Description
NICK MOSS
Moss originally learned to play the bass guitar. He joined Buddy Scott‘s backing band when he was in his late teens. He played with Scott for two years. After that he played with Jimmy Dawkins.[1] By 1993, he had joined the Legendary Blues Band and played bass on their final album, Money Talks.[3] The band’s frontman, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, suggested Moss should switch to lead guitar, and he spent over two years there before they split up.[1]
Moss moved on to play guitar in the Jimmy Rogers band for three years, before he turned to a solo career. His debut album, First Offense (re-released in 2003), billed as by Nick Moss and the Flip Tops, included a guest appearance by the harmonica player Lynwood Slim.[1] His next albums, Got a New Plan (2001), Count Your Blessings (2003), Sadie Mae (2005) and Live at Chan’s (2006), were each nominated for a W. C. Handy Award.[2]
Nick Moss and the Flip Tops recorded two live albums at Chan’s, a Rhode Island club, the second of which included the harp playing of Gerry Hundt.[4] Moss and the Flip Tops played at Memphis in May and the Ottawa Blues Festival in 2008.[5] The same year Moss produced Magic Slim‘s album Midnight Blues. Moss later changed the name of his group, which became the Nick Moss Band.
Moss’s ninth album, Here I Am, was released on November 22, 2011.[2] It was nominated for a Blues Music Award in 2013 in the category Rock Blues Album.[6] His tenth album, Time Ain’t Free, was released in March 2014 and was voted by the editors at Guitar World magazine as one of the Top 50 Albums of 2014.[7][8]
The band released Live & Luscious on October 30, 2015. It was their 11th album released after a European tour in April that year. It featured live versions of unreleased songs that were introduced fully in the following studio album. The 12th album was issued on May 20, 2016, and was a double disc studio effort, From the Root to the Fruit.
The High Cost of Low Living (2018) was a slight departure from the norm, incorporating a significant guest appearance from the harmonica player Dennis Gruenling, plus the release was via Alligator Records.[9]
At the 40th Blues Music Awards in 2019, Moss was named ‘Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year’.[10]
His 2019 joint recording with Dennis Gruenling, Lucky Guy!, was chosen as a ‘Favorite Blues Album’ by AllMusic.[11] In May 2020, the Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling won two Blues Music Awards for ‘Band of the Year’ and ‘Traditional Blues Album of the Year’ for Lucky Guy!.
DENNIS GRUENLING
Gruenling alternated between his Jump Time line-up that played mainly jump blues and boogie-woogie, and a smaller unit that favored a Chicago blues styling. He heard both Rod Piazza and William Clarke on blues radio, and regularly frequented both of their shows when they played locally. He gave Piazza a copy of his recording which led to a friendship that lasts to this day.[8] Up All Night (2000) and That’s Right (2001) followed, the latter featuring Kenny Davern on clarinet on a couple of the tracks.[11] In 2000, Gruenling appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival.[12]
However, Gruenling found it harder to sustain his own band and he moved towards working on other musician’s material for a number of years. He contributed to albums by Gina Sicilia and Cartel in this period.[8] In 2007, David Malachowski played at the Lake George Blues Blast, and assembled a band featuring Gruenling.[13] The same year, Gruenling commenced on a project to record a tribute album to Little Walter, and ended up working alongside Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin and Steve Guyger, plus Rusty Zinn on guitar, to record I Just Keep Lovin’ Him: A Tribute to Little Walter (2008).[8] Gruenling and Guyger were described as “two youthful, white virtuosos” of the harmonica.[14] The album included a cover version of Little Walter’s “If You Were Mine”, with the vocals supplied by Gruenling’s wife, Gina Fox.[15]
In putting together a band to support the album, Gruenling turned to the Detroit-based guitarist Doug Deming, which led to them and Deming’s backing ensemble, the Jewel Tones, collaborating on various recordings.[8] These included, Rockin’ All Day (2012), with Gruenling featuring Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones on an album that was recorded in Sarasota, Florida by Ed Kinder, and in Glen Ridge, New Jersey by Dave Gross. In August that year, the combination toured the East Coast undertaking 28 shows in 26 days.[2]
Teaching blues harmonica playing has been part of Gruenling’s passion, and he has assisted at workshops and conventions including Jon Gindick‘s Harmonica Jam Camps, David Barrett‘s Harmonica Masterclass, and Joe Filisko‘s class at the Old Town School of Folk Music.[7] He also undertakes private lessons both online and locally.[8] He has participated in other projects such as David Malachowski & the Woodstock All-Stars.[7]
In 2010, the History of the Blues Harmonica Concert featuring David Barrett, Joe Filisko, Kinya Pollard, John Garcia, Rusty Zinn, and Gruenling was another Back Bender Records release. As a hobby, Gruenling collects and trades vintage harp microphones.[8]
Gruenling featuring Doug Deming & the Jewel Tones played at the 2014 Bradenton Blues Festival.[16]
His album, Ready or Not (2016), is Gruenling’s first with all original material, and follows a three year long touring schedule.[17]
His 2019 joint recording with Nick Moss, Luck Guy!, was chosen as a ‘Favorite Blues Album’ by AllMusic.[18] In May 2020, the Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling won two Blues Music Awards for ‘Band of the Year’ and ‘Traditional Blues Album of the Year’ for Lucky Guy!.
