Greg 'Fingers' Taylor - Harpoon Man

Album: Harpoon Man
Size: 94,9 MB
Time: 40:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1984/1995
Styles: Blues, harmonica blues
Art: Full

1. Harpoon Man (3:41)
2. Let It Rock (2:50)
3. Messin' With The Kid (4:24)
4. Too Late (4:12)
5. Dixie Diner (3:18)
6. Can't Get No Grindin' (3:57)
7. Bad Boy (3:30)
8. Soul Survivor (3:22)
9. Cut That Out (3:24)
10. Judgement Day (4:22)
11. Last Night (3:46)

Greg “Fingers” Taylor (June 3, 1952 – November 23, 2023) was an American harmonica player best known for his work with Jimmy Buffett. Taylor and Buffett met in 1970 when Taylor was a student at the University of Southern Mississippi. Soon after the two met, Taylor joined Larry Raspberry and The Highsteppers. In 1974, Buffett called Taylor to ask him to join the first official Coral Reefer Band. Taylor continued to play in the band until 2000.

Taylor has released five studio albums: Harpoon Man (1984), Chest Pains (1989), New Fingerprints (1992), Old Rock ‘n’ Roller (1996) and Hi Fi Baby (2003). He has also released two compilations: Greatest Hits (1998) and Back to the Blues (2000). Over the years, Buffett has recorded a couple of Taylor’s songs. “Big Rig” was included on Buffett’s 1976 album Havana Daydreamin’ and Taylor and Buffett co-wrote “Miss You So Badly” included on Buffett’s 1977 album Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. Buffett and Taylor also teamed up on “Some White People (Can Dance),” a staple of Taylor’s repertoire. The song was included on Taylor’s 1989 album Chest Pains.

As of 2006, Fingers Taylor was regularly touring with singer/songwriter K.D. Moore. Taylor is featured on Moore’s 2004 live album Live At The Tin Goose Saloon and Moore’s 2006 studio album Kickin’ It Island Style. /Sightseer's Delight

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Harpoon Man mc
Harpoon Man gofile

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Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets Feat. Sam Myers - Change In My Pocket

Album: Change In My Pocket
Size: 102,1 MB
Time: 43:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: Blues, harmonica blues
Art: Full

1. Change In My Pocket (2:51)
2. Young Fashioned Ways (3:00)
3. Little Girl (3:01)
4. Single Again (3:00)
5. $100 Bill (3:48)
6. Hula Hoop (3:54)
7. Willie Jo (2:57)
8. Ain't That Lonely (3:35)
9. Highway Man (4:34)
10. What Have I Done (3:41)
11. You Can't Be The One For Me (3:01)
12. Things Have Changed (6:31)

Dallas-based guitarist Anson Funderburgh took his band the Rockets out of the clubs and onto festival stages in the early 2000s with his critically acclaimed recordings for the Black Top label out of New Orleans. With Jackson, Mississippi native Sam Myers delivering the vocals and harmonica treatments, this band mixes up a powerful gumbo of Texas jump blues and Delta blues that can't be found anywhere else. Funderburgh & His Rockets are a particularly hard-working band, performing across the U.S. and Europe nearly 300 nights a year.

Funderburgh was born November 15, 1954 and got hooked on the blues when he got his first guitar at age seven or eight. His first musical experiences came in clubs in Dallas. He developed his team approach to blues music while learning from the likes of Freddie King, Jimmy Reed, and Albert Collins when these great bluesmen were passing through the area, but Funderburgh had already taught himself guitar mostly from listening to classic blues records. He never had the chance to see Muddy Waters, but he did get to play with Lightnin' Hopkins in the late '70s. Funderburgh formed the Rockets in 1978 but didn't meet Sam Myers until 1982.

Funderburgh recorded with the Fabulous Thunderbirds on their Butt Rockin' album and went solo in 1981, when the New Orleans-based Black Top label released Talk to You by Hand, the label's first release. Funderburgh added Myers on harmonica and lead vocals in 1986. Myers had traveled for years on the chitlin circuit, where he had the chance to accompany people like Elmore James and Robert Junior Lockwood.

Funderburgh admits that adding Myers on vocals and harmonica was a turning point for the Rockets, partly because of the image they project from the stage, a big towering Black man and three white guys backing him up. Funderburgh continued his association in the '90s, with Black Top releasing Tell Me What I Want to Hear (1991), Live at Grand Emporium (1995), and That's What They Want (1997). After releasing nine albums on Black Top, Funderburgh changed record labels in 1999 with the release of Change in My Pocket for Bullseye Blues. At the beginning of the new millennium, Funderburgh came into his prime with his of his songwriting talents. /Biography by Richard Skelly, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets Feat. Sam Myers - Tell Me What I Want To Hear

Album: Tell Me What I Want To Hear
Size: 116,8 MB
Time: 50:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1991
Styles: Blues, harmonica blues
Art: Full

1. Tell Me What I Want To Hear (3:46)
2. Ways Of Man (3:35)
3. I Done Quit Getting Sloppy Drunk (2:30)
4. I Want A Wife (4:18)
5. I'm Innocent (3:26)
6. Shedding Tears Of Laughter (2:44)
7. Rent Man Blues (4:29)
8. I Need You So (3:05)
9. Waitin' On You, Mamma (3:47)
10. It'll Do (3:55)
11. The Amateur (She's Gone) (3:14)
12. Missing Person (3:43)
13. Happy Man (3:03)
14. Down At J.J.'s (4:41)

