Finis Tasby People Don’t Care

Finis Tasby

People Don’t Care

Shanachie

Shanachie, which also is the parent label for Yazoo, is best known for acoustic and world beat music. With this debut album of West Coast bluesman Finis Tasby, the label presents its first modern urban blues release. Playing and singing for over three decades, Tasby’s Texas band, The Thunderbirds, spawned a young Z.Z. Hill. Over recent years he has played with Freddie King, Lowell Fulson, John Lee Hooker and others, and recorded some singles. He finally has his first full album, and he has obviously made friends over the years as Elvin Bishop, Mick Taylor and Vernon Reid each guest on guitar and solo, while Lowell Fulson shares a vocal on Find Something Else to Do, and wrote Just a Kiss. 

Tasby is a gritty singer and guitarist and his music is suggestive of the late sixties and early seventies recordings by Fulson and McCracklin. He also co-wrote four of the ten songs, and producer Charles Collins had his hand in another four. Shanachie describes this as a set of rocking blues, but Tasby’s gritty vocals and guitar is undercut by the vocal choruses and horn arrangements on some of the cuts. Fulson’s Just a Kiss, is a terrific song in which the chorus is successfully integrated in the terrific performance. This and the duet with Fulson, Find Something Else to Do, best display Tasby’s strengths, and even if the horns overplay on Gotta Draw the Line or the shuffle Po’ Boy Blues, Tasby convincingly delivers the lyrics and adds biting guitar. Drinkin’ Bad Whiskey is a slow Tasby original about how alcohol and drugs can’t ease his pain which is fervently sung and sports a fiery solo. Gonna Miss Your Love is a medium tempo number with a latin tinge and a cooing backing chorus that comes across because it is more understated in delivery. 

There is plenty about Finis Tasby to like here, despite the heavy-handed production in some areas. Unfortunately, this album could have some marketing problems, as it seems to be aimed towards the southern black blues audience and Shanachie might have a tough time cracking that market. At the same time, the vocal choruses and horns on several tracks might diminish its appeal among white blues buyers, who are often oriented to guitar solo based albums. This would be a shame, as there is some terrific Finis Tasby to be heard here.

I likely received my review copy from Shanachie. This review originally appeared in the September 1995 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 204). Here is Finis Tasby performing "As the Years Go Passing By."

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

Formed by Bassist James Goode with Anson Funderburgh on guitar for a previous self-issued recording that benefited the Blues Foundation’s HART Fund, the Ruff Kutt Blues Band returns with a second album That’s When The Blues Begins on VizzTone. On this collection of new recordings the band is fronted by vocalist Finis Tasby (on what may be his final recordings given the severe stroke he recently suffered) and Zac Harman who also plays guitar. Others on this session include Wes Starr on drums, Ron Jones on saxophone, and keyboardist/engineer Gentleman John Street on keyboards. 

From the opening song, Deep Elam Blues where Finis sings “I live on Elm Street, I got the deep Elam blues, I play my guitar on Elm Street, I got the deep Elam blues … I see women come and go, I wish I could make one of them mine …” to the closing When a Bluesman Goes to Heaven, where Harman sings about Pinetop jamming with Sammy Myers, Little Milton and others, this a full dose of nothing but the blues. Goode writes some solid no frills blues songs, Anson is riveting on guitar and Tasby and Harman sound great delivering the lyrics. 

Zac Harmon, James Goode, Finis Tasby, Anson Funderburgh (courtesy VizzTone)

Don’t It Make You Cry is a nice blues about Tasby’s woman leaving him that evokes the Big Jay McNeely-Little Sonny Warner classic, There Is Something on Your Mind, with Ron Jones standing out on sax here. Harman is showcased on the easy rocking shuffle Oh Woman, as well as Blues Ain’t a Color, (“The blues ain’t a color, its the way you feel”). Harman’s soulful singing will be no surprise to those familiar with his recordings and live performances. Jones has another strong sax solo on Oh Woman.

