Blind John Davis

• Artist: Blind John Davis
• Rating:
• Release Date: April 03, 1983
• Total Time: 39:07
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Blues

Review

Chicago native John Henry Davis spent most of his later years recording in Europe, where he was much better known than he was in the U.S. This release, recorded in the mid-'80s, spotlights Davis solo at the piano (except for the final bonus track, which features a vocal by Jeanne-Marie Carroll), and his warm, unhurried playing and singing is as comfortable as an old easy chair. Although he helped format the Chicago blues sound through his work in the 1930s and 1940s with artists like Tampa Red, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Big Bill Broonzy, Davis seems most at home doing a kind of lounge blues, an approach that plays to his strengths. The opening track on this collection, "I Had a Dream," sets the pace here, and it is a likeable tune that contains the line "I dreamed I won the Brooklyn Bridge on my knees shooting dice" before turning into a song of amused resignation. The wistful "I Heard an Echo" is another highlight, and "Pretty Blues for Listening" has a winning and delicate jazz feel. It all adds up to a pleasant listen, and the piano playing here is smooth and easy, with just enough Chicago left in to give the performances an edge. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
I Had a Dream	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(2:55)
I Know the Baby Loves Me	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(2:26)
Hey Hey Mama	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(2:45)
The Woman I Love	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(3:30)
I Heard an Echo	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(3:36)
The Trick's Done Turned on You	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(3:11)
Don't Lie to Me	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(2:41)
Harlem Blues	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(3:31)
When the Blues Birds Come Out to Sing	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(2:49)
Pretty Blues for Listening	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(3:57)
When I've Been Drinking	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(2:28)
Bartender's Bounce	Blind John Davis	Blind John Davis	(2:26)
Penny Pinching Blues [*]	Jeanne Carroll	Blind John Davis, Jeanne-Marie Carroll	(2:52)

Credits

Niles J. Frantz (Liner Notes), Horst Lippmann (Producer), Jeanne-Marie Carroll (Vocals), Jerry Gordon (Reissue Producer), Edward Cody (Engineer), Ruby Smith (Performer)