Finis Tasby - What My Blues Are All About

Size: 408 MB
Time: 63:46
File: Flac
Released: 2005
Styles: Contemporary Blues
Art: Front

1. Let's Have A Ball ( 3:05)
2. Back In Love Again ( 4:31)
3. Blues From Down Under ( 4:08)
4. It's So Sad ( 3:30)
5. Baby Please ( 5:21)
6. Mean Old World ( 6:51)
7. Sitting In My Window ( 5:13)
8. I Don't Want No Woman ( 4:30)
9. Save A Place For Me ( 4:48)
10. Dead End Street ( 7:26)
11. America ( 3:29)
12. Ugly Woman Blues (10:49)

One of the few remaining musicians of his generation, Tasby is often touted by his producers as a 'legendary singer'. His career began in the late 50s as a drummer, after which he played bass for Freddie King, among others, before recording his first singles in California in the 70s and his first album in 1985. Well. He really doesn't sing badly, has a certain amount of originality and is accompanied here by a really excellent, young session group. This CD is a good example of contemporary blues that is deep in the tradition without failing as a cheap copy of the 50s originals. The boys' playfulness brings new impetus, which also inspires the veterans. No songs from a 'black list', but a lot of their own material and covers of lesser-known numbers. Excellent / He's one of the last surviving vocalists of his generation; That's why producers call him a 'legendary blues singer'. His career started in the late '50s when he was playing drums. Later he worked for a.o. Freddie King playing bass. In California in the 1970s he recorded his first sides as a vocalist, and his debut LP was released in 1985. By no means he's a bad singer. I like his singing a lot because he sounds so real. Thanks to a bunch of young session players, this CD turned into a very good one. Traditional style blues, but blues with a contemporary edge, with new arrangements and full of new ideas - thanks to the backing band. No songs from the 'black list'. Mostly originals plus a few covers of seldom-heard tunes. Excellent! FINIS TASBY

What My Blues Are All About FLAC

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VA - Santa's Got Mojo Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

Album: Santa's Got Mojo: An Electro-Fi Christmas Blues Celebration
Size: 127,4 MB
Time: 54:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

01 Mel Brown & The Homewreckers - Don't Plan No Party This Christmas (5:13)
02 Jack De Keyzer - The Twelve Blue Days Of Christmas (6:45)
03 Curley Bridges - White Christmas (3:59)
04 Mark Hummel - Thank You Santa Claus (6:38)
05 Rick Fines - Country Christmas Blues (3:47)
06 Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith - One Day Till Christmas (5:19)
07 Fathead - Tonight Feels Like Christmas (2:53)
08 Morgan Davis - We Need A Fire (3:41)
09 Snooky Pryor - Check It Out Santa (4:49)
10 Alabama Red - Goin' Home For Christmas (3:43)
11 Mel Brown & The Homewreckers - Winter Wonderland (2:48)
12 Chris Whiteley - The Lonely Shepherd (4:51)

Santa's Got Mojo

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Album: Santa's Got Mojo 2: An Electro-Fi Christmas Blues Celebration
Size: 101,8 MB
Time: 43:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Blues, Xmas
Label: Electro-Fi Records
Art: Front

01 Shakura S'aida - Be My Santa Claus (4:53)
02 Fathead - Let's Have A Christmas Party (2:41)
03 Diana Braithwaite - Bluesy Christmas (2:21)
04 Finis Tasby - Lonesome Christmas (3:56)
05 Harrison Kennedy - Hot Cider Cinnamon (3:13)
06 Paul Oscher - Christmas Blues (4:22)
07 Julian Fauth - Hallelujah In The Mall (3:51)
08 Fruteland Jackson - Fat Santa (2:06)
09 Morgan Davis - Anticipation (3:13)
10 Fathead - Santa's Drunk (3:13)
11 Johnny Laws - Christmas Comes But Once A Year (4:12)
12 Mel Brown And The Homewreckers - Merry Christmas Baby (Bonus Track) (5:05)

A follow up to 2002's highly successful Santa's Got Mojo - An Electro-Fi Christmas Blues Celebration. Vol 2. continues the tradition with 11 superb original and classic holiday recordings from some of today's top Blues acts including: Shakura S'Aida, Finis Tasby with Enrico Crivellaro, Paul Oscher, Harrison Kennedy, Fathead, Fruteland Jackson, and Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley. Also included is a special bonus studio track from 1999 of the late Guitar Legend Mel Brown performing the Christmas classic Merry Christmas Baby with his band The Homewreckers. Celebrate the Holidays right with Santa's Got Mojo 2. The best Christmas Blues collection in years!

