Steve Messick

Steve Messick is a bassist, composer, producer, and bandleader based in Seattle, Washington.

Steve is the founder and bandleader of the Endemic Ensemble, which has been performing original modern mainstream jazz at clubs in the Seattle area since 2010. The Endemic Ensemble’s debut album, Lunar, made Lucid Culture's "The 20 Best Jazz Albums of 2012." Steve also co-founded the Random Access Quartet in 2013 and the New Bop Brigade in 2002.

Steve has been co-principal double bass for Orchestra Seattle / Seattle Chamber Singers since 2011, and has been a member of the bass section since 1999. Steve has also performed with the Lake Union Civic Orchestra, Seattle Chinese Orchestra, Cascade Symphony, Northwest Mahler Festival, and Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society.

Steve is the owner of Opus Funkus Music, an independent jazz record label and music publisher.

Tags

Steve Messick bass, acoustic bass, electric Seattle Jazz Scene

Album Review

Endemic Ensemble: Tangled by Paul Rauch
Tangled by Jack Bowers

Messick's resonant bass seals any gaps (Jack Bowers, All About Jazz)

Enter Steve Messick on his double bass, calming the moment with tonal security and his big bass sound. (Dee Dee McNeil, Musicalmemoirs's Blog)

Bassist Steve Messick plays with a full-bodied, woody tone and makes every note count (Lucid Culture)

Messick, as the band leader, careens deftly from big band sweep to intimate jazz club swoon (Carol Banks Weber, Examiner.com)

Sounding somewhat like Scott LaFaro, Messick favors a fuzzy, soft tone and straight-ahead arrangements reminiscent of Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers' mid-'60s recordings (Matt Collar, All Music Guide)