Jesse Samsel: Legacy Artist Profile

By Paula Bunion

Lightning In A Bottle records artist, Jesse Samsel, has had an impressive career as a professional musician. Jesse spent many years playing with the late, great Terry Evans.

Here is the scoop on how they met:

Jesse was with Pacific Talent back in the 1990's. Pacific Talent made sure the guys were working so they could get their commission and sometimes that would lead to quickly forming a new band. Jesse was put in a top 40 band for a 2 week run in Pendleton, OR. The band leader, Wayne Bays, was a friend of Ken "Willie" Scandlyn. (Willie plays with the Shemekia Copeland Band currently). When the 2 week run was up, Wayne asked Jesse if he would like to go to Tillamook OR to play with him and Willie. Willie and Jesse hit it off immediately.

Here is the rest of the story in Jesse's own words: 

"Willie invited me to his jam at the Cascade Tavern and soon was asking me if I wanted to audition for the Bobby King and Terry Evans tour coming up to support their new album. I won the spot filling Buzzy Fieton's parts and spent the next two years touring with them. When Terry went solo, he asked if Willie and I would stay with him while he pursued his solo career. After 5 years, we got to record "Puttin It Down" with him, Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner and a host of others. After that, I recorded and toured on the next 3 Terry Evans albums with the LA group. "Come To The River", "Walk That Walk", "Mississippi Magic" as well as two live albums "Live In Europe" and "Live Like a Hurricane" and finally his "Anthology Album". We had a 30 year working friendship together and I miss him everyday."

Jesse is currently putting a band together on the North Oregon Coast, where he resides, and he is writing new original songs. Jesse also mentors young LIABr artists, guiding the next generation of blues artists.

 Jesse has a YouTube channel and he frequently plays around Portland OR with a host of quality players.

You can find Jesse on FaceBook and YouTube. Give him a like and a follow. 

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