Tag Archives: Mike Finnigan

Big Brother And The Holding Company: How Hard It Is

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On August 1, 1971, “Columbia” label released “How Hard It Is”, the fourth and final Big Brother and the Holding Company studio album. It was recorded in 1971, at “CBS Studios” in San Francsico, and was produced by Roscoe Segal and Roy Segal.

Personnel:

  • Sam Andrew – vocals, guitar
  • David Schallock – lead guitar
  • Peter Albin – guitar, bass, mandolin, vibraslap
  • James Gurley – bass
  • David Getz – drums, percussion, marimba, piano
  • Mike Finnigan – vocals, keyboards
  • Kathi McDonald – vocals
  • Nick Gravenites – vocals
  • David Brown, George Engfer, George Horn, Mike Larner – recording
  • Dennis Nolan – artwork

Track listing:

  1. How Hard It Is – David Getz, Sam Andrew
  2. You’ve Been Talkin’ ‘Bout Me, Baby – Ray Rivera, Gale Garnett, Walter Hirsch
  3. House on Fire – David Getz, Louis Rappaport
  4. Black Widow Spider – Sam Andrew
  5. Last Band on Side One – Roscoe Segel, Sam Andrew
  6. Nu Boogaloo Jam – Dan Nudelman, Sam Andrew
  7. Maui – Roscoe Segel, Sam Andrew
  8. Shine On – David Getz, Peter Albin, Sam Andrew
  9. Buried Alive in the Blues – Nick Gravenites
  10. Promise Her Anything but Give Her Arpeggio – David Schallock

Taj Mahal: Maestro

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On September 30, 2008, “Heads Up International” label released “Maestro”, the 26th Taj Mahal album. It was recorded in 2008, and was produced by Taj Mahal and The Phantom Blues Band.

Personnel:

  • Taj Mahal – vocals, guitar, harmonica, ukulele
  • Louie Pérez – guitar
  • Johnny Lee Schell – guitar
  • Cesar Rosas – guitar
  • Leo Nocentelli – guitar
  • David Hidalgo – guitar
  • Jason Mozersky – guitar
  • Takeshi Akimoto – guitar
  • Fred Lunt – guitar
  • Carlos Andrade – guitar
  • Mike Finnigan – keyboards
  • Jason Yates – keyboards
  • Michael Hyde – keyboards
  • Mick Weaver – keyboards, organ
  • Henry Butler – piano
  • Steve Berlin – organ
  • Ivan Neville – organ
  • Larry Fulcher – bass
  • Conrad Lozano – bass
  • Bill Rich – bass
  • Jesse Ingalls – bass
  • Paul “Pablo” Stennett – bass
  • George Porter – bass
  • Pancho Graham – acoustic bass, guitar
  • Tony Braunagel – drums
  • Cougar Estrada – drums
  • Raymond Weber – drums
  • Carlton “Santa” Davis – drums
  • Kester Smith – drums, percussions
  • Michael Jerome – drums, percussions
  • Angel Roché Jr. – percussions
  • Debra Dobkin – percussions
  • Toumani Diabaté – kora
  • Joe Sublette – tenor and baritone saxophone
  • Rudy Costa – alto saxophone, clarinet
  • Darrel Leonard – trombone
  • Angela Wellman – trombone
  • Billy Branch – harmonica
  • Pat Cockett – ukulele
  • Bassekou Kouyate – ngoni, xalam
  • Ziggy Marley – vocals
  • Angélique Kidjo – vocals
  • Ben Harper – vocals
  • Jack Johnson – vocals
  • C.C. White – backing vocals
  • Pebbles Phillips – backing vocals
  • Tracy Hazzard – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Scratch My Back – James Moore
  2. Never Let You Go – Deva Mahal, Taj Mahal
  3. Dust Me Down – Ben Harper
  4. Further On Down the Road – Jesse Edwin Davis III, Taj Mahal
  5. Black Man Brown Man – Taj Mahal
  6. Zanzibar – Angélique Kidjo, Taj Mahal
  7. TV Mama – Lou Willie Turner
  8. I Can Make You Happy – Taj Mahal
  9. Slow Drag – Taj Mahal
  10. Hello Josephine – Dave Bartholomew, Antoine Domino
  11. Strong Man Holler – Taj Mahal
  12. Diddy Wah Diddy – Ellas McDaniel, Willie Dixon
  13. Mambo No. 5 – Taj Mahal
  14. On A Little Bamboo Bridge – Taj Mahal

Danielle Nicole: Cry No More

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On February 23, 2018, “Concord” label released “Cry No More”, the second Danielle Nicole album. It was recorded in 2017, and was produced by Tony Braunagel.

