Michael Messer's Mitra - EPK 2026
Thank you Michael, Manish and Gurdain for an incredible evening of music …..Michael Messer's Mitra were truly one of the highlights of the 2023 Masala Festival! - Vikas Kumar MBE - Director of Masala Festival
Mitra is a unique musical trio and a true musical friendship.
A unique fusion of blues slide guitar, Hindustani classical slide guitar and tabla rhythms.
Michael Messer's Mitra - nominated in the 'Best Group of the Year' category in the Songlines Music Awards.
Michael Messer's Mitra (pronounced 'Meetra') is a trio comprising British blues innovator and slide guitarist, Michael Messer, Hindustani slide guitar maestro from Mumbai India, Manish Pingle, and London-based tabla master, Gurdain Singh Rayatt.
This is more than another meeting of musicians from different cultures, this is a band with a successful album and its own unique sound - "an exhilarating and highly accessible fusion of blues and Hindustani classical music" - With vocals, slide guitars and tabla, these three musicians, each at the top of their game create a fascinating musical journey, running from the banks of the Mississippi, via London and Mumbai to the Ganges delta.
The album, Call Of The Blues, released in 2016 was immediately picked up by the blues, folk and world music media, getting worldwide radio airplay and press coverage in more than 50 countries and hitting #1 in the iTunes blues chart. Since the release of the album Michael Messer's Mitra have done seven successful UK tours, including shows at London's Bush Hall and Green Note. Festivals include Musicport, Shambala, Red Rooster, Shrewsbury Folk, Upton Blues, Swaledale, Lugano Blues To Bop, Great British R&B and many of the UK's leading venues.
Call Of The Blues is still getting played worldwide on radio and in the UK on the BBC, including repeated airplay and a live session on "Cerys Matthews Blues Show" BBC Radio 2, "Cerys Matthews World Music" on BBC Radio 6Music and repeated airplay on "The Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe" BBC Radio 2. Also regular airplay and live sessions on Jazz FM David Freeman Blues Show. 2019 UK tour dates included sell out shows at many leading venues and two appearances at premier roots music event, Shrewsbury Folk Festival "One of the highlights of Shrewsbury Folk Festival!" John Hocking
eFestivals review RED ROOSTER FESTIVAL 2023 ....Things got even better when Michael Messer’s Mitra took to the stage, mashing up Western and Hindustani sounds to truly mesmerising effect. Easily one of the best performances of the weekend, or indeed any weekend!
“Thank you Michael, Manish and Gurdain for an incredible evening of music…..Michael Messer's Mitra were truly one of the highlights of the 2023 Masala Festival!!”
Vikas Kumar MBE - Director of Masala Festival & GemArts
JJ Cale Facebook page. With thanks to Christine Lakeland & Mike Kappus
#7 - Ted Gioia's 100 USA Best Albums - 2016
#1 - iTunes Blues Chart - February 2016
#1 - World Music Network Chart - April/May 2016
#1 - IBBA Chart - February 2016
#6 - IBBA Albums of the Year 2016
#10 - Transglobal World Music Chart - April 2016
#4 - Argonauta - Best World Music Albums of 2016
fRoots Playlist Top 10 - January/February/March 2016
Songlines 'Top Of The World' Top 10 - April 2016
Blues Matters Top 10 - February 2016
Guitarist Magazine 'Album Of The Year' - 2016
Call Of The Blues reviews
"MAGNIFICENT INDIAN BLUES ....Call Of The Blues is a remarkable fusion of country blues with Hindustani music, showcasing the splendour of the slide guitar and the talent of three extraordinary musicians".
Angel Romero World Music Central
“The most exciting and creative blues innovation I have heard in years!”
David Freeman Jazz FM
"The trio spent two days in the studio recording this quite superb album. Messer’s regular blues repertoire is the source of much of the material – but they’re transformed by the Indian musicians, as the dark, droning mojo of the Delta is lent additional mystery by the layers of raga-like atmospheric ambience. Best of all is ‘Bhupali Blues’, in which the exchange works in the opposite direction, with Messer’s bottleneck blues tropes blending seamlessly into the structure of a traditional raga as the two guitarists exchange licks with scintillating panache".
Nigel Williamson Songlines
"There's nothing I Like more than a meeting of musical minds where you can't hear the joins, and that is absolutely what we've got here. Messer is rare amongst Brit bluesniks, in that he possesses a real feel for the music and yet gives it his own personal stamp. This is an acoustic blues album that takes the music right back to the deltas; Mississippi and Ganges". Jamie Renton fRoots
"...Not since the Beatles teamed up with Ravi Shankar back in the day has there been such an experimental and inspired meeting of musical cultures. I've no doubt this album is going to be internationally lauded for both its musicianship and Messer's stunning vision".
Iain Patience Music News USA
"Filled With Eastern Spice and Magic. Every note is blues that shimmer like sari silk. This album is a success due to the melodious delivery of the lyrics from Michael, plus the grounding of his guitar skills keeping the blues rooted in the soul. The tabla and Mohan veena add texture, tone and twists in the beat and cadences of the blues. Call of The Blues is a mighty voice" - 10 out of 10.
Liz Aiken Bluesdoodles
Call Of The Blues on the radio
Call Of The Blues has had radio airplay in more than 50 countries. Eight years after its release Call Of The Blues is still getting regular radio airplay all over the world, here are a few...
BBC Radio 2 - Cerys Matthews Blues Show, UK (repeated airplay & live session)
BBC Radio 2 - Mark Radcliffe The Folk Show, UK (repeated airplay)
BBC Radio 2 - Paul Jones Rhythm & Blues Show, UK
BBC Radio 3 - Max Reinhardt Late Junction, UK
BBC Radio 6Music - Cerys Matthews World Music Show (repeated airplay)
Jazz FM - David Freeman Show, UK (3 live sessions / repeated airplay)
ALBUM OF THE WEEK - KCOR Kansas City Online Radio, USA
ALBUM OF THE WEEK - Rootsworld Radio, USA
ALBUM OF THE WEEK - World Fusion Chicago, USA
ALBUM OF THE WEEK - Willi Klopottek, Mondophon Auf Radio, LU
ALBUM OF THE WEEK - André Rhéaume, Canada
ALBUM OF THE WEEK - Elena Wolay Sverige Radio, Sweden
ALBUM OF THE WEEK - Lauri 'Arno' Ankerman, Lähiradio, Finland
ALBUM OF THE MONTH - IBBA (Independent Blues Broadcasters)
ALBUM OF THE MONTH - Chris Heim Global Village Radio, USA
ALBUM OF THE MONTH - Mundofonias, Spain
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Download Call Of The Blues mp3 album