It also helps that the band gives first-rate backing through the varied moods and grooves from the slow drag of Deep Elam Blues, and the funky underpinning of Blues in My Blood (another song displaying Goode’s way with words), as well as on “Oh Woman.” They never rush things and their crisp, yet understated playing enhances the singing. It is welcome, when so many records marketed as ‘blues’ sound like album-rock, to hear first-rate blues played as on That’s When The Blues Begins.

I received my copy from the label. 

The Mannish Boys Blast Off With Double Dynamite

Delta Groove has issued a new release by The Mannish Boys, Double Dynamite, which is two discs of music. One CD evokes the classic Chicago blues sound of Muddy Waters, Little Walter and the like while the other CD is more rhythm and blues rooted with songs from Albert King, Jimmy McCracklin, James Brown and others. Scott Dirks in his notes suggests that The Mannish Boys are a virtual blues festival in a single band.

Sugaray Rayford has joined Finis Tasby to become the band’s prime vocalists and brings a contrasting approach with a bit more urbane, gospel-rooted approach to Tasby’s grainy, laconic style rooted in the blues of the southwest. Back on guitars are Frankie Goldwasser and Kirk Fletcher, and Delta Groove chief Randy Chortkoff on harmonica with Willie J. Campbell on bass and Jimi Bott on drums. then there is a fair amount of guests including appearances by James Harman, Mud Morganfield, Jackie Payne and Mike Finnigan on vocals; Elvin Bishop, Nathan James, Kid Ramos, and Junior Watson on guitar; James Harman, Bob Corritore, Rod Piazza, and Jason Ricci on harmonica; and Ron Rio, Mike Finnigan, Rick Wenzel and Fred Kaplan on keyboards.

The music on the two discs are traditionally rooted in some classic blues themes and grooves but the covers here never are simply copies. For one thing, instrumentation varies from the original recordings and if for example Finis Tasby’s rendition of Mean Old World is derived from Little Walter’s recording, employment of Elvin Bishop’s slide guitar gives it its own flavor. Sugaray shouts out Son House’s Death Letter on the first disc entitled Atomic Blues with Jimi Bott powering the groove as Goldwasser plays some Muddy Waters on steroids styled slide. His vocal delivery is much more relaxed on Bricks on My Pillow with Goldwasser swinging a bit on guitar her while Rob Rio boogies the ivories. Jackie Payne does a nice job singing a Muddy Waters medley of She’s 19 Years Old/ Streamline Woman, with more fine piano, Rod Piazza wailing on harp and Goldwasser sounding strong. Mud Morganfield conjures up his father on Elevate My Mama and Mannish Boy, with the latter modeled closely on Muddy’s version with Johnny Winter. Bob Corritore adds choice harp here. Chortkoff contributes an idiomatic Chicago blues-styled shuffle that Sugaray delivers vocally and Kirk Fletcher rips off a fiery solo. Goldwasser is featured on slide and vocals on Johnny Littlejohn’s Bloody Tears.

The second disc, Rhythm & Blues Explosion continues the fun and solid idiomatic performances. Born Under a Bad Sign sports a strong tasby vocal and searing Elvin Bishop guitar while Sugaray and and Cynthia Marley share the vocals on James Brown’s You’ve Got the Power, which has a crackling solo from Nathan James and solid horns in the backing. Another Albert King cover Drowning on Dry Land finds Fletcher having a bit of King in his tone behind Sugaray’s vocal. King also recorded James Brown’s Cold Sweat for Stax, and it is some of the inspiration for this Kirk Fletcher feature with Mike Finnigan on organ and Goldwasser adding some churning rhythm guitar while Bott gets the funky groove down. Finnigan on piano and vocals does a fine job on Ray Charles’ Mr. Charles Blues, with Fletcher in a jazzier mode here. Songs like Jimmy McCracklin’s Later On are particularly fine vehicles for Finis Tasby with Nathan James taking a torrid solo.

The remainder of the 26 songs are similarly potently performed and while there are mostly covers, few would be considered heavily recorded. To Scott Dirks suggestion that the Mannish Boys are a virtual blues festival, I suggest Double Dynamite is a virtual All Night All Star Blues Party.

I received my review copy from Delta Groove. Here is a video featuring finis Tasby singing. There are videos on their website, http://www.themannishboys.com/.

