M.S.G. Acoustic Blues Trio - The Flood

While M.S.G. Acoustic Blues Trio, has issued their fourth recording, "The Flood," which was produced by Cathy Fink and wonderfully recorded by Jim Robeson with appearances by Cathy Fink, Phil Wiggins, David Jackson, Ralph Gordon and others. M.S.G. consists of Jackie Merritt (vocals, harmonica, uke bass, soprano uke and guitar); Miles Spicer (vocals and guitar); and Resa Gibbs (vocals, washboard,cigar box strumstick, bike horn and bells). Jackie Merritt did the marvelous graphic design and cover art.

I have known Miles for years as a member of the D.C. Blues Society, and Jackie and Resa as M.S.G. started performing after meeting at the late Archie Edwards' Barbershop. I have had the pleasure of attending their concerts and house parties and have observed how wonderful performers they are. On this latest release they revisit songs they have recorded before, such as Resa's riveting rendition of John Prine's "Angel From Montgomery," along with new songs, some from the pens of Miles and his collaborator David Bird, and dome from Jackie Merritt.

The title track from Miles and Bird is a driving trio number followed by Jackie's original "Money Makes You Crazy."  Her vocal here is supported by harmonies from Resa and Miles as well as the trio's hand jive. Resa sings wonderfull on a fresh acoustic reworking of Fats Domino's "Going to the River." It is followed by a stunning rendition of Son House's "Grinnin' In Your Face." Backed by just her strumstick, she does not sing with the fervency of House's rendition, but her deliberate, well-paced rendition perhaps lead to the lyrics hitting deeper. Contrast this superb interpretation this to Tom Waits awful mimicry of House's "John the Revelator" on a recent Blind Willie Johnson tribute album.

Miles sings a lively updating of the late Archie Edwards' "I'm Down Today," about the sun going to sun shine on my back door some day;" while there a string-band, washboard feel on Jackie Merritt's "Front Porch Blues," a song remembering older and simpler days. Resa has a stunning a cappella vocal on the lament, "New Familiar," that Jackie Merritt wrote. There are also wonderful traditional performances of gospel numbers, "I'll Fly Away," and "Glory, Glory Hallelujah." Phil Wiggins adds his harmonica to that of Jackie on the latter number and also on a hauntingly beautiful harmonica duet rendition of "Amazing Grace," that leads into "Glory, Glory Hallelujah."

Frank Matheis' on the back cover describes the music of M.S.G. Acoustic Blues Trio as "a lovely amalgam of folk-roots-spirituals-blues." While their prior recordings have been excellent, I believe that "The Flood," with superb vocals and marvelous backing, is their finest recording.

I received my review copy from the group. Here is a rendition of "Angel From Montgomery."

M.S.G. The Acoustic Blues Trio Meets Us In The Middle

M.S.G. - the Acoustic Blues Trio is combined of Jackie Merrit, Miles Spicer and Resa Gibbs. They are among the acoustic blues perform- ers who are associated with the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation and this writer caught a wonderful performance by them as well as a nice extended play CD a couple years ago. They have just issued an self-named CD with a mix of some classic blues, spirituals and ballads with some very strong originals, the trio brings plenty of warmth and soulfulness to these performances.

I am not sure who first recorded the Doc Pomus number (although it sounds like something that Solomon Burke might have done well with), There is Always One More Time, but with Miles providing a spare accompaniment, Resa delivers the reflective lyric in a spellbinding manner that illustrates just how good a singer she is with a honey tone yet able to tear the roof off at times. Miles co-wrote The Home Coming Song, as Resa sings about it will be a long, long time before one sees her again as Jackie adds some nice harp here behind Miles effective accompaniment. Kazoo and bones are heard behind Miles’ affable vocal on the traditional Frankie and Johnnie, lending this classic ballad a folk, jug band flavor.

Resa is featured again on a terrific interpretation of the traditional You Don’t Know My Mind, and a spirited vocal on Midnight Special, both with more fine harp from Jackie. Another original from Miles is his take on the back door man Jody on his lively Jody’s Got Your Girl. Jackie’s Isabelle, sounds like a song written about a mistreating lover, but actually is a blues about Hurricane Isabelle that caused so much damage several years ago, and unfortunately timely in the light of Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita with Resa again shining on the vocal.

Like Miles, Jackie is an affable vocalist and handles the vocal on her Race Track Blues, a short number with a quick rhythmic accompaniment from Miles. A bit of the spiritual side of the trio can be held on Get Right Church and the closing acapella Come to Me in Prayer. The music is never less than tasteful and there are some truly exquisite moments on this splendid release.

This was the trio’s debut album and my review appeared originally in the March 2006 DC Blues Calendar.  For more info on MSG, check their website, www.acousticbluesmsg.com. Here is a video of them performing Isabelle.

