A playlist featuring some originals and my versions of artists that have been a great influence for my playing like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Eddie Boyd, Freddy king, Mississippi John Hurt, Sonny Boy Williamson or Little Walter to name a few. 

Classic Delta & Chicago Blues

A cover of the superb Fats Domino song "I'm Walking" that I recorded in 2012 in London using a handheld Boss BR Track recorder.

If my memory serves me right I played percussion banging on an empty Cohiba box...

Ramblin' Matt: Vocals, Fender Stratocaster, Electric Bass, Harmonica and Percussion. 

I'm Walkin'

Written by Mateo "Ramblin Matt" Garcia 

From the live sessions at "House Rent Boogie" excellent show dedicated to the Blues of Radio Resonance FM in London, hosted by Nikki Brooks. 

I wrote this song as a tribute to Big Bill Broonzy, and I play it alternating bass lines and melody picks with reminiscences of Hey, Hey and Key to the highway, using a borrowed old Martin D-100 

Recorded Resonance Radio Studios, London. May 2012

from Bad Reputation (Valencia​/​London 2013), released December 24, 2013 

Mateo "Ramblin Matt" Garcia: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar (Martin D100) and Footstomping

Hey, Momma

I wrote this track about the day that Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Texas on November 1963. 

Aparently, and the Warren Comission agreed he shot JFK, tearing the American Dream in pieces. 

But...did he? I wrote him a song, I really think he deserves it. 
Do you?

THE BALLAD OF LEE HARVEY OSWALD 
(Music & Lyrics by Mateo Garcia) 

Here's the Ballad of a man that could had been king 
But he lived like a pawn and died like a wimp 
Was the bullet of a mobster with the name of a jewel 
Whit his hands tied in cuffs that the police had give him 

He's a bad, bad man tell the parents to their children 
He's a lonesome nut thinks LBJ and his men 
That the man was a Communist, spy for the Russians 
That he supported Castro, down in New Orleans 

(chorus) 

Lee Harvey Oswald was his name 
And he was just a patsy (a pawn in the game) 
But everybody says that he shot JFK 
Three shots in six seconds and a life to waste 

He killed freedom with a shotgun 
And raped the American Dream 
He scattered his brains in Texas 
A magic bullet did the trick 

He could have lived in glory, with interviews in jails 
And all the papers guessing if he really was the man 
Write a book, shot a movie and get all the rights 
But the only right he got was a bullet in his gut 

It was November down in Dallas, when Lee was on the run 
Til they got him in the movies, and cuffed him on the ground 
Police Brutality! He screamed but no one heard 
Cause he was the bad man, that shot JFK 

Lee Harvey Oswald was his name 
He said he was Qjust a patsy (a pawn in the game) 
But everybody says that he shot JFK 
Three shots in six seconds and a dream that ends 

He killed freedom with a shotgun 
And raped the American Dream 
He scattered his brains in Texas 

(Spoken; ...and JFK was dead, dead...)

from The Ballad of Lee Harvey Oswald (Single, Valencia 2015), released January 13, 2015 
Music and Lyrics by Mateo "Ramblin Matt" Garcia 

RAMBLIN MATT - Vocals, Melodija Menges 1948 Acoustic Guitar, Harmonca

The Ballad of Lee Harvey Oswald

One of our new originals, with a groove squeezed directly from the Chess Records vaults, Chicago style inner city Blues talking about the little ant working day after day, step by step to make its fortune. Just as we do, song by song, note by note.

"Ant Working Blues" 

I´ve got the Ant workin blues 
I make my fortune step by step 
Cause When You want it all too fast 
Everything will go as fast as it came 

I pick the jobs 
That nobody wants 
If the pay me a hundred dollars 
Or if the pay me four 

Cause I´ve got the Ant workin blues 
Make my fortune step by step 
Cause if you win it all to fast 
Every thing go as fast as it came 

I Play my Guitar 
Everywhere I can 
If they give me a hundred dollars 
Or if they give me ten 

Cause I´ve got the Ant workin blues 
Make my fortune step by step 
Cause when you want it all to fast 
Every thing go as fast as it came.

from Unplugged At Bop Street (LP 2015), released June 15, 2015 

Music & Lyrics by Sara Gee & Ramblin Matt 

Sara Gee: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar 
Ramblin Matt: Fender Telecaster De Luxe 72 
Isi Rockin: Double Bass 
Javier Ortega: Snare Drum with Brushes 

Guest - Antonio Chumillas "Chumi": Blues Harp 

Recorded in Valencia, 12 March 2015 in El Regreso Radio Studio during the live emission of the show "Bop Street" presented and directed by Alex Ruiz.

