Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Blues Misfit Style - a Special Edition


I’m bringing you something different today. I don’t expect to do this often – this is a special edition of the Tech and Music blog (which has really become more of a music blog).  Occasionally, something catches my eye (or ear) and deserves a little more than the usual blurb. This weekend I experienced one of those “somethings” and I decided this deserved a little more in-depth view.


Abandoning my usual method of venue-hopping, I spent Friday evening at The Muddy Waters and enjoyed one band’s show from start to finish. I’ve seen The Mississippi Misfits before – a few songs here and there. I’ve always thought there was something special about them, but was in no way prepared for the night of entertainment this blues/rock trio had planned.

From covers of blues and rock standards to their original songs, the trio exhibited a professional level of showmanship.  Guitarist Ren Estrand played with a new intensity, and it was apparent he poured his soul into his solos. Multi-talented Ziggie McQuay practically set the keyboard on fire and then shifted to the bass with ease. Meanwhile, Tom Zick proved that as a drummer he can be equally versatile, extracting more than just a beat – whether the instrument is a drum kit or a washboard. Though individually talented, the three combined into one very cohesive sound that was crowned with amazing vocal harmonies.

 


Did I mention a washboard? The Misfits established their uniqueness in the local blues scene by adding an element they call the “front porch jam”.  The jam was reminiscent of the roots of southern blues, where musicians would sit on front porches and create music with whatever they could use as instruments. Their cover of “Crossroads” raised the classic to a new level, and they followed it with their original “Boogie Baby”, which showcased their vocals.

In deciding to write this piece, I contacted the Misfits and asked if they would be interested in sitting down with me so I could get some background information. Even better, they invited me to their next rehearsal. Not resting on the laurels of their impressive night, they were back at it Tuesday night. When I arrived they were still setting up their equipment. We chatted a bit while they prepared to rehearse.

The three of them never played in a band together, but had each played with the others in previous projects.  In one case, Tom replaced Ziggie as the drummer for Kent Burnside. That move became a good opportunity for all three, as they are also known as the New Generation, the band behind Kent Burnside.  The Misfits traveled with Burnside just this month to play a show in New York and are the musicians on his last album. The album, “Too Late for Tears”, was recorded in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Mississippi Misfits - Use Me

Zick, McQuay and Estrand formed their trio after the Little Rock experience.  They competed in the Iowa Blues Challenge as one of the three finalist bands in May of 2012. I learned along with them that they’ve been invited to play at a venue hosted by a music magazine at SXSW in Austin next month.  And the 2013 Blues Challenge is on the horizon. If they enter, you can believe the competition will have to step up their performances.
Through all of this, the Mississippi Misfits haven’t lost their humility. Their gratefulness for the opportunities they’ve been given impressed me. They all seem to have a similar philosophy about music, putting all they are into every note.  Even in rehearsal there’s a deep current of emotion running through their music.  And I could see the bond between them. They truly are a band of brothers.

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