With Sam Myers as The Rockets dynamic front man – his booming pipes were perfectly complemented by his muscular harp work – Anson Funderburgh embarked on his most bountiful period on wax, issuing one spectacular album after another on the Black Top imprint: Sins (1987), Rack ‘Em Up (1990), Tell Me What I Want To Hear (1991), Live At The Grand Emporium (1995) and That’s What They Want (1997). And you can throw in the ’91 overview Thru The Years: A Retrospective for good measure. Anson also guested on Black Top recordings by Snooks Eaglin, Nappy Brown, Joe Hughes, Grady Gaines and James “Thunderbird” Davis. The band moved to Bullseye Blues in 1999 for Change In My Pocket and Which Way is Texas? in 2003. The Rockets even achieved cinematic immorality by appearing in the nourish 1994 feature China Moon, starring Ed Harris. The film’s soundtrack also featured several of the band’s songs.

The longstanding musical partnership between Anson Funderburgh and Sam Myers brought both international acclaim. For 20 years The Rockets, along with Myers, toured continuously all over the world and went on to win ten Blues Music Awards from the Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee. Myers succumbed to cancer in 2006 and his death came as a crushing blow to Funderburgh. “I don’t even know how to explain it, really,” he says. It just seemed like it was kind of time to rest for a minute.” He took a break from non-stop touring but continued to perform periodically as The Rockets with featured guest singers and harmonica players including James Harman, John Nemeth and the late Lee McBee.

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Sam Myers & Anson Funderburgh - My Love Is Here To Stay

Size: 100.7 MB
Time: 43:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1990
Styles: Electric Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Full

01. True Love (2:17)
02. Suggestion Blues (4:24)
03. Life Problem (1:57)
04. Everythings's Gonna Be Alright (3:23)
05. Hep Cats In Big Town (4:53)
06. What's Wrong, What's Wrong (4:35)
07. My Hear Cries Out For You (3:04)
08. Poor Little Angel Child (3:51)
09. Wee Wee Hours (3:52)
10. Take Me Where You Go (2:45)
11. Tomorrow Will Find Me The Same Way (4:26)
12. My Love Is Here To Stay (3:32)

This was the initial coupling between Sam and Anson that originally appeared on Black Top in 1984. As luck would have it, I was in the Dallas strip-mall studio when this was recorded. Sam and Anson were very much the odd couple of the blues. Anson, a sober, slow-talker from Plano, Texas, could usually be found chasing a little white ball across the pasture with a golf stick when he wasn’t bending notes on his ’54 Stratocaster. Sam, who liked nothing better than ordering a double Paul Bunyan breakfast after a gig at 4 a.m., was having rent problem in Jackson, Mississippi, and struggling to buy harmonicas. Sam sat in with Anson’s group, the Rockets, whenever they played in Jackson, and they found that they fit like a glove. Sam wasn’t part of the group when My Love Is Here to Stay was recorded, but that changed when the album got rave reviews.

The recording session was completed quickly with very few extra takes. But while Sam and Anson seemed on the same page musically, they didn’t exactly get along socially. At one point, Sam chided Anson that he needed to learn some new chords to stay in the music business. Anson in turn told Sam (who was legally blind), he better move his leg or his dog was going to piss on it! The music here speaks for itself—this is one of the best blues CDs recorded in the 1980s. Sam recycles some of his earlier material including the title track, My Heart Cries Out for You” and “Hep Cats in Big Town.” There are a few well-chosen covers, but not many, as Anson and Sam came up with some clever originals. The musicianship is superb. Sam’s playing is comparable to Little Walter, and Anson proves he’s a master of the Stratocaster. If you missed this one the first time around, or you lost it in Katrina like me, here’s you chance to own a classic. ~Jeff Hannusch

My Love Is Here To Stay MP3
My Love Is Here To Stay FLAC

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Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets - Sins (Feat. Sam Myers)

Size: 98,3 MB
Time: 42:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1988
Styles: Electric Blues, Texas Blues
Art: Full

01. A Man Needs His Loving (3:38)
02. I'll Be True (2:27)
03. Don't Want No Leftovers (4:07)
04. Walked All Night (2:52)
05. My Kind Of Baby (2:21)
06. Changing Neighborhoods (5:45)
07. Can't Stop Loving (3:19)
08. Chill Out (3:15)
09. My Heart (4:54)
10. Trying To Make You Mine (2:11)
11. Sleeping In The Ground (4:32)
12. Hard Hearted Woman (2:36)

Sins is a good fusion of Texas and Delta blues, alternating between rocking shuffles and laidback ballads. Funderburgh's playing is tasteful -- he has an enticing sound, but he never falls into grandstanding -- and Sam Myers's voice is rich and his harp playing intoxicating. Furthermore, the selection of material is first-rate, featuring sharp originals and well-chosen covers from the likes of Percy Mayfield and Elmore James. The result? One of Anson Funderburgh's best albums. ~Thom Owens

Sins

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Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets - Live At The Grand Emporium ( Feat. Sam Myers)

Size: 162,1 MB
Time: 69:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Electric Blues, Texas Blues
Art: Full

