömer im April 2009 aufgenommen. Ein einzigartiger Bass-Klang zeichnet die gemeinsamen Aufnahmen mit Moritz Schlömer aus!
Am 24. Oktober 2009 wurde Stefan Ulbricht mit dem German Boogie Woogie Award in der Kategorie Nachwuchspianist 2009 ausgezeichnet.
'Die Boogie Woogie Szene Deutschlands wird seit einigen Jahren bereichert durch den ganz eigenen Stil des Preisträgers, der auf den Fundamenten der klassischen Boogie Woogie Tradition etwas Neues aufgebaut hat.
Dazu schaut er über den Tellerrand des klassischen Boogie-Repertoires und verleiht auch stilfremden Stücken den Boogie-Groove. Damit verschafft er seinen Zuhörern ganz neue Hörerlebnisse.'
Weitere Informationen unter www.pinetop.de
Seit 2010 ist Stefan Ulbricht Organisator und Veranstalter der Siegburger Boogie & Jazz Night. Hierzu lädt er internationale Künstler aus der Szene ein.
Durch seine junge, frische Art diese Musik vorzutragen, bleibt kein Fuß still stehen!
http://www.boogie4ever.de/biografie.php
Piano-Boogie-Medley, Stefan Ulbricht, Chris Conz, Moritz Schlömer
