One of the advantages of being BlueNotes is that people send me music to listen to, and maybe to write about. A lot of it is music by young blues persons from around the country that I might otherwise never get to hear, or get to recommend to the BlueNotes faithful (both of you).
It's a good thing to get to hear musicians from other places, other regions, other musical sensibilities, just to get a feeling for what's going on beyond your own local blues scene -- in this case, BluesBurgh. There's plenty of fine blues talent around the country -- that was plainly evident at the Chicago Blues Festival a few weeks ago, which drew very fine but otherwise nearly invisible talent.
The current album in question is by an interesting and talented young bluesman (all humans younger than BlueNotes are "young") -- Davis Coen of Charleston, S.C., whose new album is "Blues Lights for Yours and Mine" (Soundview Records)..
In the press material that accompanied the CD, there's an interesting quote from Coen in which he says, in this carefully edited quote: "...I've noticed a popular misunderstanding of what is blues ... I feel the only true blues is the country blues ... Blues should be the soup with the bone still in it and should also be so bad that it makes you feel good." Amen, brother Coen.
Still, on this CD, Coen opens with some funky blues and some New Orleans sounds, before getting down to the business at hand -- the country, or country-style blues. He writes some of his own and is very good at channeling the music -- "Accelerated Woman" is prime stuff. And his covers of "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" and "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand" are outstanding. "Lordy Lord" and the piano-enhanced "Down in the Alley" are prime cuts as well.
When he turns his mind to this material, his gritty vocal and slide skills capture the essence of the music. Since I'm a fool for this kind of down and dirty blues, this is the kind of blues to satisfy the easily troubled BlueNotes mind. And maybe yours.
You might not find this CD at your local music store, But you should check out Davis Coen's blues chops.
BlueNotes corrects himself:
I misread some bio material on Davis Coen and wrote earlier that he first recorded in 1955. Quite a feat, considering he was born in 1974. I should have said that in 1995, he recorded on the album "Cryin' the Blues," with Eric Von Schmidt . Thanks to Prephoto, who can apparently add and subtract much better than BlueNotes, for pointing that out.
Coming up
Tomorrow night at Moondog's in Blawnox, Guitar Zack and No Slack, the West Mifflin guy who's turning into a young blues stud worthy of your attention. You may already know that, but if you don't give him a listen.
Posted
Jul 02 2008, 02:06 AM
by
Jim White