Mark Hummel

Lør. 9. nov. 18 – 19

My Back Scratcher med Anson Funderburgh

Mark HummelVokal, harp
Anson FunderburghGuitar
Bill StuveBass
Bob HallKeyboards
Wes StarTrommer

Mark Hummel er en fremtrædende bluesharpespiller fra USA, som har dedikeret sit liv til at udforske og mestre dette ikoniske instrument. Hummel er kendt for sin tekniske dygtighed og det følelsesmæssige spil, der har bevæget publikum verden over. Han er også en passioneret fortaler for bluesmusikken og har bidraget væsentligt til at bevare og udbrede denne rige tradition. Hummels musikalske talent og autentiske udtryk har gjort ham til en af de mest respekterede musikere i branchen og har sikret ham to Blues Music Awards, hvilket cementerer hans status som en sand blueslegende.

Mark Hummel blev født i New Haven, Connecticut, men voksede op i Los Angeles, hvor han afsluttede gymnasiet. I en alder af 18 flyttede han til Berkeley for at forfølge en karriere inden for bluesmusik, da han følte, at musikken blev taget mere seriøst der. Hummel begyndte at spille bluesharpe i 1970 og er i dag anerkendt som en af de førende bluesharmonikaspillere i sin generation. Siden 1985 har han udgivet over 30 albums, herunder den Grammy-nominerede udgivelse Remembering Little Walter fra 2013, som er en del af hans populære Blues Harmonica Blowout CD-serie.

I 1977 dannede Mark Hummel bandet Blues Survivors sammen med Mississippi Johnny Waters. Siden 1984 har han turneret uafbrudt i USA, Canada og resten af verden, og han fortsætter med at spille mellem 130 og 150 koncerter om året. I løbet af sin karriere har Hummel turneret eller indspillet med store blueslegender som Charles Brown, Charlie Musselwhite, Lowell Fulson, Billy Boy Arnold, Carey Bell, Lazy Lester, Brownie McGhee, Eddie Taylor, Luther Tucker og Jimmy Rogers.

Hummel var hovednavn på festivalen Djurs Bluesland 1989, hvor han medbragte den dengang 21-årige canadiske guitarist Sue Foley.
I 1991 startede Mark Hummel sit live-projekt, Blues Harmonica Blowout™, som har haft alle de store legender på bluesharpe, herunder Rod Piazza, John Mayall, Charlie Musselwhite, og James Cotton, samt næsten alle branchens mest fremtrædende musikere.

Mark Hummel er en ægte “Blues Survivor.” Undervejs har han skabt sit eget unikke bluesharp-lyd, en subtil kombination af tone, frasering og angreb, kombineret med en stærk følelse af swing. Siden 2000 har han udgivet seks albums på Electro Fi Records. Takket være hans konstante turnéer, optrædener på de store bluesfestivaler og tidligere albums, har han opbygget et solidt ry både i USA og Europa.

Hans album The Hustle Is Really On nåede nummer to og forblev i top fem i fire måneder på Living Blues Radio Charts. Hummels bog BIG ROAD BLUES har høstet strålende anmeldelser og blev nomineret til bedste uafhængige bogudgivelse.

2014 var et fantastisk år for Mark Hummel, hvor han blev Grammy-nomineret, vandt Blues Awards, udgav bøger og fortsatte som harpespiller og podcast-vært. Han blev Grammy-nomineret for sin Remembering Little Walter, og albummet vandt også priserne for bedste blues-cd og bedste traditionelle blues-cd ved Blues Music Awards i Memphis, Tennessee.

Mark Hummel Band har et imponerende hold af musikere.
Guitarist Anson Funderburgh har været en publikumsfavorit siden 1980’erne og har spillet og produceret albums med utallige musikere. Han leder også sit eget band, Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets, og har vundet syv Blues Music Awards og været nomineret hele 33 gange.

Funderburgh blev født lige syd for Dallas, Texas, hvor han voksede op i et musikvenligt miljø. Han fik sin første guitar som otteårig, og selvom han ikke husker prisen, har han stadig guitaren den dag i dag. En oplevelse, der satte et uudsletteligt indtryk på ham, var en BB King-koncert på Loser’s Club i Dallas i 1969, der inspirerede ham til at blive professionel musiker i en alder af 15.

Anson Funderburgh er en af bluesmusikkens mest fremtrædende repræsentanter, både som diplomat for moderne blues og som en kunstner, der formår at fange nye publikummer, samtidig med at han forbliver kreativ og interessant for inkarnerede bluesveteraner.

“Most of my heroes are dead, but Anson Funderburgh is alive and my hero.”Delbert McClinton.

Bassist og sanger Bill Stuve, som i flere årtier var fast mand hos Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, har lavet tre soloplader og er blevet nomineret hele 16 gange i kategorien Blues Instrumentalist – Bass ved Blues Music Awards. Han har også indspillet med store navne som George “Harmonica” Smith, Jimmy Rogers, Gary Primich og Junior Wells.

Boogie-woogie-pianisten Bob Hall, bandets engelske medlem, anses for at være en legende inden for britisk blues og har spillet med Alexis Korner, Dave og Jo-Ann Kelly, samt bands som Savoy Brown og The Groundhogs. Han har også sat sit præg på amerikansk blues som sideman for legender som John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, og Little Walter.

Trommeslager Wes Starr har spillet med Omar & the Howlers, Marcia Ball, Delbert McClinton, og Anson Funderburgh, samt country-kunstnerne Asleep at the Wheel, Jimmie Dale Gilmore og Kimmie Rhodes.

🇬🇧 ENGLISH 🇬🇧

Mark Hummel, a Grammy Award nominee and winner of two Blues Music Awards, began playing harmonica in 1970. He quickly rose to prominence and is now regarded as one of the premier blues harmonica players of his generation. Since 1985, Mark has recorded over thirty albums, including the Grammy-nominated 2013 release Remembering Little Walter, as part of the Blues Harmonica Blowout CD series.

