Morgan Davis - Home Away From Home

Size: 98,5 MB
Time: 37:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. Home Away From Home (3:51)
02. Atlantic Time (2:37)
03. Riding Free (3:34)
04. A Pebble In Your Shoe (3:06)
05. Something New (3:35)
06. Inside Weather Report (4:21)
07. I Got The Touch (2:47)
08. Natural Medication (1:42)
09. Last Night I Gave Up Smoking (2:50)
10. I'll Take The Train (3:46)
11. Short Time Here Long Time Gone (3:02)
12. Home Away From Home (Inst.) (2:29)

Our master of the less-is-more school of blues is back with a new collection. As you might be able to tell from the cover and the title, Morgan Davis’ latest reflects the life of a travelling bluesman. The title song opens, with Morgan singing of the motels he searches for on the road, it’s family-run operations that make him feel comfortable. It’s just him on guitar, the way he travels most often these days and it sounds like his cigar-box guitar at that.

We are treated to a string of trio performances after this, songs no doubt composed in those motel rooms away from home. Longtime friends Alec Fraser on bass and Mark Mariash on drums & percussion join Morgan, with the first of these, “Atlantic Time” proving how he has come to enjoy the maritime lifestyle. The patented Morgan Davis groove has always been one of my favourites and it continues for “Riding Free”, he is no longer anxious about his partner and it gives him much freedom. A song about lost love, though, is up next as he thinks he’ll just be “A Pebble In Your Shoe” from now on.

Colin Linden, another old friend and frequent collaborator, adds some fine slide work on this one. “Something New” is his solution to the world’s many problems – just try love. “Inside Weather Report” and ”I Got The Touch” provide charming and intimate details about that home life. “Natural Medication” returns to his “Reefer Smokin’ Man” theme and some good advice. Robert Frank’s “Last Night I Gave Up Smoking (And Tonight I’ll Give up You)” is the one cover and, with a title like that, it’s not hard to see why it appealed to him.

Morgan’s groove works very well indeed with train rhythms, as you’ll hear on “I’ll Take The Train”. “Short Time Long Time Gone” is a gospel tune dealing with his aging and desire to get as much done as he can, including this disc. Samantha Martin, Sherie Marshall & Stacie Tabb add call & response harmonies as only they can. ~John's Blues Picks

Home Away From Home

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Morgan Davis - Drive My Blues Away

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:39
Size: 102.2 MB
Styles: Delta blues
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:24] 1. Sure As You Live
[2:36] 2. Thank You, Mr. Reed
[3:12] 3. Anticipation
[2:47] 4. When You Got A Good Friend
[3:33] 5. Arlene
[4:12] 6. The Money Men
[3:34] 7. Dissatisfied
[3:20] 8. Re-Break My Heart
[4:53] 9. Love Puzzle
[2:02] 10. Look Down The Road
[4:04] 11. Drive My Blues Away
[2:53] 12. Happy Song
[3:02] 13. Ramblin' On My Mind

Morgan Davis - Guitars, cigar box guitar, voice; Colin Linden - Guitar on "Happy Song"; Seymour Townes - Harmonica; Franz - Percussion on "Sure As You Live".

“Drive My Blues Away” has songs by Robert Johnson, Lightning Hopkins, Rice Miller and Skip James along with some of Davis’ own material. “Thank You Mr. Reed” is a tribute to Jimmy Reed, using the titles of 27 Jimmy Reed songs for the lyrics. Robert Johnson’s “When You’ve Got a Good Friend” is performed on a cigar box guitar which is something Robert Johnson would have used. It’s not a gimmick. The performance is mesmerizing.

The “Drive My Blues Away” CD was produced by Colin Linden, Nashville Producer and member of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. When Morgan recorded his first album in 1981, Colin Linden a formidable blues guitar wizard, was in Morgan’s band. Linden is a great producer and musician and has put his stamp on this CD.

Drive My Blues Away mc
Drive My Blues Away zippy

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Morgan Davis - I Got My Own

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 58:12
Size: 133.2 MB
Styles: Modern electric blues
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:22] 1. I Got My Own
[3:46] 2. Drive My Blues Away
[3:04] 3. Now That Hubert Is Gone
[4:02] 4. Heat Wave In Alberta
[3:17] 5. Too Much Competition
[2:13] 6. Camellia Grill
[1:43] 7. Wake Up!
[3:33] 8. Wha' Do Dat Do-Dad Do
[1:22] 9. Relaxin' At The Club
[3:49] 10. Telegraph Sex
[5:25] 11. That's Why
[2:37] 12. Rosalee
[5:38] 13. Cardova
[2:53] 14. Somnambulatin' Mama
[7:47] 15. Help Me
[3:34] 16. Front Door Blues

This album began to take shape in the winter of 2012. While auditioning a number of live recordings I had not yet listened to, I came across a tape made on December 9, 2000 at a club called “Chicago’s” on Queen Street - now long gone. It was the last gig I played as a resident of Toronto. We had emptied the house, packed the U-Haul and were ready to leave for Nova Scotia the next day. Many long-time friends and musicianers attended the show, and I was happy, excited, and blissfully unaware of the tape rolling, which resulted in a loose, relaxed night of fun. Unfortunately, a huge snowstorm prevented our departure the following day, and while parked overnight, my van was broken into and eight guitars were stolen, leaving me with one - “Old Red” - my trusty Supro.

