#4362, A Tribute to Reverend Gary Davis

For this New Sounds, listen to a New York Guitar Festival tribute to the great bluesman Reverend Gary Davis (aka Blind Gary Davis.) Davis, who lived for much of his adult life in Harlem, was known as a gospel and blues singer. But he was also a finger-picking acoustic guitarist, (and played a mean banjo and harmonica, besides) who had his songs recorded by the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan back in the 60s. Folks are still learning, playing, and performing his songs these days, and we'll hear a great many of them. 

The 2020 edition of the New York Guitar Festival, like many other events during the pandemic, became a virtual one, and these are some of the performances of Revered Gary Davis tunes, -audio only- for this New Sounds. These are home video performances that also exist on Youtube of music from the blues-rock duo Larkin Poe, Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal, singer/songwriter Amythyst Kiah, and by guitarist Bill Frisell, to name a few.

From “American Songster” Dom Flemons, hear “Saddle It Around,” and from the blues-rock sister duo Larkin Poe, listen to “Say No to the Devil.” Also, listen to the Tennessee-based self-proclaimed “Southern Gothic alt-country blues” singer, Amythyst Kiah and her arrangement of “Death Don't Have No Mercy.” Plus, the blues-roots-man Fantastic Negrito and a performance of “Candyman,” – in the version that Reverend Gary Davis used to sing with lyrics about a dope dealer. Fantastic Negrito assured listeners that it was recorded 6.5 feet apart.

Then, hear Bill Frisell in two different versions of “Twelve Gates to the City,” along with a version of “Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Ready” on banjo from Canadian-Grenadian folk singer and songwriter Kaia Kater. Plus, hear a version of "The Light of This World" from Brandon Ross, an American guitarist who also co-leads the avant power trio, Harriet Tubman. Also, listen to Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal in their versions of “Tryin to Get Home”  and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) and “The Light of This World.”

Program #4362, A Tribute to Reverend Gary Davis (First aired 5/4/2020)

ARTIST:  Reverend Gary Davis
WORK: Twelve Gates to the City [1:30]
RECORDING: Live at the Newport Folk Festival - 1965
SOURCE: Vanguard
INFO: Available at Amazon.com

ARTIST: Bill Frisell
WORK: Twelve Gates to the City (acoustic) [3:39]
RECORDING: private recording for NYGF
SOURCE: youtube.com 
INFO: newyorkguitarfestival.org

ARTIST: Jorma Kaukonen
WORK: I Am The Light of This World  [4:06]
RECORDING: private recording for NYGF
SOURCE: youtube.com 
INFO: newyorkguitarfestival.org 

ARTIST: Dom Flemons
WORK: Saddle It Around [4:34]
RECORDING: private recording for NYGF
SOURCE: youtube.com 
INFO: newyorkguitarfestival.org 

ARTIST: Larkin Poe
WORK: Say No to the Devil [2:30]
RECORDING: private recording for NYGF
SOURCE: youtube.com 
INFO: newyorkguitarfestival.org 

ARTIST: Brandon Ross
WORK: I Am The Light of This World [5:39]
RECORDING: private recording for NYGF
SOURCE: youtube.com 
INFO: newyorkguitarfestival.org 

ARTIST: Amythyst Kiah
WORK: Death Don't Have No Mercy [4:40]
RECORDING: private recording for NYGF
SOURCE: youtube.com 
INFO: newyorkguitarfestival.org 

ARTIST: Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal
WORK: Tryin' to Get Home [3:23]
RECORDING: private recording for NYGF
SOURCE: youtube.com 
INFO: newyorkguitarfestival.org 

ARTIST: Fantastic Negrito
WORK: Candyman [3:25]
RECORDING: private recording for NYGF
SOURCE: youtube.com 
INFO: newyorkguitarfestival.org 

ARTIST: Kaia Kater
WORK: Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning [1:29]
RECORDING: private recording for NYGF
SOURCE: youtube.com 
INFO: newyorkguitarfestival.org 

ARTIST: Bill Frisell
WORK: Twelve Gates to the City (electric) [4:29]
RECORDING: private recording for NYGF
SOURCE: youtube.com 
INFO: newyorkguitarfestival.org