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| Guy Davis' New Aalbum, Skunkmello Red House Records announces the April 17, 2006 release of Guy Davis' latest album, Skunkmello, his eighth offering since signing with the label in 1995. The new CD is that rare album that flows with the start-to-finish cohesiveness of a classic album while at the same time covering a variety of styles from early country blues to more modern urban sounds. Guy Davis digs deep emotionally with soulful nuance, driving energy and superb songwriting evoking the classic albums of Taj Mahal. The record follows his critically acclaimed 2004 release, Legacy, an album that was recognized as one of the best of the year by Rolling Stone, NPR and Downbeat. Davis assembled a gifted cast of sidemen for Skunkmello including heavyweights Mark Naftalin (Paul Butterfield Blues Band), T-Bone Wolk (Saturday Night Live Band) and John Platania (Van Morrison Band). These master backers lay down a thundering foundation of sound that Davis goes to work from with his impeccable musicianship and booming vocals. The result of this collaboration is Guy's most fully realized recording to date, cementing Davis as a modern-day blues and roots music master. Skunkmello contains eleven original songs written by Davis and three interpretations of classics ("Goin' Down Slow", "Po Boy, " and "Maggie Campbell Blues"). Thematically, the original tracks are more personal than Guy's other recent albums – many inspired by family and close friends. The song that the title was extracted from, "Skunkmello's Dance of the Chickens", is a raucous back country tune inspired both by a "chicken dancer" Davis and his family witnessed in the '60's as well as Guy's son Martial's reaction to the tune. "Hooking Bull at The Landing" takes its name and origin from Guy's father Ossie Davis. At the dinner table, Ossie was known to let the expression fly "Hookin bull at the landing, 'won't let me by Lord, Lord, won't let me by." It refers to a hobo being pulled off the train by a railroad bull (police) and was likely a metaphor for hard luck and tough times. "Fonza Curry" is a melancholy narrative of an evil man based on stories from Guy's Uncle Willie. The album ends with a reissued and radio friendly version (or as Guy puts it, "milk 'n' cookies version") of the popular duet/debate Guy recorded with his son Martial on the merits of blues v. rap "Uncle Tom is Dead" (named a 2004 song of the year by NPR's All Song's Considered). