Musicians

 

ANDY BASSFORD – guitars

Andy has performed or recorded with nearly every major reggae artist and producer of the classic era.   The thousands of sessions he has played on include 9 Grammy nominated albums and 3 winners in the reggae category – Sting & Shaggy “44/876”. Andy not only played guitar on 4 songs, he also co-wrote the songs he played on. “True Love” with Toots and the Maytals (with Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, and Trey Anastasio of Phish) and “Jah Is Real” with Burning Spear.  Other recordings include Rihanna, Natalie Merchant, and Monty Alexander and the Harlem-Kingston Express, During his 5 years in Jamaica he was lead guitarist for Lloyd Parks & We The People. He toured with Dennis Brown 8 years, Yellowman for 2 years, Toots and the Maytals for 22 years, and Super Cat for a year. He was also house guitarist for Coxsone Dodd’s legendary Studio One label for 17 years. Andy received an award from the Jamaica Federation of Musicians in 2003 for Outstanding Contributions to the Development of the Jamaican Music Industry. “As a non-Jamaican, to have my peers in the JFM honor me like this still amazes me.”

BILLY MESSINETTI – drums & producer

Billy was a founding member and principal songwriter for the 80s rock band Shelter (Polygram Records).  The band’s album was re-released in 2018 on Rock Candy Records in London. He’s done studio work with Isley Jasper Islely, Bob Welch (Fleetwood Mac), Rick Wakeman (Yes), Carmine Rojas (Bowie), The Suits with Kathleen Turner, Paul Shaffer, Elliot Randall (Steely Dan), Lenny Pickett (SNL band), George McCrae and Brass Construction.  As musical director, Billy has appeared on The Morning Show (FOX-TV), Happy Hour (Fox Business Network) and LIVE with Regis & Kelly, leading Central Park Orchestra.  He produced a series of drum and percussion performance disks for Beatboy Drum Sequences featuring Nigel Olsson (Elton John), Ramon Yslas (Chicago), Richie Gajate Garcia (Phil Collins), Eddie Bayers (legendary Nashville drummer) and Rod Morgenstein (Winger/Dixie Dregs).

DAVID FRANK – keyboards

Keyboardist/composer/producer/arranger David Frank is known as the founding father of electronic pop/R&B and half of the pioneering synth duo The System. Known for their innovative hits “You Are In My System” and the number one R&B/number three pop classic “Don’t Disturb This Groove”. Frank’s post-System success includes songwriting/production/performance on Christina Aguilera’s multi-platinum single,”Genie In A Bottle”. His resume’ lists Phil Collins (Sussudio), Steve Winwood (Back in the High Life), Chaka Khan (I Feel For You) , Eric Clapton, Michael McDonald, Mick Jagger, James Morrison, The Pussycat Dolls, Jordin Sparks, Annie Lennox, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Phoebe Snow, Robert Palmer and many more. 

DON HARRIS – trumpet & arranger

He performed with The Allman Brothers Band as part of The Juke Horns for the last 4 years the Allman Brothers played at the Beacon Theater.  Don’s work includes American Idol’s Melinda Doolittle’s debut CD, horn arrangements on Yankee Great Bernie Williams’ Grammy nominated record “Moving Forward”, a 2010 Grammy nomination for arranging and performing on an album by Spyro-Gyra.  American Idol hired Don to do arrangements for their contestants.  Don has performed in Japan and Europe at Montreux Jazz and many other festivals as part of the band Chic with Nile Rodgers. Don has performed or recorded with James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Joss Stone, Lynard Skynard, Stevie Wonder, Wynton & Branford Marsalis, Michael Bolton, Tower of Power, Bobby Caldwell, Michael McDonald, The Temptations, Celine Dion and The Four Tops.

MIKEY ‘MAO’ CHUNG – guitar

Jamaican musician Mikey ‘Mao’ Chung along with Sly & Robbie, backed Peter Tosh on Mystic Man, Wanted Dread and Alive, and Bush Doctor, playing guitar and synthesizer.  He played for Bob Marley, Lee Perry‘s band The Upsetters and the Compass Point All Stars (Island Records).  He has recorded for Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare on their recordings and played guitar for Black Uhuru.  He has worked with many Jamaican and international artists since, including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Serge Gainsbourg, Bette Midler, Big Mountain, Art Ensemble of Chicago, James Brown, Garnett Silk, Joe Cocker and Sinéad O’Connor.

NEIL JASON – bass

Neil is a New York City studio musician who has played on over 400 albums.  The artist’s he has recorded and toured with are the elite of the music business including John Lennon, The Plastic Ono Band, Hall & Oates, Grace Slick, Diana Ross, David Sanborn, Roxy Music, The Brecker Brothers, Narada Michael Walden, Billy Joel, Cindy Lauper, Gene Simmons and John McLaughlin (we could go on).  Neil recently has been subbing with Paul Shaffer & The CBS Orchestra on David Letterman’s show.

TIM CAPPELLO – saxophone

Timmy has recorded and toured with Tina Turner, Peter Gabriel, Eric Carmen, Carly Simon and Ringo Starr’s All Star Band. From 1984 to 1999 Cappello was a member of Tina Turner’s band.  He starred in Tina Turner’s music video for “We Don’t Need Another Hero,” the title track for the Mel Gibson-Tina Turner film, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. From then on, Cappello acted in several films and television series, including Hearts of Fire (with Bob Dylan), Tap (with Gregory Hines), and The Lost Boys, in which he performed a single from the movie soundtrack. Cappello’s television credits include The Equalizer and Miami Vice. 

DAVE O’DONNELL – mix engineer

Dave is a Grammy-winning Producer-Mixer-Engineer.  Recordings Dave has worked on have been nominated for 18 Grammys and won 9 times!  His credits include the classic “October Road” along with 3 other albums by James Taylor, John Mayer, Eric Clapton, Lyle Lovett, Rod Stewart, Joss Stone, Ray Charles and The Bee Gees.  Dave has been nominated for individual Grammys for Best Engineered Album for his work with John Mayer, Aaron Neville and Deborah Cox.  In 2010 he won a Grammy in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category for the Kurt Elling album, Dedicated To You.

Produced by Billy Messinetti

Arranged and co-produced by Don Harris

Concept (driving force) – Billy Messinetti

Recorded at Skyline Recording Studios – New York, NY – Engineer Rick Perez

Mixed at Germano/The Hit Factory  Studios – New York, NY – Mix Engineer Dave O’Donnell

Assistant Engineer – David Rowland

Mastered at Masterdisk by Matthew Agoglia

NOTE: This band is sometimes referred to as Island Head Musicians or Islandhead musicians.