Ant Working Blues (Sara Gee & Ramblin Matt)

Written by Little Walter
lyrics
(Instrumental)
credits

from Early In The Morning (EP, Valencia 2015), released May 15, 2015

Danny Boy Sánchez: Harmonica 
Ramblin Matt: 1956 Gibson Archtop
tags


Juke (with Danny Boy Sánchez)

Written by Sonny Boy Williamson

When a girl reach the age of 18 
She begins to think she's grown, 
And hat's the kind of little girl 
You can never find at home. 
Come and see me early in the morning, 
Just about the break of day. 
Want to see me hug my pillow 
Where my baby used to lay? 
One drink of wine, 
Two drinks of gin. 
Pretty young got me 
In the shape I'm in. 
Chorus 
I pass by the juke joint, 
Look through the door. 
She's doing the boogie-woogie 
In the middle of the floor.

from Early In The Morning (EP, Valencia 2015), released May 15, 2015

Danny Boy Sánchez: Vocals and Harmonica 
Ramblin Matt: 1956 Gibson Archtop

Early In The Morning (with Danny Boy Sánchez)

Before Blues, Rock n Roll and punk entered my lfe, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, and our own Spanish Paco Ibañez, Lluis Llach and many others were there already. 

The first songs that I learnt were their songs, and with this track want to remember all their influences and acknowldlege them. 

Inspiration by Blind Willie Johnson and Ry Cooder

VIGILANTE MAN 
(Woody Guthrie) 

Have you seen that vigilante man? 
Have you seen that vigilante man? 
Have you seen that vigilante man? 
I been hearin' his name all over the land. 

Rainy night down in the engine house, 
Sleepin' just as still as a mouse, 
Man come along an' he chased us out in the rain. 
Was that a vigilante man? 

(solo) 

Preacher Casey was just a workin' man, 
And he said, "Unite all you working men." 
Killed him in the river some strange man. 
Was that a vigilante man? 

Oh, why does a vigilante man, 
Why does a vigilante man 
Carry that sawed-off shot-gun in his hand? 
Would he shoot his brother and sister down? 

I rambled 'round from town to town, 
I rambled 'round from town to town, 
And they herded us around like a wild herd of cattle. 
Was that the vigilante men? 


Have you seen that vigilante man? 
Have you seen that vigilante man? 
I've heard his name all over this land.

from The Ballad of Lee Harvey Oswald (Single, Valencia 2015), released January 13, 2015 
Music & Lyrics by Woody Guthrie 

RAMBLIN MATT - Vocals, Lap Style Dobro Resonator played with steel bar

Vigilante Man

Inspired by Lonnie Johnson´s style. From the Dallas (TX) sessions, June 20th 1937

I'm a drunken hearted man 
my life seem so misery 
I'm the drunken hearted man 
my life seem so misery 
And if I could change my way of livin' 
it t'would mean so much to me 


I been dogged and I been driven 
eve' since I left my mother's home 
I been dogged and I been driven 
eve' since I left my mother's home 
And I can't see no reason why 
that I can't leave these no-goods womens alone 


My father died and left me 
my poor mother done the best that she could 
My father died and left me 
my poor mother done the best she could 
Every man likes that game you call love 
but it don't mean no man no good 
Now, I'm the drunken hearted man 
and sin was the cause of it all 
spoken: Oh, play 'em now 
I'm a drunken hearted man 
and sin was the cause of it all 
And the day that you get weak for no-good women 
that's the day that you bound to fall

from Songs From The Delta (London 2011), released May 1, 2011 

Music & Lyrics by Robert Johnson 
Mateo "Ramblin Matt" Garcia: Vocals and Acoustic Guitar (Drop D tuning)


Drunken Hearted Man

Written by McKinley Morganfield 

Rollin Stone was one of his first electric compositions, a natural continuation to Catfish Blues, by Robert Petaway. 

I play the song with an oversaturated acoustic guitar to add punch to the monotonal, trance-like rhythm. Recorded in one take, no overdubs, using a Martin D100. 

Recorded in The Hole Studios, London. May 2011

Well i wish 
i was a catfish 
swimmin in a oh, deep, blue sea 
I would have all you good lookin women, 
fishin, fishin after me 
Sure 'nough, a-after me 
Sure 'nough, a-after me 
Oh 'nough, oh 'nough, sure 'nough 

I went to my baby's house, 
and I sit down oh, on her steps. 
She said, "Now, come on in now, Muddy 
You know, my husband just now left 
Sure 'nough, he just now left 
Sure 'nough, he just now left" 
Sure 'nough, oh well, oh well 

Well, my mother told my father, 
just before hmmm, I was born, 
"I got a boy child's comin, 
He's gonna be, he's gonna be a rollin stone, 
Sure 'nough, he's a rollin stone 
Sure 'nough, he's a rollin stone" 
Oh well he's a, oh well he's a, oh well he's a 

Well, I feel, yes I feel, 
feel that I could lay down oh, time ain't long 
I'm gonna catch the first thing smokin, 
back, back down the road I'm goin 
Back down the road I'm goin 
Back down the road I'm goin 
Sure 'nough back, sure 'nough back

from Bad Reputation (Valencia​/​London 2013), released December 24, 2013 

Mateo "Ramblin´Matt" Garcia - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Footstomping



Rollin Stone

Written by Mississippi John Hurt 

For this song I tuned a Martin D100 to Open E and fingerpicked around the melody playing the bass with the thumb in the6th and 4th string. It was recorded for the "Hour of the Blues" in BBC Radio of London I will always remember the City of London covered in snow that morning when I took the 38 Bus to the West End. Memories lie in songs, songs are made of memories. 

Recorded Live at BBC Radio Studios, London. December 2011

Yeah, I did all I can do and I can't get along with you 
I'm gonna take you to your mama 
Pay day, pay day, pay day 

Well, the rabbit in a log, I ain't got no rabbit dog 
And I hate to see that rabbit get away 
Get away 

Baby, did all I can do and I can't get along with you 
I'm gonna take you to your mama 
Pay day 

Just about a week ago 
I'm gonna keep my skillet1 greasy if I can 
If I can, if I can 
(You know what happened to me) 

Well, the hounds is on my track and the knapsack on my back 
I'm gonna make it to my shanty 
'Fore day, 'fore day, 'fore day 

Baby, I did all I could do, an' I 
I'm gonna take you to your mama 
Pay day 

Well, and I ain't got no rabbit dog 
Lord, I hate to see that rabbit get away 
Get away 

Baby, did all I can do and I can't get along with you 
I'm gon'

from Bad Reputation (Valencia​/​London 2013), released December 24, 2013 
Mateo "Ramblin Matt" Garcia - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar (Open E)

Payday

"Hey Hey" Written by Big Bill Broonzy 

I met Jonas Polidoro in London, he was from Naples, Italy. We used to get together in my house in Dalston and spend a few hours every week playing old classics using my Melodija Archtop guitar from the 1950s and my Dobro Hound Dog resonator. In those days I was attending Music College in Covent Garden and I had put behind electric guitars for a while to focus on fingerpicking Delta and Chicago Blues in acoustic instruments. 

We used to get out busking with nasty weather and good spirits around Carnaby Street, Soho and Oxford Circus in London and you could hear us any given evening playing our Blues and collecting coins and wrinkled notes. 

We made these recordings that I am now sharing in one of those cold and grey evenings of London at my home, using a small BOSS BR recording unit and they are presented as they were captured. We did the recording just for the sake of it and I am not partial for music to stay stored in a cold hard disk, I rather share it since the quality is not bad, even though very far from a real studio recording. 

Then one day we took separate ways due to life and I haven't heard of him again. Hopefully I will through these four songs that you can hear and download for free. 

Recorded in Dalston, London. Autumn 2011

released November 11, 2015 

Ramblin Matt: Vocals, Melodija Menges Archtop Guitar 
Jonas Polidoro: Dobro Resonator 

Hey, Hey

"Hideaway" Written by Freddy King 

I met Jonas Polidoro in London, he was from Naples, Italy. We used to get together in my house in Dalston and spend a few hours every week playing old classics using my Melodija Archtop guitar from the 1950s and my Dobro Hound Dog resonator. In those days I was attending Music College in Covent Garden and I had put behind electric guitars for a while to focus on fingerpicking Delta and Chicago Blues in acoustic instruments. 

We used to get out busking with nasty weather and good spirits around Carnaby Street, Soho and Oxford Circus in London and you could hear us any given evening playing our Blues and collecting coins and wrinkled notes. 

We made these recordings that I am now sharing in one of those cold and grey evenings of London at my home, using a small BOSS BR recording unit and they are presented as they were captured. We did the recording just for the sake of it and I am not partial for music to stay stored in a cold hard disk, I rather share it since the quality is not bad, even though very far from a real studio recording. 

Then one day we took separate ways due to life and I haven't heard of him again. Hopefully I will through these four songs that you can hear and download for free. 

Recorded in Dalston, London. Autumn 2011

released November 11, 2015 

Ramblin Matt: Melodija Menges Archtop Guitar 
Jonas Polidoro: Dobro Resonator 

Hideaway

We used to go busking with nasty weather, in Carnaby Street, Soho and Oxford Street corners. 

There were two Eddie Boyd songs that we included in our street sets, "Third Degree" and this one, "Five Long Years"

Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about. 
Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about. 
I worked five long years for one woman, she had the nerve to put me out. 

I got a job in a steel mill, shucking steel like a slave. 
Five long years, every Friday I come straight back home with all my pay. 

Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about. 
I worked five long years for one woman, she had the nerve to put me out. 

I finally learned my lesson, should a long time ago. 
The next woman that I marry, she gonna work and bring me the dough. 

Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about. 
I worked five long years for one woman, she had the nerve, 

She had the nerve, 
She had the nerve, 
She had the nerve to put me out. 

from Dalston Junction Guitar Blues (EP, Denia 2015), released November 11, 2015 
Written by Eddie Boyd 

Ramblin Matt: Vocals, Melodija Menges Archtop Guitar 
Jonas Polidoro: Dobro Resonator 

Recorded in Dalston, London, somewhere in 2010 using a BOSS BR recording unit. Captured live, no overdubs added.



Five Long Years

Written by Booker T, White aka "Bukka" White 

Recorded in the first of the two ocassions that I was invited by wonderful Nikki Brooks to her Resonance Radio FM show in London, calIed "House Rent Boogie" I played this song with a Dobro Resonator tuned to Open "D" and did my best to achieve that punchy, urgent sound and the percussion using the body of the guitar and footstomping the guitar case, if my memory serves me right.. 

Recorded Resonance Radio Studios, London. May 2012

Judge give me life this mornin' 
Down on Parchman farm 
Judge give me life this mornin' 
Down on Parchman farm 
I wouldn't hate it so bad 
But I left my wife in mourn 

Oh, goodbye wife 
All you have done gone 
Oh, goodbye wife 
All you have done gone 
But I hope some day 
You will hear my lonesome song 

Oh, listen you men 
I don't mean no harm 
Oh, listen you men 
I don't mean no harm 
If you wanna do good 
You better stay off old Parchman farm 

We got to work in the mornin' 
Just at dawn of day 
We got to work in the mornin' 
Just at dawn of day 
Just at the settin' of the sun 
That's when the work is done 

I'm down on Parchman farm 
I sho' wanna go back home 
I'm down on Parchman farm 
But I sho' wanna go back home 
But I hope some day 
I will overcome

from Bad Reputation (Valencia​/​London 2013), released December 24, 2013 
Mateo "Ramblin´Matt" Garcia - Vocals, Dobro (slide, Open D), Footstomping and Hand Percussion

Parchman Farm Blues

The iconic tune that gave start to the "deal with the devil" myth. From the Gunter Hotel sessions, San Antonio (TX) November 27th 1936

from Songs From The Delta (London 2011), released May 1, 2011 
Music & Lyrics by Robert Johnson 
Mateo "Ramblin Matt" García: Vocals & Slide Dobro Resonator (Open A)

Crossroads Blues

Sara and Matt playing an all stripped, acoustic cover of the Delbert McClinton old tune. 

Sar Gee: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar 
Mateo "Ramblin Matt" Garcia: Dobro Resonator

Since you been gone I've had time to myself 
Haven't even tried to find somebody else 
When you told me you were leavin' it almost came as good news 
It may sound funny but it's true 
I think I'm better off with the blues 

Now I must admit that I miss you sometimes 
Not a day goes by that you don't cross my mind 
But at the same time I think of all the hell you put me through 
Yeah, it's the lesser of two evils 
I think I'm better off with the blues 

I know some day I'll wake up and this blues will be gone 
I'll forget about you and how everything went wrong 
But if you hadda stayed I'd be dead in my tracks 
Now, I still love you, baby, but I don't want you back 

Tonight I'm gonna go down to the sad side of town 
Listen to 'em play the blues when the sun goes down 
And I know just what to say when someone asks about you 

I'll say, yeah, we had our good times 
But I think I'm better off with the blues 
Yeah, if I had to say, 
I say I'm better off with the blues

from The Heroin Dress (Valencia / London 2013), released October 1, 2013 
Music and Lyrics by Delbert McClinton

Better Off With The Blues (Sara Gee & Ramblin Matt)

Sara and Matt cooking the Bonnie Raitt´s signature song from the 70s

Sar Gee: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar 

Mateo "Ramblin Matt" Garcia: Fender Stratocaster, Electric Bass, Drums

These men that I've been seeing, baby 
Got their soul up on the shelf 
You know they could never love me 
When they can't even love themselves 
But I need someone to love me 
Someone to really understand 
Who won't put himself above 
Who just loves me like a man 

I've never seen such losers, Darlin' 
Even though I tried 
To find a man who could take me home 
Stead of takin' me for a ride 
And I need someone to love me 
I know you can 
Believe me when I tell you 
You can love me like a man 

They all want me to rock them 
Like my back ain't got no bone 
I want a man to rock me 
Like my back bone was his own 
Darlin', I know you can 
Believe me when I tell you 
You can love me like a man 

I come home sad and lonely 
Feel like I wanna cry 
I want a man to hold me 
Not some fool to ask me why 
I know you can 
Don't you put yourself above me 
You just love me like a man

from The Heroin Dress (Valencia / London 2013), released October 1, 2013 
Music and Lyrics by Bonnie Raitt

Love Me Like A Man (Sara Gee & Ramblin Matt)

Written by Robert Leroy Johnson, included in the album "Songs from the Delta" that was published in London in 2011.

Ramblin Matt: Vocals, Acosutic Guitar 

Sweet Home Chicago

For the first time we have recorded one of our live staples, "Hound Dog" of Willie Mae (Big Mama) Thornton. Included in our newly released EP of Sara Gee & the Ramblers "Captured at the Spider Web", that you can download for free in its totality plus liner notes and artwork in our Bandcamp site.

Hound Dog (Sara Gee & The Ramblers)

Improvisando sobre "No Expectations" de los Rolling Stones, en el Dobro tocado lap style, con barra de acero y afinado en Sol abierto. Siguen siendo pruebas del grabador ZOOM H2n, tocando el Dobro a medio metro, en la opción de stereo angular. 

No Expectations (Lap Slide improvisation)

RAMBLIN' MATT was born in 1966 in Valencia, Spain and he has been involved in bands and performing since the early eighties. Right now is one half of the upcoming band based in Dénia (Alicante) Sara Gee & Ramblin Matt, with three albums since 2013 along her partner in life Sara Gee. Matt is a composer, arranger, guitar and slide player and singer and his first bands were rockabilly outfits in a time when only few dared to play these type of music in Spain, with bands like The Dalton Brothers and Ruzafa's Incorregibles. He formed Blackmailers with soul brother and gifted guitar player Silver Borras in 1998 after returning of living in the US for five years (Chicago, LA, Austin). Between 2006 and 2013 he has been a performing musician in London with his Vintage Rockabilly trio Los Jailbreakers, as a solitary act or with The Ramblin Matt Trio. He returned to Spain in mid 2013 when he meet Sara in a gig in Valencia and decided to stay for good after a tenure of over nearly 20 years away from his land of origin.

Matt writes his own material and also plays bold and faithful to the original arrangements of country & delta blues classics from the likes of Robert Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy, Skip James, Son House, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Rev. Gary Davis, and Mississippi Fred McDowell among others featuring most of the times only lead vocals and guitar, played with or without slide.