Christian de Mesones "Big New York"
About Christian de Mesones
It’s difficult to imagine all the changes an artist will go through during their career before they become an “accepted” entity in their chosen field. For Christian de Mesones, the journey has been sometimes challenging, always fulfilling, and quite surreal. Christian’s transition from the city that never sleeps to a sleepy, southern town marked the beginning of another stride in a protracted line of remarkable musical evolutions. Affectionately bestowed with the moniker “Big New York” upon his arrival in Virginia (for his stature, personality, and hometown), Christian has truly lived up to the nickname, and he will be the first to tell you that his is an unbelievable story.
Officially, Christian made his professional debut on one of the biggest stages in contemporary jazz at the Capital Jazz Festival in 2006. But if you were to rewind about 20 years, you might be surprised to find a head banging, wanna-be rock star, playing in clubs in New York City. Said de Mesones, “My dream was to make it as a touring heavy metal bassist in a hard rocking, original band. And it almost happened, too! But God had other plans for me.” de Mesones’ first attempt at forming a contemporary jazz project proved to capture lightning in a bottle, and this laid the foundation for successful showcasing of his composing, bass playing, and live performance talents in this genre over the next decade.
Fast forward to March 2020, and de Mesones has just released his debut solo album, “They Call Me Big New York”, when the pandemic shuts everything down. When asked about the impact, de Mesones said, “I’m a composer first, and enjoyed the creative process that yielded these works that I considered to be truly representative of my unique sound. I was so excited to see how the album would be received. The world changed in ways I could never have anticipated, and that was doubly true for artists of all types. But given the circumstances, I was pleased with the success of the album, especially the radio play and charting of my songs “Big Tall Wish,” “Spirit,” and “Latin Jive Redux,” which reached the top 10, 20, and 50 on the Billboard, Media Base and Groove Jazz charts.” To keep himself relevant during this new normal, Christian continued to release singles independently, but could have never anticipated the next chapter of his story.
“I have always believed in the power of composition,” says de Mesones. “One song can change the world. In my case, one of my own compositions forever changed mine.” Christian describes his collaboration with legendary pianist Bob James on his 2021 single “Hispanica” as a “fairytale come true.” Said de Mesones, “It certainly wasn’t what I envisioned for myself all those years ago but had somehow become one of the most meaningful experiences of my career.” The song went on to be Christian’s biggest success to date, going all the way to #1 on Billboard and Allen Kepler’s Smooth Jazz Network.
Fast forward once more to 2024, and de Mesones is preparing to release his sophomore solo album on the That 555 Lyfe label. “Hispanica,” along with other singles released from 2021-2023, have been remixed, remastered, and assembled with new music to form “You Only Live Twice”. When asked about the title and the project, Christian explains, “Besides the obvious metaphors, there’s one that especially resonates with me. After my days of driving a taxi in New York City and living a lifestyle of excess, being surrounded by such loving, supportive friends, family, and fans feels like a rebirth. And my life is so much sweeter the second time around. From sex, drugs, and rock and roll to smooth grooves and funky, Latin soul, my feet are now on solid ground. And I’m here to tell you - it's true: your best life is not in the rear-view mirror.”
You can find de Mesones’ music, photos, videos, EPK, performance schedule, and more at bignybass.com. You don’t want to miss Christian’s dynamic live show, which features a stellar eight to fourteen-piece ensemble (depending upon the venue), comprised of the finest DMV musicians and special guests from around the country.