Topic: Lifting the Veil: Rev. Gary Davis & Peers (new World Arbiter CD)

[arbiter]

Over a year ago three kind members helped solve mysterious lyric mysteries for a compilation begun 4 years ago. Please contact me off line for your copies (including the esteemed Moderator!). What delayed the project was an enigmatic clue to a lost treasure: forgive the length, as this happens only once during our lives:
John Cohen hung around with Rev. Davis in the 1950s, taping him (on a Smithsonian CD - careful - some tapes played back at the wrong speed!). He met Alan Lomax and suggested he document Davis with his reel-to-reel deck, which few persons owned back then. Lomax told him not to bother, it had been taken care of. Years later, Cohen checks the archive of the late Lomax and cannot find any material on Davis. This implies Lomax having put him off to get to it someday, but this too hadn't happened. Not being one to accept such disastrous news, I contacted the archive and begged that they search everywhere possible, and Cohen was right - Lomax did not document Davis: his wife had! There was a 300 page typescript. With a background in anthropology and psychology, she was able to open him up, gaining his confidence in a way none of us ever would (how could we devote precious time away from lessons?) She had the courage to ask about his blindness, his abusive mother, the murder of his father, the worst racism he experienced, not to mention his personal philosophy. A great deal was on sex, but this was shortly before the Kinsey Report, so it was a matter of fascination, but ultimately not so interesting (boasting, cliches).
The archive permitted me to study and use excerpts for the CD liner notes, which expanded the booklet to 28 pages. It will soon be posted on the website (www.arbiterrecords.com: and please bear in mind we are a non profit organization). You will be quite surprised by Davis' insight, wisdom, humor, and strength in having survived a series of hells.
Here is the info on the disc: note that the Leadbelly is from a 1941 radio broadcast, in modern sound! It is available from Forced Exposure, Qualiton.com and in a bit, Amazon.
Hoping you will enjoy,
best wishes,
Allan Evans
Mannes College of Music
& director Arbiter of Cultural Traditions

World Arbiter 2008: Lifting the Veil. Rev. Gary Davis & his Peers.
unissued recordings and 78 rpm discs from Harry Smith's archive (most in great condition)

    Leadbelly:
 1. Sermon on Pancakes*
 2. The Blood?s Done Signed Your Name*
    Rev. Gary Davis:
 3. Come Down to See Me Sometime*
 4. Lost John*
 5. Soldier?s Drill*
    Leadbelly:
 6. Gallows Pole*
 7. Leaving Blues*
 8. Rev. Gary Davis:Slow Blues in E*
 9. Big Bill Broonzy: Starvation Blues
10. Leola B. Wilson & Blind Blake:
    Black Biting Bee Blues
    Rev. Gary Davis:
11. Mountain Jack*
12. I Didn?t Want to Join the Band*
13. Buddy Boy Hawkins: A Rag
    William Moore:
14. Raggin? the Blues
15. Old Country Rock
16. Gus Cannon & Blind Blake: Poor Boy
17. Ramblin? Thomas: Poor Boy   
     Charley Patton:
18. Mississippi Bo Weevil Blues
19. Screamin? and Hollerin? the Blues
    Rube Lacy:
20. Mississippi Jail House Groan
21. Ham Hound Crave
22. Edward Thompson: Seven Sisters Blues
    Ramblin? Thomas:
23. Hard Dallas Blues
24. Back Gnawing Blues
25. Sawmill Blues
* previously unpublished

[Slack]

Very cool Allan -- I'd forgotten completely about your project. Congratulations on the culmination!

Here is Allan's very interesting website:  http://arbiterrecords.com/

[uncle bud]

Congrats, Allan. Sounds like this will be very interesting indeed!

[Dave in Tejas]

The liner notes are a wonderful read, thanks!