With M.S.G. - The Acoustic Blues Trio We Know What To Ask For

M.S.G. - The Acoustic Blues Trio (Hereafter MSG) has been around for several years and is one of the group of new acoustic blues performers associated with the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation in Washington DC. The trio is comprised of Jackie Merritt on harmonica, rhythm guitar and bones, Miles Spicer on guitar and Resa Gibbs on washboard and kazoo, with all three taking lead vocals and providing vocal tracks. They have recorded a couple of albums and just released a new recording, a 5 song CD “Be Careful What You Ask For,” which includes both some songs that have been proved quite popular with their audiences but had not included in their CDs as well as new material they are working on and the CD packaging promises a full CD is in the works.

Anyone who has had the pleasure to see the three perform will have an idea of what to expect: solid musicianship, and strong (at times extraordinary) vocals. Spicer takes the lead on a fine Piedmont blues Charlie Stone, taken from a Larry Johnson recording. Spicer’s vocal is backed by strong fingerstyle guitar (although he would concede he can’t equal Larry Johnson’s original) with Resa on washboard and kazoo and Jackie on bones adding some rhythmic accents. I first heard Resa sing John Prine’s Angel From Montgomery at a Smithsonian Folklife Festival about a decade ago with just Miles on guitar and her vocal was riveting. I recall this one gentleman with dreadlocks on his bicycle simply transfixed watching her from a little distance. Adding Jackie’s harmonica to Miles spare guitar, her vocal here may not totally recapture that compelling performance but still remains stunning. Jackie’s Do You See Me Now? is a folky original with a charming vocal that Resa adds harmony to. Miles and David Bird contributed My Little One, a celebration of one’s new child lovingly sung by Resa with Jackie adding harp.

Resa takes the spirited lead on the traditional Glory, Glory, Hallelujah, with backing vocals from Jackie and Miles, both who add adept and sympathetic accompaniment to end a most welcome addition to their catalog. I also note Jackie Merritt’s outstanding graphics for the album packaging. One trusts that it will not be too long until will have a full CD by the trio, which this EP is an appetizer for. MSG’s website is www.acousticbluesmsg.com, and this is available from cd.baby.com.


I received my review copy from M.S.G.

M.S.G.'s Mighty Fine Acoustic Blues and More

I preference my comments on the new CD by M.S.G. - The Acoustic Blues Trio, “Done Spoke My Mind,” by noting that the members are personal acquaintances of mine, who I have had the pleasure of seeing perform several times. Jackie Merritt and Resa Gibbs hail from the Tidewater area of Virginia while Miles Spicer hails from around Washington, D.C. I have known the multi-talented Miles Spicer from various D.C. Blues Society events including the jams where he would play the trap drums if needed. After the late Piedmont blues legend Archie Edwards passed, Miles was one of those who helped launch and establish the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation and it was through the jams and other activities at the Barber Shop in Northeast Washington that the trio, M.S.G. took shape. It was a number of years ago when during a program conduced by the Barber Shop regulars at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival that this writer heard a spell-binding rendition of John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery” by Gibbs with Spicer’s accompaniment. Later I had the pleasure to hear the trio at the Barber Shop and delighted in the trio’s initial recording.

The present CD displays there maturation as performers, and songwriters. There are numerous pleasures to be experienced here including the marvelous vocals by all three and the very solid musicianship evident throughout. Despite being rooted in the blues, especially the Piedmont tradition, this album might be better termed as urban acoustic music insofar as there are healthy elements of the church, folk and other musical genres evident here. The church background is evident on the opening traditional “God Don’t Like It,” followed by Jackie and Resa’s “Mean Church People,” a jab at some close-minded church folk. “Resolution,” an original ballad by Miles and David Bird, has a lovely, soulful vocal by Resa with some marvelous harmonica from Jackie. Joel Bailes' “The Katrina Flood,” is a song in tradition of similar songs about other tragic events and even if the lyrics have some holes, the rousing chorus of “wasn’t that a mighty storm,” does come across powerfully. Jackie’s “Racetrack Blues” , sports some lively guitar from Miles with Resa enlivening the performance on rubboard, while “Penniless Rag,” is playful with Spicer evoking Blind Blake while Jackie is on the bones and Resa adds to the fun on rubboard and bicycle horn.

“It’s Always Something,” is a nice slow blues from Spicer and David Bird with a mesmerizing slide guitar riff, crying harp from Jackie and Resa singing compellingly. “Ain’t No Grave” is a field holler type performance by Resa with simple percussion backing, while “Come Back Baby,” credited as traditional is the Henry Townsend blues originally recorded by Walter Davis, again with a wonderful vocal from Resa. “Fast Food Mama,” is another entertaining, raggy blues from Jackie, with Resa on rubboard, followed by the brisk, skittle band blues “I Need More Trouble Like That,” with Miles taking the vocal, with Resa on kazoo. The ballad “Sometimes,” has some of an old-timey feel with Resa on strumstick as well as singing Jackie’s thoughtful lyrics. Back to the church for the closing two numbers, Resa’s a capella rendition of “Go Down Hannah,” followed by Reverend Gary Davis’ “I Heard the Angels Singing.” There is a lot of heart and feeling throughout these performances that is always entertaining and usually quite moving. In addition to the wonderful music, the CD packaging by Jackie Merritt is stunning. This is available on cdbaby.com or check their website, www.acousticbluesmsg.com for information on how to order.