Kirk Fletcher Shows Many Shades of Blue

Looking back several years, here is a review of guitarist Kirk Fletcher’s second album, Shades of Blue, which was also issued by Delta Groove shortly thereafter. This review originally appeared in the April 2004 DC Blues Calendar, and just calling folks attention to a very talented guitarist and a really enjoyable blues album. Last year I reviewed his most recent album as a leader, My Turn. I purchased this I believe.

Kirk Fletcher is a young African-American guitarist from Southern California who has been mentored by some of the best West Coast blues musicians such as Junior Watson and Al Blake and has toured with Kim Wilson (with whom he has recorded) and Charlie Musselwhite. One might call him an old school guitarist as their is little if any of post-Hendrix blues-rock flavoring in his music. It is straight ahead driving blues guitar.

His second album, Shades of Blue, is on the German Crosscut label and spotlights his inventive playing on several instrumentals and as he backs vocalists Kim Wilson, Janiva Magness and Finis Tasby. Magness, a young West Coast female is one of the more promising of the emerging female blues vocalist and Tasby is one of the few singers that catch the grit and soul of the late Lowell Fulson. He really is a solid accompanist, and his sharp, biting lines embellish but not overwhelm the vocals. Highpoints include his accompaniments to Wilson’s vocals on Lonesome Sundown’s My Home is a Prison, and the classic Junior Parker (I am guessing) Stranded; Magness’ thoughtful take on Magic Sam’s That’s Why I’m Crying and Tasby’s reworking of Jimmy Dawkins’ Welfare Blues, where Fletcher really takes off on his solo. There is also an nice Tasby rendition of Percy Mayfield’s The River’s Invitation. Instrumental showcases include Club Zanzibar that Fletcher co-wrote with Wilson and the opening Blues For Boo Boo, with its nice easy groove.

Elvin Bishop Raises Hell With Blues Revue

As part of participating on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise, Elvin Bishop, led the Raisin’ Hell Revue. This writer suspects this was modeled on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Revue that Tommy Castro fronted and featured several artists in addition to Castro and enabled greater exposure for some of what were perhaps lesser known acts to the Blues Cruisers. Delta Groove has just issued Elvin Bishop’s Raisin’ Hell Revue, from performances on the Cruise.

In addition to Bishop, the performances on this showcase vocalist Finis Tasby: vocalist and harp player, John Nemeth; saxophonist and vocalist Terry Hanck; guitarist Kid Andersen, and Bishop’s fine band that included Ruth Davies (some may remember from Charles Brown’s Band) on bass, drummer Bobby Cochran and the varied keyboards of Steve Willis.

Thirteen tunes with almost an hour of music opens with a good-natured Bishop take on Lazy Bill Lucas’ Callin’ All Cows with hot guitar from Andersen and accordion from Willis. It is followed by the gravelly vocals of Tasby on B.B. King’s Whole Lotta Lovin’ as Anderson and Bishop blaze away. Nemeth takes the vocal mike as Bishop reprises his big hit, Fooled Around And Fell In Love. What the Hell Is Goin’ On, has Bishop spin a topical lyric to a Funky Chicago Blues groove as Kid Andersen taking the first guitar solo, while Nemeth revives Nappy Brown’s Night Time Is the Right Time, based on Ray Charles recording, with Nemeth playing harp as well as singing. It is followed by Tasby, who reworks Jimmy Reed’s Down in Virginia.

Saxophonist Hanck handles the fine vocal on Cryin’ Fool, a terrific New Orleans -Swamp Pop styled number with nice guitar that evokes Robert Ward and Lonnie Mack. There is choice tenor sax solo from Hanck on Tasby’s rendition of River’s Invitation. Bishop does a nice rendition of Albert Collins’ Dyin’ Flu, while recalling the late Master of Telecaster. Hank Ballard’s rocking Tore Up Over You, is revived with a terrific Nemeth vocal while Tasby gets to us with It Hurts Me Too, with Bishop on slide.

Nemeth leads everybody on the closing Bye Bye Baby, concluding a most entertaining revue of blues and rhythm songs. The material does include some familiar songs but mostly some rarely performed songs, the level of the performances is high, and the recording quality is fine. Recommended.