Personnel:

  • Danielle Nicole – vocals, bass
  • Brandon Miller – guitar
  • Nick Schnebelen – guitar
  • Johnny Lee Schell – guitar, fiddle
  • Kenny Wayne Shepherd – guitar
  • Luther Dickinson – guitar
  • Walter Trout – guitar
  • Sonny Landreth – slide guitar
  • Mike Finnigan – keyboards, organ
  • Mike Sedovic – keyboards, organ
  • Tony Braunagel – drums
  • Kudisan Kai – backing vocal
  • Maxanne Lewis – backing vocal

Track listing:

All tracks by Danielle Schnebelen and Tony Braunagel, except where noted.

  1. Crawl – Jeff Paris, Tamara Champlin
  2. I’m Going Home 
  3. Hot Spell – Anthony La Peau, Bill Withers, Guy Caman
  4. Burnin’ for You
  5. Cry No More
  6. Poison the Well – Maia Sharp, Pamela Rose
  7. Bobby – Danielle Schnebelen
  8. Save Me
  9. How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore – Prince Roger Nelson
  10. Baby Eyes – Danielle Schnebelen
  11. Pusher Man – Danielle Schnebelen, John Lardieri
  12. My Heart Remains – Danielle Schnebelen
  13. Someday You Might Change Your Mind
  14. Lord I Just Can’t Keep from Crying – Blind Willie Johnson

Etta James: Matriarch Of The Blues

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On December 12, 2000, “Private Music” label released “Matriarch of the Blues”, the twenty-fourth Etta James studio album. It was recorded in 2000, and was produced by Donto Metto James and Sametto James.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – lead and backing vocals, liner notes
  • Josh Sklair – acoustic and electric guitar, slide guitar, keyboards, rhythm arrangements
  • Bobby Murray – guitar
  • Leo Nocentelli – guitar
  • Mike Finnigan – Hammond organ
  • Jimmy Zavala – harmonica, tenor and baritone saxophone
  • Sametto James – bass, engineer, mixing
  • Donto Metto James – drums, engineer, mixing, percussion
  • Tom Poole – trumpet
  • Terrance Galloway – engineer assistant
  • Doug Sax – mastering
  • Julie Bruzzone – creative director
  • Sonny Mediana – design, photography
  • Rudy Calvo – make-up
  • Lupe DeLeon – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Gotta Serve Somebody – Bob Dylan
  2. Don’t Let My Baby Ride – Deadric Malone, O. V. Wright
  3. Rhymes – Al Green, Teenie Hodges
  4. Try a Little Tenderness – Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, Harry M. Woods
  5. Miss You – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
  6. Hawg for Ya – Otis Redding
  7. You’re Gonna Make Me Cry – Deadric Malone
  8. Walking the Back Streets – Sandy Jones, Jr.
  9. Let’s Straighten It Out – Benny Latimore
  10. Born on the Bayou – John Fogerty
  11. Come Back Baby – Ray Charles, Lightnin’ Hopkins
  12. Hound Dog – Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller

Etta James: Life, Love & Blues

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On June 30, 1998, “Private Music” label released “Life, Love & the Blues”, the twenty-first Etta James studio album. It was recorded in 1998, at “Forth Athens Studios” in Riverside, California, “Conway Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Etta James.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocals
  • Leo Nocentelli – guitar
  • Bobby Murray – guitar
  • Josh Sklair – guitar, dobro
  • David K. Mathews – keyboards
  • Mike Finnigan – Hammond B-3 organ
  • Sametto James – bass
  • Donto Mento James – drums, percussion
  • Jimmy Z – saxophone, harmonica
  • Lee Thornburg – trumpet, valve trombone
  • Tom Poole – trumpet

Track listing:

  1. Born Under a Bad Sign – William Bell, Booker T. Jones
  2. I Want To Ta Ta You Baby – Johnny Guitar Watson
  3. Here I Am (Come and Take Me) – Al Green, Mabon “Teenie” Hodges
  4. Running Out of Lies – Paul Jordan
  5. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) – Marvin Gaye, James Nyx, Jr., James Nyx
  6. Spoonful – Willie Dixon
  7. Life, Love & the Blues – Etta James, Josh Sklair
  8. Hoochie Coochie Gal – Willie Dixon
  9. Cheating in the Next Room – George Jackson
  10. If You Want Me to Stay – Sylvester Stewart
  11. The Love You Save Maby Your Own – Joe Tex
  12. I’ll take Care of You – Brook Benton