This recording documents the last night I played with “Old Tan” – my 1957 Fender Duo-Sonic which had served me well for almost 30 years. The Toronto Blues Society and the blues community came together and staged a benefit which resulted in the acquisition of a guitar made by my friend Joe Yanuziello. It is my main instrument today and was used for the studio part of this record. I chose six songs from the live recording, then booked a day at The Rogue Studios in Toronto and recorded eight new tracks. My old pal David Wilcox was happy to play when I invited him down - until that day in the studio, we had not played together for 37 years ! Colin Linden continues to be a great friend and supporter, and I was so glad he could whup some guitar on my tribute to Hubert Sumlin, as Colin and I share a long history of love for the Howlin’ Wolf’s music.

So… this disc has some new original songs, as well as a glimpse into a typical night of live performance, graced by a couple of old friends who sat in…. I hope you enjoy it. ~Morgan

Morgan Davis - Guitar, 3 string cigar-box guitar, vocals; Alec Fraser - Bass (tracks 1-8), background vocals (tracks 5, 6 and 8); Mark Mariash - Drums; David Wilcox - Slide guitar (tracks 4, 8), acoustic guitar (track 5), background vocals (track 8); Colin Linden - Guitar (track 3); Lance Anderson - Piano (track 6)Samantha Martin - Background vocals (track 8); Al Lerman - Harmonica (tracks 3, 15); Al Duffy - Bass (tracks 9-14); Terry Wilkins - Bass (track 15).

Tracks 1-8 recorded at The Rogue Studios, Toronto, Ontario - October 15, 2013 - Engineer James Paul
Tracks 9-15 recorded live at Chicago's, Toronto, Ontario - December 9, 2000 - Engineer Keith Mariash
Track 16 recorded at Liquid Toronto - December 9, 2013 - Engineer Alec Fraser

I Got My Own mc
I Got My Own zippy

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Morgan Davis - 2 albums: Morgan Davis / Blues Medicine

If blues is indeed an incurable condition then Morgan Davis will gladly live out his life with a permanent affliction. He's used to it by now, and he goes about his business with a sense of humour and pride. Heading into his fourth decade in the music business, Davis is an important voice for the music we call the blues. He speaks eloquently and knowledgeably about his influences and the way that a strong sense of independence characterizes both his own career as a well as those who came before him.

The idea of independence is an important foundation in an understanding of the music we call "the blues." It may be through the geographical independence of traveling and life on the road, the cultural independence of freedom from popular trends, the physical independence of "finger tone," or the sense of self that gives different blues players that ability to grace their music with true personality. Independence is what the blues began with and it is what keeps it alive today.

Morgan Davis is a living, breathing and articulately-speaking example of the relationship between blues and independence. Born in Detroit but making Canada his home for over 30 years, Davis is a firm believer in both his preferred form of musical expression as well as the way that the expression emerges from a sense of being true to one's self.

Album: Morgan Davis
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 41:48
Size: 95.7 MB
Styles: Modern electric blues
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[3:43] 1. Prop Me Up Against The Wall
[3:33] 2. Ridin' In The Moonlight
[2:36] 3. Bar B Q
[3:05] 4. Time To Go
[3:35] 5. Mean Mistreatin' Mama
[3:36] 6. Love Song
[3:51] 7. I Picked A Winner
[3:45] 8. Every Night And Every Day
[3:26] 9. No Mama No
[4:13] 10. Down In The Bottom
[3:06] 11. Hang It Up
[3:12] 12. Married Woman Blues

Morgan Davis mc
Morgan Davis zippy

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Album: Blues Medicine
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 49:47
Size: 114.0 MB
Styles: Modern electric blues
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. Reefer Smokin' Man
[2:29] 2. What's The Matter Now
[2:07] 3. Oily Rag
[3:40] 4. Keep It Parted In The Middle
[6:21] 5. That's Why
[1:10] 6. Slidin' Around
[2:54] 7. Somnambulatin' Mama
[2:00] 8. Special Boogie
[2:10] 9. Older And Dumber
[3:05] 10. Easy Money
[2:48] 11. If I Get Lucky
[3:53] 12. New Good Mornin' L'il School Girl
[6:14] 13. My Blues
[3:22] 14. Tomorrow
[4:01] 15. Good Time Tonight

Blues Medicine mc
Blues Medicine zippy

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