Guitar, Bass, Jazz, Funk
2025. Album by Andrew Winn (Click the album for more)
"I am so incredibly proud to have worked with Andrew Winn on the title track from his new album, Backside of The Hill! An epic adventure about a minstrel and his lifelong cohort, this song is a tour deforce of guitaristic mastery and orchestral exuberance. Like nothing else I’ve heard him create, Backside marks new path for Andrew and is the perfect opener for what is proving to be a poignant collection of heartfelt compositions. With him on this documented journey are multi-instrumentalist, Brian Mesko, myself on drums and percussion, Curtis Fye engineering and mastering, and this amazing ensemble, conducted by Trey Pollard."
2024
Based in Roanoke, Virginia, this is the region’s sole Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble. They exemplify top-tier musicianship and a dedication to cultural diversity, akin to the legendary collaboration of artists from Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Panama during the vibrant Latin-jazz era of the 1960s. Jstop Latin Soul keeps the essence of Afro-Cuban rhythms alive, skillfully blending them with American jazz and soul. Their performances offer a fresh and innovative take on this historically significant and culturally rich genre of music. (Click the album for more)
2019
Drummer leads band of nationally known artists on keys, bass, trumpet and guitar playing instrumental jazz fusion. See press for more info on this album. (Click the album for more)
"The call and response between Taylor and Mesko are interactive and brings in the element of the blues. The harmony is based in a vamp setting, but the players enrich the sounds with their juxtaposition of various progressions and harmonic colors over the simple yet meaningful progression. Mesko’s funky rhythm part supports Taylor’s solo. Mesko brings in the elements of blues and fusion with his distorted guitar tone and emotional bends. This band has deep pockets and an exuberance of grooving freely."
– The Jazz Word
2019
Bobby Read's latest album, "Our Brief Span of Time," is inspired by the great rock/artrock/pop recordings of the 60's-90's, with 11 new vocal songs produced in classic style. Featuring Brian Mesko, Aaron Evans, Tim Tanner, Randy Johnston, Rusty Speidel, Bill Kotapish, and Stuart Gunter. (Click the album for more)
2019
Brian's guitar work is featured on the newest album by singer/composer Emily Bezar. The album also features Viktor Krauss, Scott Amendola, Nathan Brown, Andrew Waldeck, and Michael Ross.
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“Bezar is a genre unto herself.”
“Like encountering Kate Bush jamming with King Crimson”
– The Wire
“Haunting art-rock. Beautifully synthesizes elements of new music, jazz and pop.”
“An M.C. Escher in sound. There’s enough importance here to keep the serious, open-eared listener busy for years.”
“This is mature, intelligent, beautiful music, deserving of a place in the music library of anyone with a mind and a soul.”
2016
With original songs that pull from both prog rock and fusion influences, The Danktet finds Mesko teaming up with Forrest Young (The Emergency Drummer) on drums and Dane Alderson (The Yellowjackets) on bass. Jonah Kane West sits in on organ for the opening cut, "Yoya," a composition Brian wrote for this album.
(Click the album for more)​
2014
Robert Jospe's double CD features his trio with ButchTaylor and Dane Alderson, with the addition of Brian Mesko's guitar work on the entirety of disc 2. (Click the album for more)
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Jospé has been featured in JazzTimes Magazine and in Modern Drummer Magazine, UVAMagazine.org, and The Savvy Musician. Jospé was awarded the Artist, Educator of the Year, by the Charlottesville Jazz Society in 2012.
2014
Deeply rooted in funk and R&B grooves, this original music project joins Mesko with Dusty Ray Simmons (Cris Jacobs Band, DJ Williams) on drums and Brian Mahne (DJ Williams, VCU Jazz Orchestra) on keys. Guests include Marcus Tenney (Butcher Brown) on trumpet and sax, and Suzi Fischer (Thorp Jenson, John D'earth) on saxes and flute.
(Click the album for more)