Etta James: Heart of a Woman

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In June 1999, “RCA” label released “Heart of a Woman”, the twenty-third Etta James studio album. It was recorded in March 1999, and was produced by John Snyder and Etta James.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocals, arrangements, art direction, photography, liner notes
  • Bobby Murray – guitar
  • Josh Sklair – acoustic and electric guitar, arrangements, musical director, production assistant
  • Dave Matthews – electric piano, piano, arrangements
  • Mike Finnigan – organ
  • Sametto James – bass, drum programming, production assistant
  • Donto Metto James – drums, drum programming, production assistant
  • Pete Escovedo – conga, horn, percussion
  • Red Holloway – tenor saxophone
  • Jimmy Zavala – tenor saxophone
  • Lee Thornburg – alto horn, flugelhorn, horn arrangements, trumpet, valve trombone
  • Tom Poole – flugelhorn, trumpet
  • Jay Newland – engineer, mastering
  • Rob Brill – engineer assistant
  • Sonny Mediana – art direction, photography
  • Jeff Dunas – photography
  • Lupe DeLeon – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. You Don’t Know What Love Is – Gene de Paul, Don Raye
  2. Good Morning Heartache – Ervin Drake, Dan Fisher, Irene Higgenbotham
  3. My Old Flame – Sam Coslow, Arthur Johnston
  4. Say It Isn’t So – Irving Berlin
  5. At Last – Mack Gordon, Harry Warren
  6. Tenderly – Walter Gross, Jack Lawrence
  7. I Only Have Eyes for You – Al Dubin, Warren
  8. I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good) – Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster
  9. You Go to My Head – John Frederick Coots, Haven Gillespie
  10. A Sunday Kind of Love – Barbara Belle, Anita Leonard, Louis Prima, Stan Rhodes
  11. If It’s the Last Thing I Do – Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin
  12. Only Women Bleed – Alice Cooper, Dick Wagner

Etta James: Blues to the Bone

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On June 8, 2004, “RCA Victor” label released “Blues to the Bone”, the twenty-seventh Etta James studio album. It was recorded in 2004, and was produced by Etta James, Donto James, Josh Sklar and Sametto James. In 2005, “Blues to the Bone” won “Grammy Award” for “Best Traditional Blues Album”.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocals
  • Josh Sklair – guitar, dobro, arrangements
  • Bobby Murray – guitars
  • Brian Ray – guitar, slide guitar
  • Mike Finnigan – piano
  • John “Juke” Logan – harmonica
  • Sametto James – bass
  • Donto Metto James – drums

Track listing:

  1. I Got My Mojo Working – Preston Foster
  2. Don’t Start Me to Talking – Sonny Boy Williamson II
  3. Hush Hush – Jimmy Reed
  4. Lil’ Red Rooster – Willie Dixon
  5. That’s Alright – Jimmy Rogers
  6. Crawlin’ King Snake – John Lee Hooker
  7. Dust My Broom – Robert Johnson
  8. The Sky Is Crying – Elmore James
  9. Smokestack Lightnin’ – Howlin’ Wolf
  10. You Shook Me – Willie Dixon, J. B. Lenoir
  11. Driving Wheel – Roosevelt Sykes
  12. Honey, Don’t Tear My Clothes – Lightnin’ Hopkins

Feargal Sharkey: Wish

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On March 28, 1988, “Virgin” label released “Wish”, the second Feargal Sharkey studio album. It was recorded in 1987, at “A&M Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Danny Kortchmar.

Personnel:

  • Feargal Sharkey – vocals
  • Charley Drayton – guitar, backing vocals
  • Keith Richards – guitar
  • Waddy Wachtel – guitar
  • Jack Sherman – electric 12-string
  • Danny Kortchmar – guitar, bass
  • Mark Goldenberg – organ, synthesizer, guitar
  • Mike Finnigan – organ
  • Benmont Tench – organ
  • David Paich – synthesizer, piano
  • Maggie Lee – synthesizer, backing vocals
  • Bob Glaub – bass
  • Leland Sklar – bass
  • Steve Jordan – drums
  • Russ Kunkel – percussion
  • Jimmy “Z” Zavala – saxophone, harmonica
  • Anthony J. Davies – cello, keyboards, dube, backing vocals
  • Beverly D’Angelo – backing vocals
  • David Lasley – backing vocals
  • Arnold McCuller – backing vocals
  • Myna Smith Schilling – backing vocals
  • Gary Wathen – art direction
  • Richard Haughton – photography

