Sweetheart Like You

by Guy Davis

Overview

Guy Davis continues to explore the almost forgotten territory of acoustic African-American folk music, field hollers, shouts, rags, and gospel songs in a style that predates the blues and has much in common with the white Appalachian music that existed until the record companies separated it into race and hillbilly music. "Slow Motion Daddy" is a salacious ragtime original with a syncopated rhythm that recalls Rev. Gary Davis and Willie McTell. Davis plays banjo and harmonica and hams it up giving the performance a sly humor. "Follow Me Down" is a 12-string guitar showcase that pays homage to Leadbelly's "Mr. Tom Hughes' Town" a tale of racism and high life in the big city. Nerak Patterson adds electric guitar to a cover of "Hoochie Coochie Man" in an arrangement that crosses the Delta with South Side Chi town. Davis delivers the tune with a growling sexuality and leaves Patterson room for a tasty solo. "Can't Be Satisfied" is another Muddy Waters' tune, this time played claw hammer style on the banjo, with Davis adding harmonica and delivering another playful vocal. Mark Murphy drops some groovy polyrhythms with his standup bass. Davis contributes six of his own solid originals to the set including the aforementioned "Slow Motion Daddy"; "Sweet Hannah," which combines the secular and the sacred with the sanctified B-3 of Adam Hurwitz aka Professor Louie, and the soulful backing vocals of Bernadette Marnell-Polumbia and Joann Marnell; "Steamboat Captain" is another ragtime ditty that combines sprightly acoustic guitar and jug band-like homemade percussion, and "The Angels Are Calling" is a meditation on mortality with a powerful vocal that comes close to weeping as the tune progresses. ~ j. poet

Product Details

Release Date:	02/10/2009
Label:	Red House Records
UPC:	0033651021124
Rank:	187191

Tracks

1. Sweetheart Like You
2. Slow Motion Daddy
3. Follow Me Down
4. Sweet Hannah
5. Bring Back Storyville
6. Words to My Mama's Song
7. Down South Blues
8. Hoochie Coochie Man
9. Steamboat Captain
10. Can't Be Satisfied
11. Baby Please Don't Go
12. Angels Are Calling
13. Goin Back to Silver Spring
14. Ain't Goin' Down

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Guy Davis   Primary Artist,Banjo,Vocals,Mandolin,Harmonica,Percussion,Spoken Word,5-string Banjo,Bottleneck Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Guitar (12 String Acoustic),Guitar (12 String Electric)
Martial Davis   Percussion,Vocals,Spoken Word
Nerak Roth Patterson   Guitar (Electric)
John Platania   Guitar (Electric)
Mark Murphy   Bass (Upright)
Professor Louie   Organ,Piano,Accordion,Piano (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Gary Burke   Drums
Brian Doherty   Drums
Bernadette Marnell-Polumbo   Vocals (Background)
Da-Vid   Vocals (Background)
Joann Marnell   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Linda Marie Martinez   Web Service
Paul Antonell   Audio Engineer
Big Joe Williams   Composer
Bob Dylan   Composer
John Platania   Producer,Audio Production
McKinley Morganfield   Composer
Alan Lomax   Composer
Guy Davis   Arranger,Composer,Vocal Percussion
Son House   Composer
David Glasser   Mastering
Eric Peltoniemi   Design,Layout Design,Executive Producer
Willie Dixon   Composer
Huddie Leadbetter   Composer
Milt Costokis   Audio Engineer
Thom Wolke   Associate Producer