01. Sidetracked (5:32)
02. Understood (4:28)
03. Ways Of Man (4:39)
04. It's You (4:23)
05. Turning My Life Around (5:03)
06. Peace Of Mind (4:57)
07. Empty Arms (3:32)
08. Wild Cherry (3:25)
09. Tell Me What I Want To Hear (4:40)
10. The Drifter (3:41)
11. Everything's Gonna Be Alright (5:08)
12. Shedding Tears Of Laughter (5:22)
13. Trying To Make You Mine (4:57)
14. Make A Little Love Tonight (4:39)
15. Backstroke (4:53)

In recent years, Dallas-based guitarist Anson Funderburgh has taken his band the Rockets out of the clubs and onto the festival stages with his critically acclaimed recordings for the BlackTop label out of New Orleans. With Jackson, MS-native Sam Myers delivering the vocals and harmonica treatments, this band mixes up a powerful gumbo of Texas jump blues and Delta blues that can't be found anywhere else. Funderburgh & His Rockets are a particularly hard working band, performing across the U.S. and Europe nearly 300 nights a year.

Funderburgh was born November 15, 1954, and got hooked on the blues when he got his first guitar at age seven or eight. His first musical experiences happened in the clubs in Dallas. He developed his team approach to blues music while learning from the likes of Freddie King, Jimmy Reed, and Albert Collins when these great bluesmen were passing through Dallas-area clubs, but Funderburgh had already taught himself guitar mostly from listening to classic blues records. He never had the chance to see Muddy Waters, but he did get to play with Lightnin' Hopkins in the late '70s. Funderburgh formed the Rockets in 1978, but didn't meet Sam Myers until 1982.

Funderburgh recorded with the Fabulous Thunderbirds on their Butt Rockin' album, and went solo in 1981, when the New Orleans-based BlackTop label released Talk to You by Hand, the label's first release. Funderburgh added Myers on harmonica and lead vocals in 1986. Myers had traveled for years on the chitlin circuit, where he had the chance to accompany people like Elmore James and Robert Junior Lockwood. Funderburgh admits that adding Myers on vocals and harmonica was a turning point for the Rockets, partly because of the image they project from the stage, a big towering black man and three white guys backing him up. Funderburgh continued his association in the '90s with Black Top releasing Tell Me What I Want to Hear (1991), Live at Grand Emporium (1995), and That's What They Want (1997). After releasing nine albums on Black Top, in 1999 Funderburgh changed record labels with the release of Change in my Pocket for Bullseye Blues. At the beginning of the new millennium, Funderburgh is just coming into his prime by way of his songwriting talents, so his career deserves close watching in the coming years. The best is yet to come from this guitarist and bandleader. ~Richard Skelly

Live At The Grand Emporium

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Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets - Thru The Years: A Retrospective (1981-1992)

Size: 133,5 MB
Time: 56:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1992
Styles: Electric Blues, Texas Blues
Art: Full

01. Come On (2:44)
02. Talk To You By Hand (3:05)
03. Keep What I've Got (3:05)
04. The Blues Seem To Follow Me (2:34)
05. Tomorrow Will Find Me The Same Way (4:25)
06. Look What You're Doing To Me (2:23)
07. Hard-Hearted Woman (2:36)
08. I'm Your Professor (2:50)
09. I'll Be True (2:27)
10. A Man Needs His Loving (3:40)
11. Changing Neighborhoods (5:42)
12. Tell Me What I Have Done Wrong (3:09)
13. I Done Quit Getting Sloppy Drunk (2:29)
14. Since We've Been Together (3:23)
15. Make A Little Love Tonight (3:08)
16. Tell Me What I Want To Hear (3:47)
17. Down At J.J.'s (4:41)

Thru the Years: A Retrospective (1981-1992) collects the highlights from Funderburgh's albums for Black Top, drawing from all the different bands he fronted in that decade or so. The best tracks remain his cuts with Sam Myers or Darrell Nulisch, but the finest songs from his lesser bands are included, making Thru the Years an excellent way to get acquainted with the modern blues guitar hero. ~Thom Owens

Thru The Years

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Otis Grand, Debbie Davies, Anson Funderburgh - Grand Union

Size: 161.0 MB
Time: 68:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1998
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Soul
Art: Front & Back

01. Guitars On Fire (2:12)
02. There Was A Time (3:55)
03. Holding You Up For Love (6:11)
04. The Things I'd Do For You (5:07)
05. Bone Tones (6:55)
06. I Got Eyes (3:43)
07. Don't Talk About Me (5:33)
08. Westside Bossman (4:43)
09. TC Blues (7:36)
10. Rockin' Daddy (4:50)
11. Country Girl (6:55)
12. It's A Little Too Late (5:48)
13. The Big Prayer (5:15)

This release, Grand Union, is Grand’s first album since signing with the new Blues label. Recorded in Boston, USA. It is produced by Otis, who is also renowned for his High-value production work on Blues recordings. In Grand Union, Otis Grand has created a powerful guitar recording by inviting his long time friends Anson Funderburgh and Debbie Davies to participate in a TRIOLOGY style CD concept. The album also features the finest musicians from the USA, and includes special guests Sugar Ray Norcia, Tony Coleman and the BB King Horn section, and rare appearance by legendary R&B star Ike Turner on 2 tunes.

