A singer and songwriter in Phoenix, Arizona, Benjie Messer offers uncensored, catchy musical takes on everything from love to politics and humor to heartbreak. He draws inspiration from irreverent, lyrical geniuses: Randy Newman, Mose Allison, Tom Waits, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. You can find Benjie at open mics and showcases throughout the valley, and he’s working toward recording an album of original songs.

Before he wrote songs and played guitar, Benjie was a longtime trombonist and teacher. He still keeps Phoenix streets funky as the leader of Bad Cactus Brass Band, and keeps Phoenix UU’s singing as the music director at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix. In the past, he played trombone with many bands in Phoenix, led singing at protests (as in the photo above), taught music at local colleges, composed for independent film, and did all kinds of odd musical jobs.