Reverend Gary Davis
(1896-1972) cut his first records during the '30s, established his early mature style with a new spate of records in the mid-'40s, doggedly persevered and was roundly "rediscovered" by the
folk
and
blues
revivalists of the late '50s and early '60s. On May 8, 1964 the
Rev
, on tour with something called the
Blues
and Gospel Caravan, was recorded in live performance with his Gibson guitar at the
Free Trade Hall
in Manchester, England. In 2008
Document
released a compact disc containing all of the music known to have been taped during that set. This is a revealing and wonderfully honest album of
traditional
songs, including
"If I Had My Way,"
a ritual first recorded by
Blind Willie Johnson
decades earlier and lucratively covered by the Caucasian
trio
Peter, Paul & Mary
. Also present at the
was whoop-and-holler harmonica ace
Sonny Terry
, an expressive performer who exchanges words and blows up a duet with
Davis
on
"The Sun is Going Down"
and solos at length on
"Coon Hunt."
alternately sang both sacred as well as bracingly worldly
tunes, and also tapped into his own early roots with the
"Cincinnati Flow Rag"
Scott Joplin
's
"Maple Leaf Rag,"
syncopated episodes that, along with everything else on this excellent album, link him directly to old time
ragtime
/
guitar legends
Henry Thomas
,
Blind Boy Fuller
, and
Blind Blake
. ~ arwulf arwulf