Grand Union reflects Otis Grand’s new approach to his latest recording in that he did not want this to be just another Otis Grand release (9 CD’s to date). Since he was invited to participate on the highly acclaimed "Great Guitars" recording by Joe Louis Walker, Otis has been consumed by expanding the project to a totally live guitar recording with his partners in the studio playing together at the same time . "All our playing is first take. It’s got that spontaneous feeling of the moment that is really the magic of playing the blues."

It was planned well in advance. Otis grand began calling musicians and assembling a common ground of songs that all guitarists felt comfortable with. These songs combine a dynamic mixture of Blues, southern soul, rocking R&B and big band influences. Whether Otis is bending, Anson is caressing or Debbie is burning every note from their guitars, the result is an innovative and fresh addition to blues. Grand / Funderburgh / Davies are so good on this release it’s scary, making this another veritable blues guitar ‘ear-gasm’ that will please all audiences across the musical divides.

Grand Union

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Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets - Which Way Is Texas?

Size: 81.7 MB
Time: 44:01
File: MP3 @ 256K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Electric Blues, Texas Blues
Art: Full

01. Can We Get Together (3:21)
02. One Woman I Need (3:16)
03. Tryin' To Get Back On My Feet (2:49)
04. Rambling Woman (3:02)
05. Some Sunny Day (2:44)
06. Going My Way? (4:49)
07. The Last Tune (2:39)
08. Don't Turn This Child Away From Heaven (3:53)
09. Hoodoo Party (3:33)
10. Toss And Turn (2:47)
11. Jungle (3:45)
12. I Need To Know (3:19)
13. Crutch And Cane (3:57)

On his second outing on Bullseye, bluesman Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets deliver a solid album. "Can We Get Together" offers a spunky lead track with Sam Myers on vocals and the Texas Horns adding an extra bit of pizzazz. Funderburgh offers one of his rare vocals on "One Women I Need," a nice ballad with Gentleman John Street's piano and organ providing an atmospheric backdrop. The instrumental "Going My Way?" gives Funderburgh, Street, drummer Wes Starr, and bassist Johnny Bradley a chance to kick out the jams, while the band pays its dues to classic blues on good versions of Johnny Walker's "Rambling Woman" and B.B. King/Joe Josea's "Jungle." The album kicks into high gear on upbeat renditions of Sonny Boy Williamson's "Tryin' to Get Back on My Feet" and Tabby Thomas/Mark Dee's boogie-friendly "Hoodoo Party." Both of these benefit from spry guitar and piano work, and Meyers' exuberant vocal. Overall, the album also benefits from tight ensemble playing, a quality that undoubtedly comes from spending 300 days a year on the road together. For fans of Funderburgh's previous albums, and for anyone who enjoys electric blues, Which Way Is Texas? will prove a pleasing purchase. ~Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

Which Way Is Texas?

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Various Artists - Blues Harmonica Spotlight

Blues Harmonica Spotlight focuses on New Orleans label's generous array of blues-harp talent. /AllMusic

Album: Blues Harmonica Spotlight
Year: 1992
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:04
Size: 120,2 MB
Styles: Harmonica blues
Scans: Front

1. The James Harman Band - Wake Up Call (2:37)
2. Darrell Nulisch & Texas Heat - Love And War (3:34)
3. Sam Myers & Anson Funderburgh - My Love Is Here To Stay (3:33)
4. Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers - 4811 Wadworth (5:37)
5. Mike Morgan & The Crawl Feat. Lee McBee - I Don't Want You Hanging Around (2:09)
6. Sam Myers w. Snooks Eaglin & Anson Funderburgh - Bombastic (4:05)
7. Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters Feat. Sugar Ray - My Home Is A Prison (5:16)
8. The James Harman Band - Mad About Somethin' (4:40)
9. Mike Morgan & The Crawl Feat. Lee McBee - Big D Shuffle (2:31)
10. Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers - Back Door Man (5:23)
11. Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters Feat. Kim Wilson - Ridin' In The Moonlight (4:07)
12. Sam Myers & Anson Funderburgh - Hep Cats In Big Town (4:54)
13. Lee McBee & Mike Morgan - Sweet Lolita (3:32)

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Blues Harmonica Spotlight zippy

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Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets - Blast Off: The Best Of Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets

Year : 2006
Bitrate : 320K/s
Total Time : 58:25
Total Size : 138,1 MB
Styles: Blending of Texas and Mississippi styles
Scans: Front & Back

1. Tell Me What Have I Done Wrong? (3:08)
2. A Man Needs His Loving (3:40)
3. Come On (2:47)
4. Rambling Woman (3:02)
5. Tomorrow Will Find Me The Same Way (4:28)
6. I'm Your Professor (2:52)
7. $100 Bill (3:54)
8. Hard-Hearted Woman (2:37)
9. The Blues Seem To Follow Me (2:36)
10. Change In My Pocket (2:55)
11. Down At JJ's (4:45)
12. Oh-Oh (2:40)
13. Can We Get Together (3:22)
14. I Done Quit Getting Sloppy Drunk (2:31)
15. My Heart Cries Out For You (3:06)
16. Mudslide (4:09)
17. Changing Neighborhoods (5:43)

This set collects key tracks from the group's seven albums for Black Top, along with tracks from their pair of albums for Rounder's Bullseye Blues imprint, to make an introductory overview of Funderburgh's career that spans the years 1981 to 2003. Nothing here is particularly innovative, but that isn't what Funderburgh is after, and thanks to Sam Myers' sturdy, every-man vocals and occasional Chicago-styled (by way of Mississippi) harmonica lines, not to mention Funderburgh's concise, slashing guitar style, what emerges is a pure Texas Blues band, and no more or less. One of the great, little known and underrated guitarists.
Sams Myers' vocals were the perfect complement to Anson's playing, may Sam RIP.
This is an excellent update of 1992's anthology THRU THE YEARS. My only complaint is that BLAST OFF duplicates eleven of those songs.
But overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying collection of this modern Texas blues artist.