[arbiter]

You may be referring to the older disc - all Davis. The new set of notes, which include transcriptions of texts and the insightful oral history, should be posted on our website (arbiterrecords.com) tomorrow (Friday). Note the sequence of pieces, showing how certain elements are adopted, adapted, and varied regionally. In the future we'll have other Paramounts, especially Ramblin' Thomas (a real unsung master) available for downloads, using our new restoration process.

[GhostRider]

Allan:

This looks like a great lineup of tunes. Looking forward to getting this collection. Where and when will it be available?

Alex

[Slack]

Received my copy in today's mail - have not had a chance to listen though.

Thanks Allan!

[arbiter]

The liner notes and transcriptions have posted on the website. I urge you all to read the testimony Rev. Davis gave to Elizabeth Lyttleton Howard in 1951.
www.arbiterrecords.com

[arbiter]

P.S. The disc is now available from Qualiton.com (World Arbiter 2008). Amazon and the rest will have it shortly.

[mississippijohnhurt1928]

That looks like it was a worthwhile project!

This is goin' on my most wanted albums list.

[NevadaPic]

Allan,

I did just read the Reverend's testimony as you recommended.  I think I will read it once or twice or a hundred times more.  Thank you for making that available.  It is haunting, frightening and uplifting all at the same time.  The man's spirit was truly forged in the fires of the hells he lived through.  It gives much deeper meaning to his music.  Thank God his later years were full of the love and respect he deserved.

Pic     

[Mr.OMuck]

In reading RGD's account of his visitation, I was immediately struck by the similarity to a tale told by Leonardo DaVinci. In it Leonardo related an event that occurred during his early childhood in which a Raven or some other large black bird landed on his crib and brushed his lips with its wing, or tried to insert the wing into his mouth. Freud wrote on this topic and I believe interpreted the symbolism as representing suppressed memories of early sexual trauma. But I haven't read it in thirty years, so I don't remember anymore than that.
This lead me to several thoughts:
1. Was RGD recounting an incident of molestation?
2. Does genius appear as a feathered creature who imparts its gifts through brushing the mouth of the recipient with its beak or wing?
3. Was Gary Davis having a laugh at the expense of the interviewer by quoting Freud back to her?
4. Was Jung right about universal symbols emerging from a common unconscious?
Any Freud scholars out there?
Whatever one makes of it it is surely one of the most bizarre coincidences I've ever heard of. The fact that the two men were indisputably men of genius makes it even more compelling

[Great Bear]

This lead me to several thoughts:
1. Was RGD recounting an incident of molestation?
2. Does genius appear as a feathered creature who imparts its gifts through brushing the mouth of the recipient with its beak or wing?
3. Was Gary Davis having a laugh at the expense of the interviewer by quoting Freud back to her?
4. Was Jung right about universal symbols emerging from a common unconscious?

5. Was it a waking dream (sleep paralysis)? It's a surprisingly common sleep disorder, and is often mistaken for a paranormal encounter, especially by children. RGD's statement that "I was lying on my bed", "I couldn't say nothing", the sensation of breathlessness and the horror of the situation are all major clues that support the sleep paralysis theory. Couple SP with a strong Christian upbringing, and you have a recipe for religious revelation.

[jostber]

Look forward to that gospel collection too:

http://arbiterrecords.com/projects.html

[NevadaPic]

The Reverend's account of the 'fowl' that came in his room and laid upon him reminded me also of sleep paralysis.  If you have ever experienced it, it is something you will never forget...    It also brings to mind stories of the incubus/succubus that were reported to be evil spirits that would lay upon persons and oppress them in their sleep.  Mr. O'Muck's thoughts are very compelling.           

I struggle to find the words for my feelings of the Reverend's description of the racism he experienced.  It is a terrible thing what people do to other people over a simple thing as the color of their skin or where they came from.  Unfortunately the more things change the more they remain the same. 

I find great comfort in his music.  He rose above the ugliness of this world in a way that is truly inspiring.  All you folks who actually knew him were in the presence of holiness, never mind his human foibles.   

