Otis Grand-Anson Funderburgh-Debbie Davies - Grand Union (1998)

► Get the album at the usual place...

Guitar XXXL
Three XL guitar slingers together in a studio do not necessarily deliver a XXXL album. At least for non guitar-junkies. For guitar addicts, “Grand Union” is probably an album to have in their records collection.

Fortunately for the first ones, the one-time trio had the good taste not to record pure instrumentals and to call in three good vocalists, Sugar Ray Norcia on six tracks (also on harmonica on two of the six), Brother Roy Oakley on two, and drummer Tony Coleman on two also, as well as some fine musicians like Ike Turner on piano for a couple of titles, or sax phenom Gordon Beadle on three numbers. Plus no less than two horn sections : the Buzz Horns and the Bee Horns.

Otis Grand

Otis Grand is a globe-trotter : born in Beirut, Lebanon, he lived a few years in France before his family migrated to the US were he spent most of his life, befriending Joe Louis Walker, before moving in the late 1980st to England where he now resides, acclaimed as one of the best UK blues guitarists.

Anson Funderburgh

Anson Funderburgh, born in the Dallas-Ft Worth metropolitan area, started to built a reputation in the late 1970s-early 1980s with his band the Rockets, whose singer was Darrell Nulisch, replaced by Mississippi harmonicist Sam Myers in 1985, then multiplying collaborations and producing numerous musicians.

Debbie Davies

Los Angeles native Debbie Davies is known to have played along Albert Collins in the Icebreakers for some three years. Like Funderburgh, she has collaborated with many musicians (Coco Montoya, Fingers Taylor, Jimmy Buffet, Tab Benoit…) and has released a long list of albums, two of them winning a Blues Music Award.

The three six-string kings and queen got together at Grand initiative to record this guitar galore. In my opinion, all tracks are not on an even level, but there's a fair number of interesting ones.

On the too short opening wild jump blues, the appropriately titled “Guitars On Fire”, Grand (center channel), puts out a deja-vu Danny Gatton sound, Funderburgh (right channel), a typical relaxed Texan style, but the most appealing is probably Debbie Davies (left channel).

Sung by Norcia, “The Things I'd Do For You”, a solid R'n'B signed by Mel London, features Anthony Geraci's lively barrel-house piano, Norcia's harmonica and again fine guitar from Davies. On the straight blues “Bone Tones”, with the Buzz Horns, the three guitarists are responding to each other through soulful solos. The Johnny "Guitar" Watson cover “I Got Eyes” is enlightened by Brother Roy Oakley's excellent vocals and Beadle's doubled sax work.

Nice guitar also on “Don't Talk About Me”, much more on “Westside Bossman” where Grand plays through a Leslie chamber. The tormented guitars and the vocals of Tony Coleman make of “TC Blues” one of the most soulful tracks of the album.

Howlin' Wolf's rightly titled “Rockin' Daddy” has a great rhythmic pattern proper to inspire the three guitarists and Oakley's vocals. The closing track, “The Big Prayer”, is a fine hypnotic slide guitar Delta blues with a Norcia better on vocals than in his previous interventions and delivering good harmonica lines. Not far from being the highlight of the album.

If the three guitar players do not deserve much criticism, with a special mention for Davies appealing fluid playing and sound, the problem of the album lies in the choice of certain songs, voluntarily not mentioned : obviously under level, they pull the global quality down, making the result less convincing that it should be, but still rather agreeable especially for guitar crazies. ●

Live videos... are better than long speeches
Having never performed live together, it was thus impossible to find any video of the three guitarists together. on stage Instead are videos of each, often playing with other musicians.