Santa's Got Mojo 2

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Barry Levenson - 2 albums: The Late Show / Hard Times Won

Album: The Late Show
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:12
Size: 174.4 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[7:10] 1. Riley' Shuffle-Blue Tears
[3:55] 2. Whole Lotta Blues
[3:16] 3. One For Muddy
[4:54] 4. Meter's Runnin'
[5:40] 5. The Late Show
[5:28] 6. Turn Up The A.C.
[5:43] 7. Slippin' Down
[3:17] 8. Charlie's Ride
[5:49] 9. Steel Life
[4:31] 10. Wrong Side Of The Blues
[6:04] 11. West Side Rain
[6:06] 12. Down At The Hill
[4:25] 13. Rush Hour
[4:16] 14. Drinking Stops Me Thinking
[5:30] 15. Green Is Blue

"For A Little Bit of Money, You Get A Whole Lot of Blues" is one of the lines off of Track 2, "Whole Lotta Blues", of Barry Levenson's "The Late Show", and really when it comes to this album, those words couldn't be more true, for a couple of reasons. First off, "The Late Show", clocks in at over 70 minutes, yes I said 70 minutes, which in my book is twice as long as fair number of releases out there and secondly "The Late Show" features an amazing amount of different styles of Blues, which is sure to please a wide variety of Blues fans.

Barry Levenson hails out of Pittsburgh and started his love affair with the Blues at the young age of 14, after being introduced to the music of Buddy Guy via an older friend. From then on Barry Levenson began building an amazing musical resume, with first playing in hometown blues bands, to working as a studio musician, and then moving to Boston to where he studied "arranging at the Berklee School of Music". While in Boston he also was the house guitarist at the Sugar Shack, one of Boston's more popular Rhythm and Blues clubs. When a warmer climate beckoned, Barry Levenson made the move toSouthern California where he began working with many blues greats, such as, "Big Mama Thornton, Pee Wee Crayton, Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson and J.D. Nicholson". It was not long after, that Barry landed his first recording deal with Kent Records with his own group, the Automatics. By that time Barry was also the House Producer at Kent Records.

"The Late Show" consists of 15 amazing Tracks of which Barry Levenson wrote all of them, as well as, did the producing and arranging. Of the 15 Tracks, 10 are amazingly done instrumentals, which had no problem reminding me of other fantastic instrumentally forward musicians, such as Chris Dair and the great Ronnie Earl. The instrumentals also have a very good length to them, which really allows you to get caught up and swept away with them.

Barry Levenson is not credited with vocals on this album, but for the 5 Tracks which are not instrumentals, he managed to have 3 amazing vocalists which consisted of Mary Williams "Whole Lotta Blues", Finis Tasby "Slippin' Down Blues", and Johnny Dyer "One For Muddy", "Wrong Side Of The Blues", and "Drinkin' Stops Me Thinkin'", do an absolutely great job on those 5 superbly written songs. Johnny Dyer also doubled as Harpist on "One For Muddy" and "Wrong Side Of The Blues, for which he also did an amazing job. Larry "Big House" David also played fantastic Harp on the instrumental "West Side Rain". Other wonderful performers on "The Late Show" included Blake Watson (Bass), Dave Kida (Drums), Hank Van Sickle (Bass on "Green Is Blue"), Mike Thompson (Keyboards), Phil Krawzuk and Chris Jennings (Horns) and Mike Sandberg (Percussion). With that amazing lineup of talent, "The Late Show" didn't have a chance at being anything other then a wonderful and inspired journey down Blues Lane. ~John Vemilyea

The Late Show mc
The Late Show zippy

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Album: Hard Times Won (feat. Johnny Dyer)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:41
Size: 116.1 MB
Styles: Chicago blues
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[5:55] 1. Hard Times Won
[4:56] 2. Chasing The Money
[3:16] 3. Things You Do
[5:25] 4. Inhumanity Blues
[3:18] 5. She's So Fine (She's Mine)
[4:48] 6. I Ain't Going Back (To The Place I Shouldn't Have Been)
[4:25] 7. The Graveyard Shift
[3:16] 8. 9 O'clock Blues
[5:33] 9. Blues For Never Slim
[4:16] 10. Drinking Stops Me Thinking
[5:30] 11. Slip Me Some Green, Jack

