RIDGEFIELD - Jim Messina's musical legacy spans five decades, three acclaimed rock super groups, a vibrant solo career, and a dizzying range of game-changing producing and engineering credits from The Doors psychedelia to jazz-pop pioneer Herb Alpert.Under a Mojito Moon.In the Groove, is poised for release later this month. On it he partners with long-time colleague and former Poco front-man Rusty Young.The Newtown Bee that he will be marketing In the Groove in two unique ways - very much in line with his desire to remain both relevant on stage and as a trendsetter in keeping the Jim Messina brand relevant to today's music consumers, as well as his tried and true fans.Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina - Sittin' In.Legacy, and two highly successful reunion tours for Loggins & Messina in 2005 and 2009.The Bee, Messina was eager to chat about his new project.Newtown Bee: I'm really excited to chat and to get a chance to see you on your solo tour. I have to say that one of my all-time favorite live tracks is the "Vahevala" side of your 1974 On Stage album.Jim Messina: (laughing) Well you're in luck because I've got another live album about to come out.Bee: I have to believe you've talked enough about your Loggins & Messina days, and all your success with Poco and Buffalo Springfield, so let's get right into talking about your new project.Messina: I recorded the show I did last September at the (California) Clark Center for the Performing Arts and the next night at the Lobero Theater in Santa Barbara. It's an album that defines a portion of my career. There were a few songs I wanted to start adding to my live set, and I have a new agent who doesn't want to disregard any of my past hits, so I thought I'd put together an album I could tour on and that the fans would appreciate.Bee: Tell me more.Messina: Well, the album is called In The Groove, with special guest Rusty Young. So we decided to record these live shows and originally Rusty envisioned himself as my opening act. But this guy was part of my history and part of my family, so I created a set so Rusty can join me after about three or four numbers. Then he's featured on most of the rest of the album.Bee: Are there any new Jim Messina songs on it, or is this more of a live retrospective of previous work?Messina: The chronology is a new song I wrote for my wife called "Under a Mojito Moon," and we've never performed it live. And I'm also doing a Loggins & Messina song called "Keep Me In Mind" which I wrote for Larry Simms to sing. Since I never sang the song, I though people might like to hear how it would sound if I had done it. And there's a song called "Whispering Waters," from one of my Warner Brothers solo albums.Bee: So it's not just a retrospective of hits, but it has some special never before heard content as well.Messina: One of the things my agents keeps telling me is that in many ways you're a new artist to a lot of people, but to the people who would love to see you, you need to have something out that they recognize. And I've always been a great believer in doing the arrangements in a way that are very loyal to the original recording. So it gives the audience that has known me to hear some of the former stuff dine differently and sung differently in some cases. It's a retrospective of my career - Poco, Buffalo Springfield and Loggins & Messina. It gives people a sense of who I am, where I came from, what I'm doing today - and I'm not venturing too far off the path of familiarity.Bee: I guess it also taps into a period where you were still selling a lot of records.Messina: One of those things I've come to terms with is after around 1979 1980, the music situation really became a lot less about the artist, and more about how the producer put together the tracks - it was mostly disco music and such by then - and the one thing that is difficult to do is drill into the concept that if the record doesn't sell it means it was a loser. Over the years I've come to realize that it's simply not true. Who I am as an artist and whether or not I write something that's become a huge success or doesnt, you know John, I wouldn't have done anything differently.Bee: Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you'r artistry is diverse - you work in music, you work in computers, production, you work in metal and I understand you're quite talented as a wood crafter.Messina: That's really true and I started realizing if there's a demand out there for me to perform, give them the creations that I've done in a form that I can afford, and in a way that excites me. You make an excellent point, though - I'm working on a bunch of Adirondack furniture right now and I'm just about finished. As soon as they're done and I paint them, somebody may walk over and tell me they're into more modern stuff and walk away. So what do I do, look at the chair and say that's a piece of crap? (laughing) Or do I say that's a great Adirondack chair. So I decided who I am and what I am about is putting the best set together that i can, to formulate it and project it, and surround myself with good players who enjoy playing it. And I am working with some wonderful musicians who I really enjoy being on stage with who are not egotists or obsessive compulsive.Bee: So how are you making In The Groove project available to the world?Messina: Well I woke up one day last year and decided to go out and get a new computer. And I noticed that they don't have CD slots anymore - just usb drives. So I've decided to put it out as an old school LP on vinyl, and along with it a digital flash drive that is the size of a credit card that has the mp3 files of every song on the album recorded right off the masters for the LP. Then there's a folder containing all the artwork, the lyrics, a photo album, a techie folder with my live inputs and stage plots, my guitar tuning list and our original setlist from the show where we recorded the album. I wanted to come up with something that has value, along with more than something you can get on a normal CD. If you get everything off it, you can erase it and you've got an extra 8 gig hard drive that fits in your wallet like a credit card. And if you register the serial number, you bring it to a concert and get merch discounts, priority entry to my meet and greets, you can also get notices from me by e-mail about things going on, and other exclusive discounts on my merchandise. Even if they erased it and stored some other data on it they can still bring it to concerts because once your registered, you can still get discounts and benefits at the live shows.Bee: It's amazing how much complex thought you've put into that one little wallet disc.Messina: (laughing) I know, it's like my partner Kenny Loggins who thinks up everything all the time. He's very right-brained, while I compartmentalize and chronologize everything. I think about the songs and the musicians, and how much it's going to cost, and who's going to play on it. I'm so methodical it really sucks sometimes, but at the end of it all I'm much more calm starting a project when I know what the end is going to look like.Bee: Tell me about your touring band and set.Messina; I do a few acoustic solo songs, "Changes," "Angry Eyes," a really nice rendition of "You Need a Man," "Country Song/Holiday Hotel," "Be Free." I've got George Hawkins on the tour, he's played with Kenny and Loggins & Messina. I have Craig Thomas on horns and woodwinds - he's worked with me since 1979. Gary Oleyar, who was with me back in '92 and '93 - he's a great violinist and singer. And I'm bringing a new young drummer out named Jesse Siebenberg, his dad was with Supertramp. He's a great drummer but a better slide player, singer/songwriter and producer. He's one of these guys I love to hate because he's so talented!Tickets for the Jim Messina set July 15 range from $44 to $59.click here or call 203-438-5795.

