CD Review
Guy Davis
Chocolate To The Bone
(Red House Records RHR CD 164)
by Gordon Baxter
Review date: December 2003
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"Keeping the Blues Alive Award"
Achievement for Blues on the Internet
Presented by The Blues Foundation
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Although Guy Davis' latest offering--his sixth--is called "Chocolate To The
Bone," it could easily be considered as his "railroad" album. Railroads
feature strongly in his life as a musician who spends a lot of time on the
road, plus both of his grandfathers--to whom the album is dedicated--worked
on the railroads. Consequently, several of the tracks make at least passing
reference to the railroad.
The album opens with an updating of Sleepy John Estes' "Limetown," with
Davis showing off his skills on banjo and harp. Davis manages to get inside
songs and understand their feel, a skill that allows him to add new lyrics
that fit perfectly alongside the originals, whilst making the song more
personal. He is also a highly adept songwriter, in his won right, and the
six originals here stand favorable comparison to the covers. "Tell Me Where
The Road Is," for example, is a stunning showcase for Davis' rich deep
voice, and his very fine guitar picking, and "Railroad Story" is a classic
fox chase harp story.
There are no weak tracks here, and Davis uses just the right amount of
accompaniment to flesh out the sound where appropriate. Howard Johnson's
tuba on "Step It Up And Go," for example, lends an almost jug band feel to
the song, whilst the harp and organ on "Set A Place For Me" add a nice
plaintive touch. These are just two examples; you could pick just about any
song and find plenty of good things to say about the arrangement.
"Chocolate To The Bone" shows Guy Davis at his best. It combines his love
of traditional pre-war blues with his talents as a musician and a
songwriter. The end result sounds like something that could easily have
been one of George Mitchell's field recordings: it really is that good.
Davis fans will probably buy it anyway, but anyone who likes quality
acoustic blues with an authentic ring to it will love "Chocolate To The
Bone." Highly recommended.
www.guydavis.com
www.redhouserecords.com
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