► Otis Grand
■ Otis Grand & The Big Blues Band, Great British Rock & Blues Festival, Butlins Skegness, 2016 : https://youtu.be/Lg1Y3GqhUJc
■ Lucerne Blues Festival, Switzerland, 2016 :
→ "Reelin' & Rockin' / Please Don't Leave" : https://youtu.be/Xq67kbX7grE
→ "B B King medley" : https://youtu.be/fox99zOMco0
■ “All Over Again” with Mike Andersen, BB King Tribute concert, 2016 : https://youtu.be/inWPDmMo7ts
■ "Satan's Blues", London, 2014 : https://youtu.be/juHNImFQRyQ
■ Cazorla Blues Festival, Spain,  2014 : https://youtu.be/KqWczGKKE4A
■ Ste-Colombe, France, 2011 :
→ Jam with Sophie Malbec : https://youtu.be/iktewH2AfVM
→ https://youtu.be/EaX6rDnfGQ4
■ Otis Grand & The Big Blues Band, Ospel Blues Festival, Holland, 2010 : https://youtu.be/WUo2flqUaIY
■ Otis Grand and Anson Funderburgh, “Blues For Ike”, 2010 : https://youtu.be/YiHS3hit2V4
■ With his Allstar Blues Band (feat., like on the “Grand Union” album, Anthony Geraci on keys, Michael "Mudcat" Ward on bass and Neil Gouvin on drums), Avante Festival, Seixal, Portugal, 2010 :
→ "Rock This House" : https://youtu.be/wxtuGO3Jiq4
→ “The BB Jump” / “Sad Blues” : https://youtu.be/8Dhdny1FNXY
■ Otis Grand & the Blues Gamblers, Switzerland, 2008 : https://youtu.be/64GVQFtNreA
■ “Blues from the Heart”, Tomares Crossroad Blues, Spain, 2008 : https://youtu.be/CfxWTKJexeQ
■ With guitarist Ronni Boysen, Djurs Bluesland, Denmark, 2008 : https://youtu.be/AyXth2iVr8g
■ “Natural Ball”, Cazorla Blues Festival, Spain, 2003 : https://youtu.be/zflhGGT_lIw
■ With Brother Roy Oakley on vocals, RockLife TV show, Germany, 1995 :
→ “The Things I Forgot To Do” : https://youtu.be/u-PAMfClc34
→ “No Reason” : https://youtu.be/9VS8aWcXv4U
→ “Buzz Me” : https://youtu.be/f3sbHoaqq5g
→ “All Your Love” : https://youtu.be/bRd4B2JLbH8
→ “In The Open” : https://youtu.be/4QY95prU1ho

► Debbie Davies
■ With Albert Collins & the Icebreakers:
→ “Black Cat Bone” : https://youtu.be/IfX0PzUcU1o
→ “Frosty” : https://youtu.be/jr5-9UImcTE
→ “I Ain't Drunk” : https://youtu.be/I-BeGXK4kuQ
■ With Alastair Greene, Gator By The Bay Festival, San Diego, CA, 2022 : https://youtu.be/WKOw8nB0-TM
■ “Me & My Baby” with Chris Cain, Maui Sugar Mill, Tarzana, CA, 2019 : https://youtu.be/NJc7CTnFNcw
■ Musicians Institute, Hollywood, CA, 2017 : https://youtu.be/GeTUYsjzd-s
■ With Joe Louis Walker, 2017 : https://youtu.be/byXpQeNUkVY
■ “I Just Came To Play”, Ventura County Blues Festival, CA, 2017 : https://youtu.be/8pPN19c_ta0

■ In Long Beach, CA, 2015 : https://youtu.be/JUi8pRYbHuA
■ With Johnny Winter & James Montgomery at Winter's 70th Birthday Bash, B.B. King Blues Club, New York City, 2014 : https://youtu.be/s9NGsL55gvQ
■ Live at The Iridium, NYC, NY, 2014 :
→ #1 : https://youtu.be/9GWspUMdf3A
→ #2 : https://youtu.be/f-DSBFrTl6M
■ At B.B. King's club, 2013 : https://youtu.be/sBLYhrwRmiI & https://youtu.be/h-j9Q5f-BDw
■ With Dion Dimucci, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, 2013 : https://youtu.be/_mcaadP_jR0
■ “Wrong Man For Me”, Don Odells Legends Studios, Palmer, MA, 2012 : https://youtu.be/nHZ1PNGcuKI
■ “I Wonder Why” and “Blues Woman” with the Tommy Castro Band, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, 2012 : https://youtu.be/L7HNsJDH4WI
■ Callahan's Music Hall, Auburn Hills, MI, 2011 :
→ "All I Found" : https://youtu.be/S4KuEa9fJGo
→ "I Don't Want No Man" : https://youtu.be/4kEzY6wNSLY
→ "My Time After A While" : https://youtu.be/6KaEqUNKuDQ
→ "Okie Dokie Stomp" : https://youtu.be/48-EBr2t5Kg
■ “All I Found”, Peter's Players, Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada, 2010 : https://youtu.be/oh3QtWJ_epc
■ Jazz de Terrassa Festival, Barcelona, Spain, 2005 :
→ #1 : https://youtu.be/y9Kcr_SReFw
→ #2 : https://youtu.be/h2rltMrJxZ8
→ #3 : https://youtu.be/Wr5FU1ddr44
→ #4 : https://youtu.be/rwF-Xw7NU-Q