In 1976, Mark founded the Blues Survivors in Berkeley, CA, alongside Mississippi Johnny Waters. Over the years, the band has seen several lineup changes but has consistently remained a top-tier blues and roots outfit. Former band members include notable musicians like Sue Foley, Rusty Zinn, and Anthony Paule, among others. The band continues to tour extensively across the United States and around the world, maintaining its reputation for delivering fiery performances featuring exceptional harmonica playing and guitar work.

In 1991, Mark launched the Blues Harmonica Blowout™, a series that has featured almost every significant blues harmonica player, including legends like John Mayall, Charlie Musselwhite, and James Cotton. This series has become a hallmark event for blues enthusiasts, showcasing a who’s who of the blues harmonica world.

Mark’s association with Electro-Fi Records began in 2000, during which he released five CDs. His constant touring and appearances at major blues festivals have solidified his reputation in the U.S. and Europe. Known as a true road warrior and Blues Survivor, Mark has developed a unique harmonica sound characterized by a subtle combination of tone, phrasing, attack, and a strong sense of swing.

Throughout his career, Mark has had the opportunity to tour or record with many blues legends, including Charles Brown, Charlie Musselwhite, Lowell Fulson, and Jimmy Rogers. His ongoing dedication to the blues has made him one of the most respected harmonica players in the genre.

In 2017, following the passing of the iconic harmonica player James Cotton, Mark Hummel took on the role of frontman for the James Cotton Tribute Band. This band features top musicians such as Steve Freund on guitar and Clay Swafford on piano, continuing Cotton’s legacy by performing his music with passion and authenticity.

Mark also leads the Little Walter Tribute Band, honoring the legendary harmonica player Little Walter, who revolutionized the instrument’s role in blues music. This band features a lineup of renowned musicians, including Anson Funderburgh on guitar and Junior Watson, among others. Mark and his band strive to keep Little Walter’s innovative spirit alive, introducing his music to new generations of fans.

As a harmonica virtuoso, Mark Hummel has left an indelible mark on the blues scene. His swinging brand of blues, combined with his extraordinary talent on the harmonica, continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Anson Funderburgh, the guitarist for Mark Hummel Band, is a highly regarded Texas and West Coast blues guitarist who has been a favorite among both audiences and fellow musicians since the 1980s. He has recorded with numerous musicians, including The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Katie Webster, Snooks Eaglin, Delbert McClinton, James Harman, and John Németh. Anson also leads his own band, Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets, and has toured as part of the Texas Blues Guitar Summit with Mike Morgan and Shawn Pittman. He has won seven Blues Music Awards and received 33 nominations throughout his career.

Anson was born just south of Dallas, Texas, and grew up in a music-friendly environment. “I’ve always loved music, although no one in my family played, everyone loved to listen to music, blues, soul, and R&B,” he recalls. At the age of eight, Anson received his first guitar from his mother, who worked at a local school. “I can’t remember how much she paid for it,” says Anson, “but I still have the guitar.”

In 1969, while visiting the Loser’s Club on Mockingbird Lane in Dallas, Anson experienced a life-changing moment when he saw B.B. King perform. “It was a small club, and he had the whole band with him, horns and everything. It was amazing and just blew me away.”

Anson became a professional musician at the age of 15, playing in several local bands. Along the way, he absorbed the styles of the genre’s great artists. His biggest influences were Freddie King and B.B. King, but he also embraced the West Side sounds of Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and Magic Sam. “I also really like the guys who played behind harmonicas—Luther Tucker, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Louis and David Meyers. I love all the old Jimmy Reed stuff with Eddie Taylor. There are just so many.”

Anson’s first major breakthrough came in 1978 when he teamed up with harmonica player and vocalist Darrell Nulisch to form the first incarnation of The Rockets. Introduced by a mutual friend, they started playing together every Monday night, and by January 1979, they were making music together full-time.

Anson Funderburgh is an outstanding representative of THE BLUES—not only as a diplomat for contemporary blues and blues in general but also as an artist accessible to new blues audiences. At the same time, he remains creative enough to be interesting and entertaining for veteran blues fans worldwide. Anson has been a “musician’s musician” on the national blues circuit since his debut album with The Rockets, Talk To You By Hand in 1981, followed by She Knocks Me Out! in 1983.

The guitar legend has been awarded the “WC Handy Blues Award” (now known as the Blues Music Awards) eight times, a prestigious honor presented by The Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee.

“Most of my heroes are dead, but Anson Funderburgh is alive and my hero.” — Delbert McClinton.
The bassist, Bill Stuve, was a longtime member of Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers. Over the years, Bill has released three solo albums and has been nominated sixteen times in the category of Blues Instrumentalist – Bass at the Blues Music Awards. Throughout his career, Bill Stuve has recorded with a variety of legendary artists, including George “Harmonica” Smith, Jimmy Rogers, Gary Primich, Doug MacLeod, William Clarke, Junior Wells, The Mannish Boys, Sugaray Rayford, and Bob Corritore.

Bob Hall, the boogie-woogie pianist in the band, is the group’s English member. He is considered a legend in the British blues scene, having played with Alexis Korner, Dave and Jo-Ann Kelly, as well as bands like Savoy Brown and The Groundhogs. Bob Hall has also left his mark on American blues, performing as a sideman for legends such as John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Lowell Fulson, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Snooky Pryor.

Wes Starr, the band’s drummer, has recorded with Omar & the Howlers, Marcia Ball, Delbert McClinton, and Anson Funderburgh. His experience extends to working with country artists like Asleep at the Wheel, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Kimmie Rhodes.