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[eagle rockin daddy]

He rose above the ugliness of this world in a way that is truly inspiring.

'Lord I'm having a mighty heap of trouble tryin to get home.'

'I'm fire baptized and I'm Holy Ghost filled.
I'm just here to do my master's will.
I must keep going I can't keep still.'

'Hey Glory, how happy I am.'

What more can I say?  Rev. Davis knew what is real and what is not.  I think the answer to Mr. O'muck's fourth question is 'yes'

Mike

Mike

[Mr.OMuck]

One of the few redeeming qualities of our species is its near magical ability to create art under the most gruesome circumstances imaginable, from slavery to Aushwitz. The fact that beauty can emerge from almost hopeless situations is profoundly moving to me.

[Doug]

Just bumping this thread to mention that Big Road Blues has a write-up (and a couple of samples) from the new CD...

http://sundayblues.org/archives/115

[NevadaPic]

I ordered said CD and received it last week.  A nice compilation for sure.  "Poor Boy" by Gus Cannon and Blind Blake is a standout in my mind.  Very appealing slide playing and vocals...  The Reverend's work captured on the compilation is very well done. 

Pic

[arbiter]

The parallel tales of Leonardo and Rev. Davis suggest rites of initiation. We well know what they accomplished afterwards, the mystery being how this was "arranged", who or what was behind this. And that shall probably remain a mystery unless someone working on the genome project detects a Bermuda triangle within us leading to other dimensions (contact with the non-living being the most likely). It is hard to contend with this kind of phenomenon due to its irrational side but it's a prevalent experience, especially among our Native Americans in their sweat lodges. As long as I live, I will never forget the last words Davis spoke to me after a lesson (and I had no idea it was our final moment of contact), when asking him what he meant as he suddenly began talking in tongues: "You're all filled with joy, and you're above your own understanding without speaking."

[jostber]

That's a great saying! How was Rev.Davis as a teacher?

Another of his students:

[arbiter]

How was Rev.Davis as a teacher?

So patient, precise, making sure you heard every note, nuance, and only when it was in the hand would you go ahead with the piece. When you played something accurately, he seemed pleased, which was the greatest motivation for a student, giving you the confidence to do your best, practice a great deal, and do better than you would have otherwise. The words of praise he offered last a lifetime!

My great regret is that we went to him to learn mere notes, never bothering to ask him how he made his choices as a composer and arranger, what he based some material on. This whole dimension remains obscure, hopefully fragments will turn up in taped conversations/lessons. Surprises never end.

best,
Allan

[jostber]

Thanks for these reminisces on Rev. Davis.

I think that these sessions has some of the greatest gospel blues singing ever:



Gospel, Blues and Street Songs

[Mr.OMuck]

IMHO that's his best post 78 album.

[Parlor Picker]

IMHO that's his best post 78 album.

You might well be right there.  It's a cracking album.  I think the 77 Records release "Pure Religion and Bad Company" is also a contender for "best" RGD album.

[NevadaPic]

Folks,

Check out 'Sun of Our Life' also by Arbiter...  Some most excellent work of the Reverend's on the CD and obscure from the mainstream.  He was a Saint or a Boddhisattva if you prefer.  Ya'll who actually knew him and interacted with him were in the presence of greatness.  I envy you for your experience with the Reverend.

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[Rivers]

Well, I heard a few stories that made the Rev seem more down to earth than that. Not criticizing or anything, just saying I believe he was as human as you or I.

[NevadaPic]

Well, I heard a few stories that made the Rev seem more down to earth than that. Not criticizing or anything, just saying I believe he was as human as you or I.

Ain't it the truth.  I am familiar with the Reverend's human foibles through reading accounts from people who were associated with him.  He didn't mind a drink of liquor, he obviously liked the ladies, he always had a cigar or cigarette in his mouth.  None of that takes away from his spirituality or his decency as a human being.  The flesh, after all, is weak, but his spirit was strong and it comes out in his music.

Pic