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| Memory Lane excerpts |
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| Memory Lane is a quarterly magazine for all lovers of music from a bygone age. Contact them at PO Box 1939, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 3UH, England or on the internet:
Summer 2002 - A Gig To Remember by Noel Webb: The story I am about to relate …concerns the one and only Jimmy Messini, who is perhaps best known as the chord guitarist who played with Nat Gonella’s Georgians and accompanied Al Bowlly as part of a double act shortly before Al’s untimely demise. I had worked a few times with Nat and therefore knew the lovable character Messini – and when I say ‘character’ I really mean it – there was only one JM! There came a day when Jim phoned me and asked if I could do a concert with him at the Colston Hall in Bristol. Although I had played alongside him occasionally this was the first time I had been part of his own band. I accepted the gig after agreeing the money (with difficulty) and was told to be at Paddington Station at 9.30am…. After a few miles I asked Jim if I could see the band book as I wanted to look at the drum parts. I was amazed to hear him say, “What book?” and in the Messini manner I got a slap on the back as he shouted with arms akimbo, “Noel, don’t worry, leave it to James!” I asked one of the boys who worked with him before whether he was kidding and was told, “No way, there are no dots and we always get by.” We arrived at the hall; I set up my kit and went out for a bite to eat. I remember saying to some of the others that I could not understand a band of that size, around twelve, giving a Sunday concert and having no idea of what they were doing. Again I was reassured and was told that there was only one Messini, that it was always the same and that they always got by. The first concert was at 2pm and when we arrived at the hall the place was crammed to capacity. I thought to myself “Oh God, what is going to happen?” The stage had no curtain so we had to walk on and take our places. The applause was something else and when Jimmy walked on it was even greater. Feeling certain it was going to be a disaster I just wanted to hide behind my bass drum. However, Jim bowed to the audience, turned to the band and shouted Sweet Sue, counted us in and off we went. I have never wanted so much for the ground to open up and swallow me. I could not believe what was happening. The rest of the band did not turn a hair and we went right through the concert the same way and pulled the house down. The evening concert was just the same. I had worked with Ambrose, Lew Stone, Carroll Gibbons and the Blue Rockets but had never experienced anything like that concert with Messini – it was an absolute classic! A couple of weeks later Jim phoned and asked me if I could do a concert with him in Plymouth. I told him I was working, but have no doubt that the Messini charm worked a treat down there as well. |
 Nat Gonella's Georgians (mid 1930's) Jimmy Mesene played guitar and sang with the Georgian's 1935-37 Winter 2001 – Al Bowlly As A Musician by Ray Pallett: Towards the end of his career, Al teamed up with Jimmy Mesene for the double act “The Radio Stars with Two Guitars”. Can we glean anything about Al’s ability on the guitar from listening to the four records they made? Jimmy Mesene was regarded as a good guitarist. I therefore lean to the view that the good guitar playing heard on these records, especially the short “rock” solo in When that man is dead and gone was probably the work of Mesene. If one assumes that it is Mesene who plays guitar when Al sings and vice versa, there is some reasonable guitar work accompanying Jimmy Mesene when he sings I’m stepping out with a memory tonight and Nicky the Greek has gone. Please have a look around the site and see whether you have any information that we might like to add: Front page... Biographical notes and recollections... Book excerpts... Known pen names... Songs written by... Discography - alphabetically... Discography - chronologically... What Jimmy means to me... Gallery... Contact us... |