Blues on a summer's evening down in the Ouseburn. It had been some fifteen years since Guy Davis was last in town. Thanks to the efforts of Jumpin' Hot Club and Rob Heron, the American troubadour took to the stage in Cluny 2 in front of a full house. Opening with Limetown, Davis was in good voice and fine fettle. The rapturous reception which followed told Davis all he needed to know, the Ouseburn blues crowd was most definitely 'onside'.
The traditional blues Baby, Please Don't Go, first popularised by Big Joe Williams back in the thirties, Wille Dixon's Spoonful, My Eyes Keep Me in Trouble, as performed by Muddy Waters, Davis played and sang the blues alright, but there was more to the man, much more. Coming from a folk-blues background, Davis knew and worked with the Seegers, Bob Dylan figured - Just Like a Woman, Lay, Lady Lay - as did a whole lot of Davis originals. Vocals, conducting the choir (the onside audience), the guitar-picking, banjo-playing Davis had them in the palm of his hand.
A story teller, Davis told some stories. From the fun Shakey Pudding to the downright serious Palestine, Oh Palestine, Davis had something to say and no one was going to stop him. A couple of numbers playing banjo, lots of guitar and vocals, it was fully ninety minutes later when the Cluny blues crowd reluctantly let him leave the stage.
Earlier, the duo of Michael Littlefield and Scott Taylor opened the show.
Michael Littlefield (guitar, vocals); Scott Taylor (harmonica, vocals)
Their shared vocals were right on the money, Littlefield's guitar playing right out of the blues guitar handbook, Taylor's harmonica playing would see him survive in Chicago's South Side blues clubs. Thanks again to Jumpin' Hot Club. Russell
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