Blast Off: The Best Of Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets

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Sam Myers & Anson Funderburgh - My Love Is Here To Stay

Year: 1985/1990
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:05
Size: 99,5 MB
Styles: Electric blues, harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. True Love (2:17)
2. Suggestion Blues (4:24)
3. Life Problem (1:57)
4. Everythings's Gonna Be Alright (3:23)
5. Hep Cats In Big Town (4:53)
6. What's Wrong, What's Wrong (4:35)
7. My Hear Cries Out For You (3:04)
8. Poor Little Angel Child (3:51)
9. Wee Wee Hours (3:52)
10. Take Me Where You Go (2:45)
11. Tomorrow Will Find Me The Same Way (4:26)
12. My Love Is Here To Stay (3:32)

Young Texas guitarist Anson Funderburgh and veteran harpist Sam Myers got along so well during the making of this fine set that they got their act together and took it on the road. Happily, it remains there, with Myers deftly fronting Funderburgh's Rockets.

Myers's booming voice and rocking harp and Funderburgh's crisp, tradition-laden lead guitar mesh beautifully here - the disc features brash remakes of Myers's past triumphs "My Love Is Here to Stay" and "Poor Little Angel Child" and a host of fresh titles. /Bill Dahl, AllMusic

My Love Is Here To Stay mc
My Love Is Here To Stay zippy

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Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets - She Knocks Me Out!

Size: 88,4 MB
Time: 37:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1983/2008
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. She Knocks Me Out (2:11)
02. Howlin' For My Darlin' (2:56)
03. A Word About Women (2:50)
04. You Know My Love (3:05)
05. Your Funeral And My Trial (2:27)
06. Look What'cha Done (2:43)
07. Two For Pete (2:07)
08. Love Me With A Feeling (3:49)
09. Gonna Keep What I've Got (3:05)
10. The Blues Seem To Follow Me (2:32)
11. Is There Something Inside You? (3:04)
12. Goin' Away (4:00)
13. The Things I Do For You (2:49)

In recent years, Dallas-based guitarist Anson Funderburgh has taken his band the Rockets out of the clubs and onto the festival stages with his critically acclaimed recordings for the BlackTop label out of New Orleans. With Jackson, MS-native Sam Myers delivering the vocals and harmonica treatments, this band mixes up a powerful gumbo of Texas jump blues and Delta blues that can't be found anywhere else. Funderburgh & His Rockets are a particularly hard working band, performing across the U.S. and Europe nearly 300 nights a year.

Funderburgh was born November 15, 1954, and got hooked on the blues when he got his first guitar at age seven or eight. His first musical experiences happened in the clubs in Dallas. He developed his team approach to blues music while learning from the likes of Freddie King, Jimmy Reed, and Albert Collins when these great bluesmen were passing through Dallas-area clubs, but Funderburgh had already taught himself guitar mostly from listening to classic blues records. He never had the chance to see Muddy Waters, but he did get to play with Lightnin' Hopkins in the late '70s. Funderburgh formed the Rockets in 1978, but didn't meet Sam Myers until 1982.

Funderburgh recorded with the Fabulous Thunderbirds on their Butt Rockin' album, and went solo in 1981, when the New Orleans-based BlackTop label released Talk to You by Hand, the label's first release. Funderburgh added Myers on harmonica and lead vocals in 1986. Myers had traveled for years on the chitlin circuit, where he had the chance to accompany people like Elmore James and Robert Junior Lockwood. Funderburgh admits that adding Myers on vocals and harmonica was a turning point for the Rockets, partly because of the image they project from the stage, a big towering black man and three white guys backing him up. Funderburgh continued his association in the '90s with Black Top releasing Tell Me What I Want to Hear (1991), Live at Grand Emporium (1995), and That's What They Want (1997). After releasing nine albums on Black Top, in 1999 Funderburgh changed record labels with the release of Change in my Pocket for Bullseye Blues. At the beginning of the new millennium, Funderburgh is just coming into his prime by way of his songwriting talents, so his career deserves close watching in the coming years. The best is yet to come from this guitarist and bandleader. ~by Richard Skelly

She Knocks Me Out!

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Andy T Band - Double Strike

Size: 113,3 MB
Time: 48:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. Somebody Like You (Feat. Alabama Mike & Anson Funderburgh) (3:20)
02. I Want You Bad (Feat. Alabama Mike) (3:28)
03. Deep Inside (Feat. Nick Nixon) (3:28)
04. Sweet Thing (Feat. Nick Nixon) (2:35)
05. I Feel So Bad (Feat. Nick Nixon) (4:44)
06. Juanita (Feat. Nick Nixon) (3:48)
07. Mudslide (2:52)
08. Sad Times (Feat. Alabama Mike) (4:25)
09. Doin' Hard Time (Feat. Alabama Mike & Anson Funderburgh) (4:52)
10. Drunk Or Sober (Feat. Nick Nixon) (3:32)
11. I Was Gonna Leave You (Feat. Nick Nixon & Anson Funderburgh) (4:05)
12. Dream About You (Feat. Alabama Mike) (3:13)
13. Where Did Our Love Go Wrong (Feat. Alabama Mike & Anson Funderburgh) (3:55)

It's hard enough to find a contemporary blues record with a decent vocalist, so it is quite special to encounter one with two. As the title boldly states, Double Strike by the Andy T Band, features a pair of veteran blues singers, Nick Nixon and Alabama Mike (Michael A. Benjamin), though the circumstances surrounding the production is bittersweet.