Over more than a half-century in the music business, Messina amassed a string of beloved and still vibrantly popular hits with partner Kenny Loggins, including "Angry Eyes," "Your Mama Don't Dance," "Danny's Song," and "House at Pooh Corner."

As half of Loggins & Messina, co-founder of the country-rock band Poco, member and key contributor to Buffalo Springfield, Messina has left an indelible footprint on popular music. And his work producing, engineering, and songwriting/arranging most of the Loggins & Messina, Poco, and Buffalo Springfield projects resulted in the combined acts selling more than 20 million albums.

Now, audiences in Connecticut have two opportunities to "sit in" and enjoy many of Messina's classic creations along with a sampling of his current work, including a wonderful Flamenco guitar backed track inspired by his wife, Michaela, from his 2009 studio project

Messina's latest project, a finely crafted and produced live album called

While the material on it is well worth acquiring, the artist also revealed in an advance chat with

"I've decided to put it out as an old school LP on vinyl, and along with it a digital flash drive that is the size of a credit card that has the mp3 files of every song on the album recorded right off the masters for the LP," Messina explained.

Fans can get their hands on this innovative new product when The Ridgefield Playhouse brings in Messina and his band Saturday, July 16, at 8 pm. He is also headlining Norfolk's Infinity Music Hall & Bistro at 8 pm, one night earlier.

His bio relates that Messina's star began rising in the late-1960s, when he was the recording engineer/producer/bass player for Buffalo Springfield featuring Stephen Stills, Neil Young, and Richie Furay. After Buffalo Springfield disbanded in 1968, Messina co-founded Poco with Richie Furay and Rusty Young, one of the original and most influential country/rock bands.

In Poco, Messina switched to playing lead guitar, and the band went on to define a new musical genre that came to be known as country-rock. After two studio and one live album with Poco, Messina chose to leave the group and devote his time to record producing.

That fateful decision led to his 1971 collaboration with newcomer Kenny Loggins, and the resulting duo, Loggins & Messina, which went on to record nine albums over a period of seven years, beginning with

Loggins & Messina eventually went on to surpass 16 million in record sales.

During the 1980s, Messina released three solo albums, as well as recording and touring with the original Poco for its 1989 reunion album

Connecticut audiences will get to see his new band, and hear selected hits from all three of his past bands, as well as some new material. In an exclusive interview with

Norfolk's Infinity Music Hall & Bistro is at 20 Greenwoods Road West.

For tickets to Jim Messina's July 16 Ridgefield Playhouse show ($42.50),

Jim Messina provides an extended preview of what Connecticut fans will see when he arrives for two gigs - July 15 at Infinity Hall in Norfolk, and July 16 at The Ridgefield Playhouse:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDl67f4idVw

Loggins & Messina perform "Angy Eyes" during their last reunion tour in 2005:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFM-VaUO_CE

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