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.

Rick Franklin's Blues vs MS

The late John Jackson and Archie Edwards with Rick Franklin at a DC Blues Society
Black History Month program Photo © Ron Weinstock

I have known Rick Franklin for over twenty years. Not only is he amongst the finest acoustic blues players in the Mid-Atlantic, but a wonderful person. As a musician he was fortunate to learn from such masters as the legends of DC Piedmont blues, John Jackson, John Cephas and Archie Edwards, with whom he would jam with and later share stages with. He was among the musicians that played at the concert at which the DC Blues Society was founded and has continued to develop and grow as a musician over the years. I met Rick through the DC Blues Society and we were both on the DC Blues Society's Board of Directors in its early years and watched him perform on countless occasions over the years.

Rick Franklin in 2007
Photo © Ron Weinstock

When one of his daughters was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, he became a fervent supporter of efforts to end this terrible affliction. One of his fundraising efforts is an annual MS IS BS BBQ and Blues Jam Fundraiser that takes place Saturday afternoon, August 18 at the Barcroft Community House, 800 S. Buchanan Street in Arlington, Virginia. It runs from noon until 5:00 PM.

Performers include Rick himself and His Delta Blues Boys that will include a variety of musician friends of Rick to support him as he plays a variety of blues and hokum music. Also appearing on this program are the Sheryl Sears Trio; M.S.G - the Acoustic Blues Trio; and Daryl Davis.

Sheryl Sears is a wonderful vocalist who is the amongst those who have emerged out of the weekly jams of the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation. M.S.G. is comprised of Jackie Merritt, Miles Spicer, and Resa Gibbs whose performances are centered on the Piedmont blues which they interpret in their own style to which they add original blues and folk songs. Daryl Davis has been a fixture on the mid-Atlantic blues circuit for over a quarter of a century. While known as a master of boogie woogie and blues piano, he is also an exceptional guitarist who will mix in rock and roll and country into his sets. He was mentored by the late Pinetop Perkins and Johnny Johnson and also is Chuck Berry's East Coast pianist.

Daryl Davis and Pinetop Perkins at bangkok Blues in 2005. Photo © Ron Weinstock

It will be a terrific afternoon of entertainment and there will be BBQ to enjoy along with the music and support the cause For more details: http://msisbs.org/event/4th-annual-bbq-blues-jam. See you there. And to whet your musical appetite, here is a video of Rick performing.

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.