Brian Mesko was born into a family of musicians, and raised in Little Rock, AR, Mesko began piano lessons at age 8, moving to guitar at age 10. By 12 he was playing drums, and he picked up the bass at age 14.
As a teen Brian was gigging professionally, and even played drums on a short tour in Turkey at age 18. While still in high school he studied Jazz Theory & Ensemble at UALR under Michael Carenbauer (who studied under Pat Metheny at Berklee). Taking these credits on to MTSU, Brian completed a bachelor’s degree in Recording Industry. Mesko lived in the Nashville area from 1997 – 2005 and played with such international jazz greats as Les McCann, Tony Monaco, Dr. Lonnie Smith, John Jorgensen and Jeff Coffin.
After moving to central Virginia in 2005, Brian has been privileged to work with such jazz artists as Robert Jospe, Butch Taylor, Dane Alderson, John D’earth, Bobby Read, Charles Owens, Jonah Kane-West, Liz Barnes, any many more.
Brian formed The Rootdowns organ trio with members of Butcher Brown, DJ Williams Projekt, The Big Payback, and Skydog, and they released their debut album, "Songs With Friends" in 2013. In 2015 he started The Danktet, an instrumental trio whose collective influences create a unique blend of jazz, funk, rock, pop, reggae, blues, and R&B. With Australian native Dane Alderson of the Yellow Jackets on bass, and multi-instrumentalist and visual artist Forrest Young on drums, they released their first album, "One Thing Right" in 2016.
Aside from his own original projects, Brian has since joined several local projects, playing guitar and/or bass with the Robert Jospe Express, Lenny Marcus, Terry Brown Ascension Project, The Ambassador, Mojo Parker, Melissa and the Growlers, The Meskos Electric Revue, Jstop Latin Soul and Andrew Winn.
Brian currently resides with his wife and son in Roanoke, VA working as a session player, performer, and guitar professor/ensemble director at the University of Lynchburg.
Tim Martin started his solo career at the ripe age of 16 playing every Friday and Saturday evening at a restaurant called the Olde Tinker Mill Inn. It was a formal dining area upstairs with a pizza and beer meeting place downstairs. He would play for the diners upstairs during dinner then move downstairs for the later, livelier crowd. Building a song list of artists such as James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, CSN&Y, Eagles, and originals he developed his style. Getting paid 15 dollars a night and free pizza seemed like a good deal to the teenaged Tim. What this job did was help him learn how to be comfortable and entertaining on stage and find what kind of tunes worked with different audiences.
42 years later he is still going strong as ever. Tim has played and still works in clubs, resorts, festivals, concerts, and private functions across southwest Virginia such as The Hotel Roanoke, Wintergreen Resort, Primeland Resort, Snowshow, Greenbrier, Homestead and more. He plays local Roanoke clubs such as The Quarter, Awful Arthurs, Annie Moore’s Tavern, Brambleton Deli and more. He has shared the stage and opened for artist such as Savoy Brown, Vern Gosdin, Jonathan Edwards, Ted Nugent, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Little River Band, Southern Culture on The Skids and more. He has released two albums over the years. Real Life Dreamers in 1992 with his duo partner Mark Wilbourn and Wishes in 2000, both all original songs written by Tim.