#715 > Guy Davis - The Legend of Sugarbelly (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – M.C. Records

By Phillip Smith; Nov. 16, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

The Legend of Sugarbelly from Guy Davis is an absolutely remarkable recording. The way he captures the pure essence of blues, folk, and Americana instrumentally and in verse simply amazes me. Davis, a two-time Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues Album pushes the boundaries of his talent as a writer, and singer, and multi-instrumentalist as he performs with six and twelve-string guitars, five and six-string banjos, harmonica, and percussion. Backed by Professor Louie on Hammond organ, Chris James on mandolin and six-string banjo, and Mark Murphy on double bass, and cello, Davis truly shines as he stitches together a baker’s dozen of fascinating songs, ten of which are original.

With banjo in hand, Davis leads the record off with “Sugarbelly”, a murder-ballad dedicated to his uncle William Conan Davis. This compelling song is based on a true story his uncle had told him about a woman who met a grim demise. With every listen to “Early in the Morning”, a wave of solemness washes over me. The acoustic guitar and heavy chords of Hammond instill a spiritual sense of a Southern Baptist hymn. As Davis sings “this time tomorrow, I may be gone”, I’m swiftly connected to memories of funerals. Breaking out the harp for “Long Gone Riley Brown”, Davis tears into a riveting, story-telling blues track about a moonshiner’s run-ins with the law and his post-death experience from dying of old age. Vice is nice as Davis keeps the moonshine whiskey theme going as he follows with the infectious banjo ditty “Come Gitchu Some”. I love his timeless cover of the Blind Lemon Jefferson classic “Black Snake Moan”. Sticking to the Ledbelly arrangement, he brings a certain freshness to this pre-war blues standard.

It’s always a pleasure to listen to Guy Davis. His traditional sense of playing the blues certainly plays an important role in keeping it alive.

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 Visit Guy Davis online at guydavis.com

  

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#505 : Guy Davis - Be Ready When I Call You

 

2021 – M.C. Records

By Phillip Smith; June 26, 2021

 

Guy Davis, nominated for the Grammy’s Best Traditional Blues Album in 2017 with Sonny & Brownie’s Last Train, has just released another possible Grammy contender with Be Ready When I Call You.  With this new album from the Ambassador of the Blues, Davis brilliantly dissects our American culture with a potent and hearty serving of blues.  His talents run deep as he performs his music on acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica, and tambourine with Professor Louie on keys, Gary Burke on drums, John Platania on electric and acoustic guitars, and Mark Murphy on stand-up bass and cello.  Also appearing on the album is Christopher James on acoustic guitar, 6-string banjo, and mandolin, Jeff Haynes on percussion, and background singers David Bernz, Timothy Hill, and Casey Erdman.  

Davis begins the listening experience with a boisterous journey aboard the sixteen coach long “Badonkadonk Train”.  The record takes a heavy, eye-opening turn with “God’s Gonna Make Things Over”, as Guy relays the grim and matter-of-fact account of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.  With a hook that’s infectious as hell, title-track “Be Ready When I Call You” tells the story of Robert Johnson’s legendary meeting with the devil at the crossroads.  Banjo in hand, Davis advises the listener to don’t drink the water in “Flint River Blues”, a captivating song about the disasterous 2014 water crisis in Flint, Michigan in which the water was so full of lead and toxins, people were getting deathly ill.  Davis taps into his inner Howlin’ Wolf to fearlessly deliver the blues classic “Spoonful”, the only cover song on the album.  It sounds fantastic.  I love the closer “Welcome to My World”.  The psychedelic guitar licks he sprinkles into the song catch my attention as he taps into the current state of the world with thought-provoking lyrics which flow out of his mouth in a carefully constructed cadence.

Guy Davis’ Be Ready When I Call You is quite an exceptional album of traditional blues and Americana.  It’s very powerful.             

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For more information about the artist, visit this website : www.guydavis.com