A review copy was provided by a publicist.

Mannish Boys Shakin' That Delta Groove

Delta Groove is celebrating its 5th Anniversary and as part of the celebration is the fifth recording by The Mannish Boys, “Shake For Me,” also celebrating the 5th Anniversary of this aggregation. Returning for this are vocalists Finis Tasby, Bobby Jones and Johnny Dyer; guitarists Kirk Fletcher and Frank Goldwasser; Randy Chortkoff on harmonica; and pianist Fred Kaplan with special guests Nick Curran, Michael Zito, Kid Ramos, Rod Piazza, Mitch Kashmar, Arthur Adams and Lynwood Slim with a terrific rhythm section of Willie J. Campbell on bass and Jimi Bott on drums sparking things throughout. David Woodward plays saxophone on several selections. As expected, it is a celebration of classic blues with a few originals, styled in the vein of classic blues also included.

A ripping cover of Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s “Too Tired” with an able vocal from Tasby and Curran playing in the vein of Watson’s original recording. The medley of Bo Diddley’s “Mona” and Johnny Otis’ “Willie & the Hand Jive,” features the famous Bo Diddley groove and Zito’s rocking guitar backing Bobby jones and Zito himself. Goldwasser handles guitar behind Tasby for a nice treatment of Lowell Fulson's “Reconsider Baby.” Few can put together the grainy southwestern approach of Fulson as a singer as does Tasby. Randy Chortkoff contributed “Educated Ways,” an original styled after some of Elmore James’ Fire recordings (“You Got To Move”) with some strong slide from Goldwasser and vocal by Jones. Jones then handles the vocal backed solely by pianist Rob Rio on a doomy St. Louis Jimmy slow blues “Half Ain’t Been Told.” Tarheel Slim’s “Number 9 Train,” is revived by Frank Goldwasser’s vocals and guitar with Bott’s drum. Goldwasser’s vocal and driving, slashing guitar (inspired by Wild Jimmy Spruill’s work on the original), takes listeners on a wild ride.

Rod Piazza’s harp backs Tasby’s nice rendition on “Last Night” with Goldwasser and Fletcher both present, before Jones’ reprises Ray Charles’ on “Hey Now,” with brassy horns and some tough guitar from Fletcher in a Pete ‘Guitar’ Lewis fashion, while Fletcher’s work on the Howling Wolf’s “You Can’t Be Beat,” evokes the slashing style of Willie Johnson’s from Wolf’s Memphis days. More solid playing from Fletcher is heard behind Tasby’s evocation of Lowell Fulson on “Black Nights.” Fletcher trades solos with Curran on “The Bullet,” a hot instrumental combining hot bop flavored jump blues of the likes of Tiny Grimes with the driving Memphis boogie of Willie Johnson and Pat Hare with some nice piano from Kaplan. Chortkoff wrote a nice slow blues for Bobby jones, “These Worries,” with Lynwood Slim on chromatic harp, himself on harmonica and Goldwasser on slide with more of Kaplan’s fine down in the alley piano. “Raunchy,” by Arthur Adams, is a jaunty feature for the veteran singer and guitarist. Johnny Dyer’s sole vocal is a nice rendition of Muddy Waters’ “Champagne & Reefer,” while Bobby Jones reprises Bobby Bland’s “You Got Bad Intentions” with Fletcher taking a frenetic solo. This disc concludes with the Dutch singer and harp player, “Big” Pete van der Pluijim reprising the late Lester Butler’s “Way Down South,” with Kid Ramos’ trebly-laden guitar in support.

The only sour note here is the failure to properly credit the cover photo which I believe is from one of the WPA photographers that documented American life during the depression and in the Library of Congress. The photo has been used a number of times going back at least to Yazoo Records anthology of Jackson Blues in the late sixties. Aside from that (like the previous releases by The Mannish Boys), this disc is a celebration of a wide spectrum of blues and rhythm music, wonderfully played and sang.


This review originally appeared in the May 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 325). A review copy was provided by a publicity firm for the record label.