Veteran blues guitarist Barry Levenson wrote all 11 selections for Hard Times Won, which co-stars Johnny Dyer on vocals and harmonica. The music ranges from lowdown Chicago blues to swinging jazz/blues with Mike Thompson's organ giving a soul-jazz feel to some of the instrumentals. Levenson's lyrics are intelligent, there is a surprising amount of variety on the songs even though they do stick to blues, and the musicianship is excellent. Levenson and Dyer in particular make for a great team, and the results are often exciting and are always quite spirited. This highly enjoyable set should appeal to both blues and jazz fans. ~Scott Yanow

Hard Times Won mc
Hard Times Won zippy

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Finis Tasby - Blues: A Tribute To John Lee Hooker

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:25
Size: 107.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary blues
Year: 2002
Art: Full

[5:06] 1. Sex On My Mind
[3:59] 2. Little Red Rooster
[4:19] 3. Get Drunk And Be Somebody
[5:20] 4. Since I Met You Baby
[4:54] 5. Boogie Children
[4:36] 6. Keep On Loving You
[4:20] 7. You Don't Have To Worry
[4:39] 8. Blue Shadow
[5:41] 9. Cummin Prison
[3:29] 10. Going To Virginia

While titled "A Tribute To John Lee Hooker", the CD, with the exception of "Boogie Children" does not contain any songs penned by the great John Lee. Nor is there evidence of the influence of John Lee either in Tasby's vocals or in guitarist Damon Van Buran's capable playing. And, despite being listed as an executive producer and the inclusion of a couple of photos on the liner notes, John Lee shows up nowhere musically on the disc. What you get here is more of a CD dedicated to the memory of John Lee in traditional blues fashion. On the disc, Finis sings the songs of Willie Dixon, Joe Hunter, Jimmy Ford and a couple of Tasby originals in a style reminiscent of BB King. The disc also features Zakiya Hooker on the track "You Don't Have to Worry". This is a very good CD although I will admit that I have somewhat of a soft spot in my heart for the older blues musicians. In any event, Tasby puts out a fine effort that is worth listening to. If you like this, you may want to give Enrico Crivellaro's new release "Key to My Kingdom" a listen as Tabby performs the vocals on that disc as well. ~deepbluereview

Finis Tasby (vocals); Zakiya Hooker (vocals); Carmen Grillo (guitar); Paul Francis Webber (saxophone); Tom Poole, Carle Vickers (trumpet); Ed Early (trombone); Jan Garfinkle (keyboards).

Blues: A Tribute To John Lee Hooker mc
Blues: A Tribute To John Lee Hooker zippy

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Finis Tasby - People Don't Care

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:55
Size: 93.7 MB
Styles: Modern electric blues
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. People Don't Care
[3:16] 2. Rocking With The Blues
[4:52] 3. Just A Kiss
[3:42] 4. Gotta Draw The Line
[4:55] 5. Po' Man Blues
[4:06] 6. Drinkin' Bad Whiskey
[4:10] 7. Gonna Miss Your Love
[3:55] 8. Find Something Else To Do
[3:37] 9. You Don't Have To Worry
[4:24] 10. Break Away

Powerhouse blues vocalist Finis Tasby was born in Dallas, Texas in 1940,and grew up immersed in the vital Texas blues tradition. As a teenager, Finis Tasby got his first professional music experience as drummer with the swinging local combo The Blues Blasters. By the early 1960s he'd switched instruments, and was playing bass and singing backup with local legends The Thunderbirds, working regularly with Z.Z. Hill, and also backing Clarence Carter, Lowell Fulson, and Freddie King on regional tours.

By the mid '60s Finis Tasby had stepped out in front of the band, and began establishing his reputation as one of the most soulful blues singers on the circuit. In the early 70's Finis moved to Los Angeles, and picked up where he'd left off in Texas. As a bass player, he worked with many of the greats, including B.B. King, Percy Mayfield and Big Mama Thornton. But it is as a vocalist that Finis Tasby really comes into his own, and in the '70s he made his first recordings as a front man. It was during this period that he also formed a lifelong friendship with blues great John Lee Hooker, with whom he often performed locally. Finis' reputation as a strong and soulful singer reached new heights with the releases of several CDs, including "People Don't Care" on Shanachie, from which three songs were used in the film "The Babysitter".

