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Photo: Lionel FLUSIN/Gamma-Rapho/Daniel Knighton/Getty Images
Tom Misch reminisced about his performance at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival, when one of his biggest idols joined him on stage.
In 2019, Mish, a legendary neo-soul, jazz-funk, and hip-hop artist, joined the Crossroads Festival lineup alongside legendary guitarists such as Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Albert Lee, Jeff Beck, Marcus King, Gary Clark Jr., and many more.
Among the other participants was John Mayer, who at the very last minute offered to play with Mish during his performance.
«"It was crazy. It was Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival, I think it was just before COVID," Mish recalls in a new interview. Guitar World . "First of all, I thought, 'Eric Clapton invited me, this is incredible. He knows who I am!'"«
«"Then, on my way there, I got a text from John Mayer: 'Do you need help on set?' I just couldn't believe it. I hadn't spoken to him before, and he contacted me. I was so excited.".
For Misha, Meyer's appeal was a huge event, since he called the guitarist Continuum one of the key sources of inspiration for his guitar playing. To this day, Mish plays John Mayer's signature Fender Stratocaster.
He continues: "I just couldn't believe it. I knew he was going to come on stage during my set. It was a great lineup—Youssef Deyes on drums and Rocco Palladino on bass, and we played a couple of my songs.".
«"I think it was a pretty short set—we had about 20 minutes. I remember John came into the room half an hour before the show to just jam. He was really tall. And obviously really energetic. He walked into the room and literally threw his hands up in the air. He's a really nice guy, really complimentary about everyone.".
It was an incredible experience for Misha, but it didn't end there. Not only did he get the chance to play with Mayer, but his idol also made a unique observation about his own game that completely changed his outlook on life.
«"I remember he pointed out something interesting to me," Mish recalls. "He said I played very laterally, not horizontally. I'd never noticed it before, but I've thought about it a lot since then. If I play a scale, I move up the fretboard, not across the strings.".
Later, in 2020, they performed together on NPR's Tiny Desk, but haven't collaborated since. If Mish gets his way, more joint appearances may follow.
«"I think it will happen," he says. "I want to find the right project to ask him if he wants to participate. I think he'll be up for it.".
Tom Misch's full interview for Guitar World magazine will be published soon.
Next week, Mish will embark on an EU tour, kicking off with a concert in Amsterdam on June 8th. A full list of dates can be found on Tom Mish's website.