Customer Reviews

Guitar & Banjo of Reverend Gary Davis

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This CD constitutes the welcome re-issue of one of the more obscure of Gary Davis' 1960s studio recordings. This 1964 instrumental album features not only guitar and banjo, but also gives Davis' harmonica playing an outing, and features a range of secular material which Davis had earlier been reluctant to play.

On guitar he is in typically magnificent form, if not quite as phenomenal as in the 1957 "Pure Religion and Bad Company" CD. Many of the themes will be familiar to Davis fans (for example, "Can't Be Satisfied" is the characteristic Piedmont theme he recorded in 1935 as "I'm Throwin' Up My Hands" and in 1957 as "Mountain Jack", and "United States March" was recorded a number of times from 1945 onwards), but all are given assured treatments. Davis' finger-picking is typically impressive, and on "Maple Leaf Rag" his influence on Steffan Grossman is strongly evident. "Candy Man", shorn of its vocal, sounds rather like the work of Elizabeth Cotten.

The banjo playing is effective but less appealing than the guitar, whilst the harmonica track is good but no threat to Sonny Terry.

Sound quality is excellent.

Self recommending to all fans of Davis' guitar playing.

I digitally remastered a worn-out LP pressing for a friend, who had it since he was a kid and had played it to death. It is a gem, and it's wonderful that it is now available on CD. I ordered it without hesitation to hear what it really sounds like.

This album is unique among the others by RGD, in that it is entirely instrumental (well, there are some vocalizations). It's a chance to really hear his facility with guitar (and banjo, and harmonica). I would think any serious guitar player would feel compelled to listen to this carefully to learn from the master.

A comment from my friend (who owned the vinyl) still stands out: RGD plays guitar like banjo, and banjo like guitar. While this is not universally true, it is an interesting insight to his intricate style of playing.

I got this on vinyl years ago and the price was great so I got it on CD(don't
have a turntable anymore).Any one familiar with the Gary Davis catalog will be
into this one!A number of the tunes are on other releases under other names,but the performances are smokin'.Great takes on theMaple Leaf Rag,Cincinnatti Flow Rag
Walkin' Dog Blues and a whole host of others.I guess this was the last release he did on Prestige/Bluesville label and they are all great CD's!Harlem Street Singer
A Little more Faith and Say No tothe Devil are all great!

The Reverend Gary Davis is one of the exemplars of the blues. Many of his songs have been picked up by other artists and groups. For instance, the Grateful Dead took his rendition of Samson and Delilah and made it one of their concert favorites. There are many other blues and gospel songs, too. And he sure plays a mean banjo.