In the late 1990s Finis Tasby began his alliance with Rand Chortkoff, when Rand independently produced Finis' CD "Jump Children", which was released to wide acclaim on the Evidence label. (Finis Tasby also recently released the CD "Tribute To John Lee Hooker" on the small Kon Kord label.) Finis Tasby and Rand have worked closely since then on several other recording projects and numerous live performances, culminating in the formation of The Mannish Boys.

Recorded at Red Zone Studios, North Hollywood, California and Sonra Recorders, Los Angeles, California.

Ricky Collins, Lowell Fulson (vocals); Elvin Bishop, Robert Lieberman, Mick Taylor, Vernon Reid (guitar); Jay Fitzgerald (harp); Bobby Martin (saxophone, piano, organ, background vocals); Joe Sublett (saxophone); Darrell Lenard (trumpet); Kenneth Tussing (trombone); Charles Collins (drums, background vocals); Brian Kilgore (percussion); Cynthia Manley, George Merrill, Patricia Hodges, Jessica Williams (background vocals).

People Don't Care mc
People Don't Care zippy

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Ruff Kutt Blues Band - That's When The Blues Begins

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 54:43
Size: 125.3 MB
Styles: Texas blues
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:37] 1. Deep Elam Blues
[4:03] 2. Blues In My Blood
[4:24] 3. Don't It Make You Cry
[3:27] 4. Oh Woman!
[4:05] 5. Down So Low
[3:44] 6. Bare Foot Blues
[3:39] 7. Blues Ain't A Color
[4:14] 8. That's When The Blues Begins
[3:04] 9. That Woman Gives Me Fever
[3:20] 10. I'm Over You Woman
[3:58] 11. Going To Bluesville
[3:55] 12. Touched By Her Flame
[3:38] 13. Let's Dance
[4:29] 14. When A Bluesman Goes To Heaven

DEEP TEXAS BLUES featuring ZAC HARMON, FINIS TASBY, ANSON FUNDERBURGH and JAMES GOODE… Texan James Goode describes himself as an “old rascal and beat-up coach”, but this Rockabilly Hall-Of-Fame inductee, songwriter, bass player, and creator of the Ruff Kutt Blues Band certainly knows how to field one hell of a Blues team. THAT’S WHEN THE BLUES BEGINS features fourteen songs written or co-written by Goode, performed by world class Bluesmen including vocalist/guitarist Zac Harmon, vocalist Finis Tasby, and producer/guitarist Anson Funderburgh.

The first Ruff Kutt Blues Band album, Mill Block Blues (2011), garnered critical raves and was so successful that Goode was able to donate $10,000 of proceeds to the Blues Foundation’s HART Fund, providing relief to Blues musicians in need. When he decided to do a follow up, it went without saying that the first call would go out to Texas Blues guitar hero Anson Funderburgh, who anchored the first CD. Anson was quick to sign on to produce the new CD, and soon they brought in internationally acclaimed Blues heavyweights Zac Harmon and Finis Tasby to form the nucleus of the team for THAT’S WHEN THE BLUES BEGINS. Rounding things out are Wes Starr on drums, Ron Jones on saxophone, and keyboardist/engineer Gentleman John Street.

This all-star aggregation hits a deep Blues groove and delivers Goode’s songs with the assured, relaxed intensity of seasoned pros. Sadly, these sessions are the last recordings Finis Tasby completed before suffering a debilitating stroke in December, 2012.

mc
zippy

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VA - House Rockin' And Blues Shoutin'!: Celebrating 15 Years Of The Rhythm Room

Size: 138,0 MB
Time: 58:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Harmonica Blues, Modern Electric Blues
Art: Full