Guitarist Andy Talamantez aka Andy T has been around the blues circuit for over twenty years, and since 2011, his association with vocalist Nick Nixon has yielded three acclaimed releases. Due to health related issues, this would be the last recording for Nixon, as Alabama Mike now takes over as singer in the band. Equally excellent vocalists with notable variances in their style, Nixon coming from the rhythm and blues tradition, and Alabama Mike steeped in gospel and soul, both are authentic blues singers. Recorded in Austin, Texas, assisted by co-producer Anson Funderburgh, who also sits in on guitar, the musicians' obvious ability to swing showcases the talents of the vocalists, while maintaining sharp performance authority.

The sessions are evenly divided, each singer presented on six numbers, with one instrumental. Alabama Mike gets the opening nod, tearing into the house rocker "I Want You So Bad," his high tenor accompanied perfectly by the tasty guitar licks and appropriate horn chart. The inspired organ by Larry van Loon sets the tone on "Somebody Like You," as Mike goes back to church. Keeping the organ on the frontline, Mike Flanigin takes over the instrument on the big band blues "'Sad Times," while the originals "Doin' Hard Time," and "Dream About You," show diversity in tempos and moods. Tenor man Kaz Kazanoff penned the New Orleans shaded "Where Did Our Love Go Wrong," reaching into the Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew songbook for inspiration. On all of the mentioned tracks, Alabama Mike showed that he has the voice to cover the wide spectrum of musical tendencies that encompasses the blues.

Nick Nixon, who is also an accomplished guitarist, has been an integral part of the Nashville blues scene since the 1960's, and his teaming up with Andy T for three albums solidified his credentials. Though participation on these sessions was cut short due to illness, Nixon gave it his all, and shone brightly on his interpretations. "Deep Inside," has that laid back Jimmy Reed feel to it, with Greg Izor adding the right touch of harmonica backing. Nixon covers two songs by the late great Chuck Willis, the renowned "I Feel So Bad," and "Juanita," which is done in a pure Texas blues manner. There is a Louisiana rumba feel to "Drunk Or Sober," whereas "I Was Gonna Leave You," leans into vintage rhythm and blues.

It shows a lot of resolution and class for Andy T to present both vocalists under two separate situations, on one record. It is an honorable opportunity for Nick Nixon to retire with dignity, doing what he loves best, and a welcoming gesture for Alabama Mike, as he steps into the spotlight. This record stands as a space in time when two blues singers joined at an emotional confluence, and sang their hearts out. ~by James Nadal

Personnel: Andy T: guitar; Anson Funderburgh: guitar (1, 9, 11, 13); Alabama Mike: vocals ( 1, 2, 8, 9, 12, 13); Nick Nixon: vocals (3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11) Larry van Loon: piano, Hammond B3 organ; Mike Flanigin: Hammond B3 (8); Johnny Bradley: string bass, electric bass; Jim Klingler: drums; Greg Izor: harmonica (3); Kaz Kazanov: tenor sax; John Mills: baritone sax; Al Gomez: trumpet (6, 11, 13).

Double Strike

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4 Jacks - Deal With It

Size: 101,3 MB
Time: 41:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Modern Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. Deal With It (3:24)
02. Have Ourselves A Time (2:14)
03. I Don't Want To Be President (4:08)
04. She Ain't Worth A Dime (2:24)
05. Love's Like That (3:28)
06. Bobcat Woman (3:31)
07. Your Turn To Cry (3:46)
08. Thunder And Lightning (3:26)
09. Texas Twister (2:41)
10. Ansonmypants (4:08)
11. Bad News Baby (5:39)
12. Painkiller (2:38)

If you are looking for a band that has a clean blues sound with talent that will scorch your speakers, then look no further than 4 Jacks. This group of guys makes it look easy. Smooth as a cream soda going down, this talented group of artists’ new album is smokin hot and full of spice. The band consists of Texas based Anson Funderbrugh (guitar), Washington D.C.’s Big Joe Maher (drums, vocals), Grammy nominated Kevin McKendrea (keyboard) and the multi-talented Steve Mackey (bass). Deal With It is their new release and it is guaranteed to get you out of your chair.
“Deal With It” is a bluesy instrumental that leads you right into the upbeat feeling of the album. It has a sass and swing that will get your feet moving. The blend of instruments and the wail of the guitar are a series of riffs on fire.
“Bobcat Woman” is a cigarette after a long bout of steamy lovemaking. It growls and shows its claws with every impish note. The male vocals are snappy and lament the evil ways of his lover. What they don’t say, but completely imply is his utter fascination with her. On fire with sexy riffs and a textured sound, this is my favorite on the album. Nothing like a woman with spice to make life worth living, right?
“Your Turn to Cry” begins a bit slower than some of the other tracks on the album. This song is a trip down back roads and blues shacks of old. With grit and heart, the vocals and instrumentation of this piece ripple down your spine like a warm caramel macchiato. Delicious and sinful with every twist and turn, this lament is a hand brushing down the back of your head and a snap on your behind as the door hits you on the way out. It’s payback time.
“Thunder and Lightning” is an infectious groove that screams the blues. Run for the hills, the weather is about to get a little rough. Rockin guitar riffs and harmonies that roll and twitch along with the fierceness of Mother Nature are full of rock and is yet another trip down memory lane to the sound of old blues and artists that can craft a sound worth listening to.
4 Jacks have done a great job with Deal With It. Full of blues, bits of jazz, some classic rock sound and elements of the oldies, this album is tough to put into one category. Each of the artists on the record contributes a full component of soul filled magic. This is not engineered music, this is the real thing. You can’t get a better combination of blues artists with more experience and chops. Truly top shelf in every way, you won’t be disappointed in this album. ~Dana Wright