► Anson Funderburgh
■ Texas Blues Guitar Summit, with Mike Morgan & Shawn Pittman, 2022 :
→ Moulin Blues Festival, Ospel, Holland : https://youtu.be/DZhcbmHGsAM
→ Muziekodroom, Hasselt, Belgium : https://youtu.be/dPoom4nxwzY
→ Muziekodroom, Hasselt, Belgium : https://youtu.be/V9UcGA8D-Ls
→ Malmö, Sweden : https://youtu.be/4-caKw8qxzY
■ With Gabe Stillman & Ronnie Earl, The Bull Run Restaurant, Shirley, MA, 2022 : https://youtu.be/BYvHdnBXcGs
■ With Christian Dozzler, 2021 : https://youtu.be/Dok2UV5OhlU
■ A.F. & The Rockets, Spring Park Club, Garland, TX, 2019 : https://youtu.be/XCFF83aEyJ8
■ With Eric Lindell and the Natural Mystics, Hill Country BBQ, NYC, 2019 : https://youtu.be/YR_vBVKSrlM

With Sam Myers

■ With the Andy T Band, Alabama Mike & J. D. Simo, Garvin Gate Blues Festival, Louisville, KY, 2018 : https://youtu.be/_RdJ17vFhTw
■ A.F. & The Rockets feat. Big Joe Maher, The Rockhouse, Salzburg, Austria, 2017 : https://youtu.be/FIqxGUa0-CM
■ With Mike Zito, Sandy Beaches Cruise, 2017 : https://youtu.be/gmjOmoh-xS8
■ Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue, Las Vegas, NV, 2016 : https://youtu.be/6pseZmkwl3E
■ “T Bone Shuffle” with Lee Roy Parnell, Sandy Beaches Cruise, 2016 : https://youtu.be/hos39vQeXsk
■ With Big Joe Maher, Lewisville, TX, 2016 : https://youtu.be/k2esb5Rxbos
■ "Double Trouble", with Jason Ricci & Little Charlie Baty, 2016 :
https://youtu.be/flbx22AxkIc
■ "Frosty" with Little Charlie Baty, BB King's Club, NYC, 2015 : https://youtu.be/q81XtO6pkWM
■ With Coco Montoya, Great British R & B Festival, Colne, UK, 2015 : https://youtu.be/hOiQkOPRNyU

■ A.F. & The Rockets, Garvin Gate Blues Festival, Louisville, KY, 2014 : https://youtu.be/jq2dNVE-LBc
■ With Duke Robillard, Chan's, Woonsocket, RI, 2013 : https://youtu.be/AT36gUptXqQ
■ Festivales de Verano, Italy, 2013 : https://youtu.be/yA5V5Kc3sFE
■ Cazorla Blues Festival, Spain, 2013 : https://youtu.be/RhqPdDXsrhQ
■ "The Hustle Is On" with Mark Hummel & Little Charlie Baty, Lucerne Blues Festival, Switzerland, 2012 : https://youtu.be/PBKKhCv3dOA
■ With Taylor Davie, 2012 : https://youtu.be/fpGeC3VHWUY
■ "I'm Tryin'", A. F. & The Rockets, Boston Blues Festival, Boston, MA, 2006 : https://youtu.be/ASOtl5ffagM
■ A.F. & The Rockets with Sam Myers, Waterfront Blues Festival, Portland, OR, 1993 : https://youtu.be/YFq2tZk_-HY
■ With Boz Scaggs & Betty Wright, 1988 : https://youtu.be/9IdHiuKCwa4