01 The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Goin' Away Baby (5:03)
02 Finis Tasby - Lonesome Bedroom (3:56)
03 Long John Hunter - Long John's Country Blues (3:28)
04 Floyd Dixon - Please Don't Go (2:48)
05 Big Pete Pearson & The Rhythm Room All-Stars - That's All Right (5:04)
06 Kid Ramos - Henry's Houserocker (3:12)
07 The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Rich Woman (3:43)
08 Sonny Rhodes - My Bleeding Heart (4:36)
09 Paul Oscher - That's It (2:20)
10 Chief Schabuttie Gilliame - Monkey Meat (6:25)
11 Robert Lockwood Jr. - C.C. Rider (4:44)
12 The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Horsin' Around (5:09)
13 Louisiana Red - Time Will Tell (4:20)
14 Billy Boy Arnold - Two Drinks Of Wine (3:29)

In certain genres, the live album is a perilous affair, fraught with the danger that the live performance will fail to match the more polished magic of the studio. With certain genres like the blues, however, the immediacy of the live performance is frequently the desired result, even in the studio. House Rockin' and Blues Shoutin' captures the live performances of a handful of bands, singers, and musicians delving deep into electric blues at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix. The standards of the genre are on full display in this collection, from soulful singing to electric guitar and harp work to tried and true lyrics about hard-living and no-good women. Featured performers include the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Mannish Boys, Long John Hunter, Floyd Dixon, Big Pete Pearson, Henry Gray, Sonny Rhodes, Paul Oscher, Chief Schabutti Gilliame, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Louisiana Red, and Billy Boy Arnold. While full bands and vocals constitute most of the arrangements, solo performances, including "Long John's Country Blues" by Hunter and "C.C. Rider" by Lockwood, offer welcome variety. There's also the occasional instrumental, including a spry version of "Henry's Houserocker" by Gray. One might wish for the presence of one or two female performers, but with all of the testosterone floating around in these songs, they probably steered clear of the Rhythm Room. For the blues aficionado, House Rockin' and Blues Shoutin' will serve as a powerful dose of the real thing. ~Review by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

House Rockin' And Blues Shoutin'!

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Finis Tasby - Jump Children!

Size: 105,8 MB
Time: 45:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1998
Styles: Modern Electric Blues
Art: Full

01. Mercy's Blues (I Believe) (3:50)
02. Georgia Slop (3:20)
03. I Just Got To Know (4:35)
04. Jump Children (3:37)
05. Cold, Cold Feeling (4:09)
06. It's Your Fault, Baby (3:31)
07. I Missed You Bad (3:36)
08. Ah'w Baby (3:35)
09. The Jive (2:46)
10. The Sun Is Shining (4:45)
11. Please Accept My Love (4:03)
12. Job For Christmas (3:46)

Rocking, hopping, and socking are three active verbs that paint the picture of Finis Tasby's vocals. They are extraordinary without being explosive. This was Lester Butler's last recording before his untimely death, and showcases his rarely heard pure blues side. Butler demonstrates the genius of playing straight from the gut. Producer Randy Chortkoff made a wise choice in guesting high-profile guitarists Rick Holmstrom, Coco Montoya, and Kid Ramos, who are equally skilled as team players. ~Review by Char Ham

Thanks to Kempen.
Jump Children!

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Finis Tasby - Snap Your Fingers

Size: 109,7 MB
Time: 47:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Modern Electric Blues, Blues Soul
Art: Front

01. Don't Make Me Pay (3:34)
02. Rockin In The Same Old Boat (5:28)
03. It's A Man Down There (4:45)
04. Rainy Night In Georgia (4:56)
05. People Sure Act Funny (3:57)
06. Blue Shadows (3:41)
07. Ghetto Woman (5:30)
08. Up And Down World (4:19)
09. Snap Your Fingers (3:29)
10. Worried Life Blues (3:34)
11. Thank You Baby (4:05)

Finis Tasby has been a fixture on the Southern California blues scene for over 4 decades. Originally from Dallas Texas, Finis first made his mark on the Bihari Brothers BIG TOWN label in the 70's and has continued recording for labels as diverse as ACE- EVIDENCE- ELECTRO-FI & DELTA GROOVE. As the lead singer of the MANNISH BOYS, Finis has added his authentic soulful singing to their many fine releases over the past few years.....This set is reminiscent of early 70's radio blues with hit's originally recorded by the likes of BB KING- ZZ HILL & BOBBY BLAND. Kid Andersen's production is clear and crisp with just the right touch of sweetness for Finis' gritty style...

Snap Your Fingers

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