Track listing:

  1. Cold, Cold Streets – Danny Kortchmar, David Lasley, Feargal Sharkey
  2. More Love – Benmont Tench
  3. Full Confession – Danny Kortchmar, Feragal Sharkey, Tim Daly
  4. Please Don’t believe in Me – David A. Stewart, Feargal Sharkey, Tim Daly
  5. Out of My System – Eddie Chacon, Suzanne Valentine
  6. If This is Love – Feargal Sharkey, Maggie Lee, Tim Daly
  7. Strangest Girl in Paradise – Danny Kortchmar, Feargal Sharkey
  8. Blue Days – Danny Kortchmar, Feargal Sharkey, Waddy Eachtel
  9. Let Me Be – Feargal Sharkey, Mark Goldenberg
  10. Safe to Touch – Feargal Sharkey, Steve Jordan

Big Brother and the Holding Company: Be a Brother

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In October 1970, “Columbia” label released “Be a Brother”, the third Big Brother and the Holding Company album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Nick Gravenites.

Personnel:

  • Nick Gravenites – lead and backing vocals
  • Sam Andrew – guitar, lead and backing vocals
  • David Schallock – guitar, backing vocals
  • Peter Albin – guitar
  • James Gurley – bass, guitar
  • David Getz – drums, piano
  • Kathi McDonald – vocals
  • Richard Greene – violin
  • Mike Finnigan – keyboard
  • Tower of Power – horn section
  • Ira Kamin
  • Mark Naftalin
  • David Brown, Jerry Hochman, Sy Mitchell – engineer
  • John Van Hamersveld – design concept
  • Bob Seidemann – design, photography

Track listing:

  1. Keep On – Sam Andrew , Peter Albin, David Getz, James Gurley, David Schallock
  2. Joseph’s Coat – Nick Gravenites, John Cipollina
  3. Home on the Strange – Peter Albin, Sam Andrew
  4. Someday – Sam Andrew
  5. Heartache People – Nick Gravenites
  6. Sunshine Baby – Sam Andrew, Peter Albin, David Getz, James Gurley, David Shallock
  7. Mr. Natural – Sam Andrew
  8. Funkie Jim – Sam Andrew, Peter Albin, David Getz, James Gurley, David Shallock, Nick Gravenites
  9. I’ll Change Your Flat Tire, Merle – Nick Gravenites
  10. Be a Brother – Nick Gravenites

Mark Karan: Walk Through the Fire

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On June 30, 2009, “Quacktone Records” label released “Walk Through the Fire”, the debut Mark Karan album. It was recorded in 2009, and was produced by Mark Karan.

Personnel:

  • Mark Karan – vocals, guitar
  • Peter Rowan – vocals, guitar
  • Chris Rowan – vocals, guitar
  • Lorin Rowan – vocals, guitar
  • Delaney Bramlett – vocals, guitar
  • JT Thomas – keyboards
  • Mike Finnigan – keyboards
  • Pete Sears – keyboards
  • Bill Payne – keyboards
  • Glenn Hartman – accordion
  • James “Hutch” Hutchinson – bass
  • Bob Gross – bass
  • John Molo – drums
  • Jimmy Sanchez – drums
  • Wally Ingram – percussion
  • Jackie LaBranch – vocals
  • Gloria Jones – vocals
  • Amber Morris – vocals
  • April Grisman – vocals
  • Joe Russell – vocals
  • Ray Sanders – vocals
  • Jayotis Washington – vocals
  • Reggie Moore – vocals
  • Jimmy Hayes – vocals

Track listing:

  1. Annie Don’t Lie – Alex Call
  2. Leave a Light On – Mark Karan
  3. Bait the Hook – Mark Karan
  4. Walk Through the Fire – Mark Karan
  5. Love in Vain – Robert Johnson
  6. Rock Your Papa – Mark Karan
  7. Memphis Radio – Susan Sheller
  8. Time Will Tell – Mark Karan
  9. Love Song – Mark Karan
  10. Think It’s Gonna Rain – Randy Newman
  11. Fools in Love – Joe Jackson
  12. Easy Wind – Robert Hunter