Deal With It

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Ruff Kutt Blues Band - Mill Block Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:25
Size: 126.9 MB
Styles: Texas blues
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. Cut Like A Knife
[4:28] 2. Living Without You
[3:23] 3. Drown On Dry Land
[5:37] 4. Now You See Me
[4:56] 5. Stone Cold Woman
[3:36] 6. This Is The Place
[4:46] 7. The Fowler Stret Stumble
[3:55] 8. Sh'e Gone
[3:37] 9. Mill Block Blues
[3:38] 10. Rock When You Need To
[3:23] 11. Oh Lord
[7:13] 12. Daddy Sang The Blues
[3:02] 13. I'm On My Own

The idea behind Ruff Kutt Blues and the making of "Mill Block Blues" belongs to James Goode (Bass) and as such he also wrote all the songs on the album, except for one which he co-wrote with Michael Schaefer, whom also does Vocals on a few of the songs. One of the more notable artists on "Mill Block Blues" is Anson Funderburgh, a Texas Blues Guitar Legend with an amazing 9 Handy Awards, already under his belt. Beyond laying down some mean Guitar licks on this album, Anson helped Arrange, as well as Produced "Mill Block Blues". Of the 13 Tracks on "Mill Block Blues", Anson was featured on 10 of them. The other great musicians and artists on this album included Gentleman John Street (Keys), Forresr Wesley Starr (Drums), Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones (Vocals), Dempsey Chrenshaw (Vocals/Harmonica), Christian Dozzler (Accordion), Hash Brown (Harmonica), Ron Jones (Sax), Don Cates (Rhythm Guitar), Steven Richardson (Drums/Vocals), Shurhonda Kemp (Vocals), and Kenny Daniel (Vocals). All of the artists on "Mill Block Blues" have amazing bio's which one easily finds written in the cover booklet.

"Mill Block Blues" is essentially a tribute album to those whom "lived on the Cotton Mill block" in the small town of McKinney in North Texas, through the 50's and 60's. James Goode stresses the fact that that area was not a ghetto, but in fact was a "large housing area of really good people that worked hard for their money." "Mill Block Blues" offers us 13 Tracks which deal with the tough times and sometimes really tough times a lot of those workers had to endure, and essentially offers us all a rare glimpse into an important part of American history. ~John Vermilyea

Mill Block Blues mc
Mill Block Blues zippy

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Lee McBee & The Passions - 44

Year: 1995
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:33
Size: 106,9 MB
Styles: Harmonica blues
Scans: Full

1. Boogie Twist (3:47)
2. Rock This Joint (3:44)
3. Forty-Four Blues (4:51)
4. Rooster Blues (3:25)
5. Call Me (4:49)
6. She Fooled Me (4:11)
7. Get Your Mind Out Of The Gutter (3:42)
8. I Been Abused (3:09)
9. Everybody Loves My Baby (4:45)
10. Train Fare (4:48)
11. I'm Gonna Love You (2:53)
12. Keep What You Got (2:25)

Though he was primarily a regional blues act in the midwest, Lee McBee gained national attention in the late 1980s and early 1990s for his work with Mike Morgan and the Crawl and for his band the Passions. These bands toured the United States, Canada and Europe and recorded on major blues labels. McBee grew up in Kansas City and collected blues and soul records throughout the 1960s. In 1969, he moved to lawrence, Kansas and worked in many blues and blues-rock bands, including Tide and Lynch-McBee Band, up to 1978.

From 1978 to 1982 McBee moved to Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles and recorded and performed with Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy Rogers, Doug Sahm and Johnny Winter. By the mid 1980s, he settled in Dallas and met guitarist Mike Morgan in 1985. They formed the Crawl and they would be together for the next twelve years. In 1994, McBee began a side project with The Passions. This band would be relocated to Kansas City as its base and soon evolved into Lee McBee and the Confessors. Throughout the 2000s, McBee and his band toured northeast Kansas and northwest Missouri and have released two albums.

