Nick Moss
Encyclopedia
Nick Moss is an American
Chicago
and electric
blues
musician
. He has released eight album
s to date, all on his own Blue Bella Records label
. He has played alongside or with Buddy Scott
, Jimmy Dawkins
, Jimmy Rogers
and The Legendary Blues Band
; as well as more latterly fronting his own group, Nick Moss and the Flip Tops. The music journalist
Bill Dahl, stated Moss possesses "mastery of the classic Chicago sound."
, and joined Buddy Scott
's backing band in his late teens. He played there for two years before moving on to join up with Jimmy Dawkins
. By 1993, he had joined The Legendary Blues Band
, and played bass on their final album, Money Talks. 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.
Moss moved on to play as Jimmy Rogers
' band guitarist for another three years, before going solo
. His debut album First Offence (re-released in 2003) was billed as by Nick Moss and the Flip Tops, and included a guest appearance from the harmonica playing Lynwood Slim
. His next two offerings, Got a New Plan (2001) and Count Your Blessings (2003) were both nominated for a W. C. Handy Award, as were the follow-ups Sadie Mae (2005) and Live at Chan's (2006).
Nick Moss and the Flip Tops have recorded two live album
s at Chan's, a Rhode Island
club
. The latter included the harp work of Gerry Hundt
. Moss and the Flip Tops played at Memphis in May
, and the Ottawa Blues Festival in 2008. The same year Moss produced
Magic Slim
's album, Midnight Blues.
Moss's eighth album, Privileged, was released on March 16, 2010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Chicago
Chicago blues
The Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois, by taking the basic acoustic guitar and harmonica-based Delta blues, making the harmonica louder with a microphone and an instrument amplifier, and adding electrically amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums,...
and electric
Electric blues
Electric blues is a type of blues music distinguished by the amplification of the guitar, bass guitar, drums, and often the harmonica. Pioneered in the 1930s, it emerged as a genre in Chicago in the 1940s. It was taken up in many areas of America leading to the development of regional subgenres...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He has released eight album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s to date, all on his own Blue Bella Records label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. He has played alongside or with Buddy Scott
Buddy Scott
Kenneth "Buddy" Scott was an American blues guitarist.Scott was born in Goodman, Mississippi, Mississippi, and came from a family of Chicago blues musicians. Both of his brothers, vocalist Howard and guitarist Walter, played locally, and his son is Kenneth "Hollywood" Scott. He learned to play...
, Jimmy Dawkins
Jimmy Dawkins
James Henry "Jimmy" Dawkins is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer. He is generally considered a part of the "West Side Sound" of Chicago blues.-Career:...
, Jimmy Rogers
Jimmy Rogers
Jimmy Rogers was an American Chicago blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player, best known for his work as a member of Muddy Waters' band of the 1950s.-Career:...
and The Legendary Blues Band
The Legendary Blues Band
The Legendary Blues Band were an American Chicago blues band, formed in 1980 after the breakup of Muddy Waters' former backing band.-Biography:...
; as well as more latterly fronting his own group, Nick Moss and the Flip Tops. The music journalist
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
Bill Dahl, stated Moss possesses "mastery of the classic Chicago sound."
Biography
Moss originally learned to play the bass guitarBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and joined Buddy Scott
Buddy Scott
Kenneth "Buddy" Scott was an American blues guitarist.Scott was born in Goodman, Mississippi, Mississippi, and came from a family of Chicago blues musicians. Both of his brothers, vocalist Howard and guitarist Walter, played locally, and his son is Kenneth "Hollywood" Scott. He learned to play...
's backing band in his late teens. He played there for two years before moving on to join up with Jimmy Dawkins
Jimmy Dawkins
James Henry "Jimmy" Dawkins is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer. He is generally considered a part of the "West Side Sound" of Chicago blues.-Career:...
. By 1993, he had joined The Legendary Blues Band
The Legendary Blues Band
The Legendary Blues Band were an American Chicago blues band, formed in 1980 after the breakup of Muddy Waters' former backing band.-Biography:...
, and played bass on their final album, Money Talks. The band's frontman, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, suggested Moss should switch to lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
and he spent over two years there before they split up.
Moss moved on to play as Jimmy Rogers
Jimmy Rogers
Jimmy Rogers was an American Chicago blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player, best known for his work as a member of Muddy Waters' band of the 1950s.-Career:...
' band guitarist for another three years, before going solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
. His debut album First Offence (re-released in 2003) was billed as by Nick Moss and the Flip Tops, and included a guest appearance from the harmonica playing Lynwood Slim
Lynwood Slim
Lynwood Slim is an American blues harmonica player and singer.- Biography :...
. His next two offerings, Got a New Plan (2001) and Count Your Blessings (2003) were both nominated for a W. C. Handy Award, as were the follow-ups Sadie Mae (2005) and Live at Chan's (2006).
Nick Moss and the Flip Tops have recorded two live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
s at Chan's, a Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
club
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
. The latter included the harp work of Gerry Hundt
Gerry Hundt
Gerry Hundt is an American Chicago blues musician and multi-instrumentalist. His favoured instrument is the mandolin...
. Moss and the Flip Tops played at Memphis in May
Memphis in May
Memphis in May is a month long festival held in Memphis, Tennessee. The festival itself is split into four main events: The Beale Street Music Festival, the kick-off event which showcases a mix of local and national music acts, International Week, a group of events dedicated to the country that is...
, and the Ottawa Blues Festival in 2008. The same year Moss produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Magic Slim
Magic Slim
Magic Slim is an American blues singer and guitarist.-Biography:Magic Slim was forced to give up playing the piano when he lost his little finger in a cotton gin mishap. He moved first to nearby Grenada. He first came to Chicago in 1955 with his friend and mentor Magic Sam...
's album, Midnight Blues.
Moss's eighth album, Privileged, was released on March 16, 2010.
Discography
- First Offense (2000; re-released 2003)
- Got a New Plan (2001)
- Count Your Blessings (2003)
- Sadie Mae (2005)
- Live at Chan's (2006)
- Play It 'Til Tomorrow (2007)
- Live at Chan's, Combo Platter No. 2 (2009)
- Privileged (2010)