Congrats to 15 years of The Rhythm Room

Phoenix’s The Rhythm Room as developed a reputation as a blues room in part due to the efforts of Bob Corritore. Blue Witch Records has issued a lively celebration of its 15 years, House Rockin’ and Blues Shoutin’!, with 14 strong live performances for the Rhythm Room’s stage. This is scheduled to be released in September, 2007. Its a nice range of performances that give an indication of the breadth and eclecticism of real deal blues that play there including performances by the Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Manish Boys, Long John Hunter, Floyd Dixon, Big Pete Pearson, Henry Gray, Sonny Rhodes, Paul Oscher, Chief Shabuttie Gilliame w Johnny Dyer and Henry Gray, Robert Lockwood, Jr, Louisiana Red and Billy Boy Arnold. There are any number of highlights here and no poor tracks. The three Thunderbirds tracks are each with different personnel supporting Kim Wilson including Troy Gonyea’s guitar backing him on Jimmy Rogers’ Goin’ Away Baby, and the Little Walter styled harp romp, Horsin’ Around, while Kid Ramos, Kirk Fletcher and horns provide support for the New Orleans groove of Rich Woman. Finis Tasby gravelly vocals graces The Manish Boys fine Lonesome Bedroom, while Long John Hunter is heard solo on Long John’s Country Blues. Piano blues will enjoy Floyd Dixon’s jumping Please Don’t Go while Henry Gray’s Henry’s Houserocker is a solid shuffle with Kid Ramos’ guitar helping propel the boogie woogie feature. Sonny Rhodes playing lap steel guitar interprets one of the lesser known Elmore James numbers, My Bleeding Heart, while Paul Oscher is marvelous on guitar, harp and vocals on That’s It. The delightful performances come to a close with Billy Boy Arnold’s take on an old Sonny Boy Williamson recording (which actually dates back to pianist Charlie Spand) which is retitled and credited to Arnold, Two Drinks of Wine. It is the same song junior Wells did as Early in the Morning. One can’t think of a better salute to this blues room than the compilation of fine recordings here and Blue Witch is to be thanked for this collection. May the Rhythm Room celebrate another 15 years.

The Mannish Boys Strong Retro-Blues

Delta Groove has issued a new release from The Mannish Boys, Big Plans. A smorgasbord of blues players and styles, the main featured players are vocalists Finis Tasby and Johnny Dyer with support from the likes of guitarists Frank Goldwasser (Paris Slim), and Kirk Fletcher, pianist Leon Blue, bassist Tom Leavey and drummer Richard Innes with guest appearances from Jody Williams, Rick Holmstrom, Mitch Kashmar, Rob Rio and Larry Taylor. There is a mix of covers and originals that are well played and performed. Certainly its a delight to hear the West Coast blues singing of Tasby whose world-weary sound adds to the appeal of his reworking Long John Hunter’s Border Town Blues, while I Get Worried, is a moody late night T-Bone Walker blues with Kid Ramos laying in crisp T-Bone guitar runs, and Roy Hawkins’ Why Do Things Happen to Me? is a charged rendition of the great West Coast singer who had the original The Thrill is Gone. Chicago singer Bobby Jones handles an original shuffle by bassist Leavey, Mary Jane, with producer Randy Chortkoff adding some Jimmy Reed-ish, high register harp, along with a moody reworking of Howlin’ Wolf’s Memphis recording, California Blues, into a slow-drag blues with Fletcher taking lead on guitar and Kashmar adding some choice harp. Johnny Dyer covers Muddy Waters’ recording, Just to Be With You, and its well played if adding little to the original, while Leon Blue does Homesick James’ Got to Move, with Goldwasser adding solid slide in the Homesick James vein as Leon Blue tinkles the ivories and delivers a strong vocal, again modeled on James’ original, and Jody Williams recreates his Groan My Blues Away, with an amiable if unspectacular vocal, but his vocal on Chortkoff’s Young & Tender, is more compelling against the atmospheric backing he receives. In contrast, Chortkoff’s rendition of his Mine All Mine has too busy an accompaniment and a weak vocal (certainly in comparison to the other performers here). Even if much of this hardly original, it is delight to hear this done so well at a time with bluesy rock is seen by some as an innovation. While hardly essential, few blues lovers will have any complaints to acquiring this disc.