Personnel:
Lee McBee - vocals, harmonica
Willie Campbell - upright & electric bass
Marvin Hunt - guitar (track 3)
Anson Funderburgh - guitar
Kid Ramos - guitar
Kevin McKendree - piano
Stephen Hodges - percussion

44 mc
44 zippy

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Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue - Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue

Size: 133,5 MB
Time: 56:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Modern Electric Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Front

01. Midnight Hour (4:10)
02. Here's My Picture (4:04)
03. Prove It To You (3:22)
04. Cool To Be Your Fool (3:31)
05. Check Yourself (3:37)
06. Stop This World (3:37)
07. Take A Chance (4:35)
08. Lucky Kewpie Doll (4:04)
09. Pepper Mama (3:54)
10. Walking With Mr. Lee (3:29)
11. Detroit Blues (3:55)
12. Georgia Slop (3:08)
13. Dim Lights (4:39)
14. End Of The World (6:34)

Golden State-Lone Star Revue is a cross country blues hoe-down of California and Texas musicians.

Mark Hummel has released 17 albums and produced the Blues Harmonica Blowouts since 1991 featuring top players.

"Mark Hummel came of age in the early 70s, at the height of rock and roll, like many of his peers went and bought a harmonica and hasn't stopped playing since. A specialist in West Coast Blues he's a seasoned showman who knows more than a thing or two about how to please an audience." - THE NEW YORKER

Little Charlie Baty is former leader and masterful guitarist from Little Charlie & The Nightcats. They have recorded 12 albums and toured the globe for over 25 years.

"Little Charlie Baty plays as much guitar as Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy put together. He is one of the swiftest, most fluent guitarists working in any genre." - The Village Voice

Anson Funderburgh has earned the respect of artists like Delbert McClinton, Boz Scaggs, Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan, calling on Anson to for his tremendous guitar talents. In addition to recording with the T-Birds, Anson spent many years on the chitlin’ circuit accompanying the likes of Elmore James and Robert Junior Lockwood.

"Funderburgh remains a musician's musician. He'll explode into a fiery and melodic solo, and then seamlessly recede into a song at just the right moment to propel the rhythm...he makes sure the songs both breathe and burn." - Blues Revue

Rounding out the Revue are RW Grigsby on bass and famed Texas drummer Wes Starr.

Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue

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Anson Funderburgh & Sam Myers - That's What They Want

Year: 1997
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:57
Size: 105,4 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Scans: Full

1. Looking The World Over (3:28)
2. Oh-Oh (2:38)
3. The Last Time Around (3:26)
4. Monkey Around (3:08)
5. That's What They Want (3:44)
6. The Dew Is Falling (3:37)
7. Mudslide (4:07)
8. I Don't Play (2:20)
9. I Don't Want You Cutting Off Your Hair (4:47)
10. Don't Quit The One You Love For Me (3:45)
11. I've Been Dogged By Women (3:39)
12. The Meanest Woman (3:50)
13. I'm Shakin' (3:21)

The blues-oriented team of Anson Funderburgh and Sam Myers is a powerful and appealing combination. While Myers takes shouting, easy-to-understand and accessible vocals on most of the selections of this release (in addition to playing a bit of harmonica), the main reason to acquire the set is for Funderburgh's exciting guitar work. His showcase on the instrumental blues "Mudslide" is a definite high point. In addition, Kevin McKendree (who is best on organ) is a strong asset to the rhythm section and takes many fine solos of his own. /Scott Yanow, AllMusic

Personnel:
Anson Funderburgh - guitar & six-string bass
Sam Myers - vocals & harmonica
Kevin McKendree & Riley Osborne - piano & B-3 organ
Jeff Sarli - acoustic upright bass
Wes Starr - drums & percussion

That's What They Want mc
That's What They Want zippy

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The Texas Horns - Blues Gotta Holda Me

Size: 119,0 MB
Time: 50:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Texas Blues, Blues Jazz
Art: Front

01. Soul Stroll (4:23)
02. Go On Fool (Feat. Marcia Ball) (2:58)
03. You're Driving Me Crazy (4:12)
04. Kick Me Again (4:02)
05. Cold Blooded Lover (Feat. W.C. Clark) (3:33)
06. Lost Mind (3:54)
07. Sing Sing Sing (Let's Make A Better World) (4:49)
08. Rippin And Trippin (3:18)
09. Blues Gotta Holda Me (2:32)
10. People Get Ready (5:20)
11. Caldonia (3:46)
12. Home Cookin (5:06)
13. Spanky's Twist (2:58)

The Texas Horns have been blowing audiences away on stages and on record since 1999. Now we finally get to hear them celebrate their own sound on CD with some of their closest friends in the music business.

Mark ‘Kaz’ Kazanoff, John Mills, and Adalberto ‘Al’ Gomez have truly been there/done that, producing and backing a who’s who of blues, soul, and rock bands – inducing Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, the Allman Brothers Band and more – and creating their spontaneous horn section magic on stages all over North America. These guys have held the spotlight at the big festivals in Ottawa, Chicago, and Portland. Here, Kaz plays his tenor sax and harmonica, and steps up to sing. John blows his swinging bari sax and Al wields his trusty trumpet. Whether it’s bringing new life to gems like “Caldonia” or “People Get Ready”or introducing their own material (listen to “Soul Stroll” or “Kick Me Again” or “Blues Gotta Hold on Me”) these guys know how to play, romping, stomping and updating that great horn sound from the 40s and 50s. The rhythm section boasts Austin blues maestros Barry “Frosty” Smith (drums) and Derek O’Brien (guitar), and the special guest stars include Marcia Ball, W.C. Clark, Nick Conolly, Anson Funderburg, Roscoe Beck and Johnny Nicholas.

Blues Gotta Holda Me

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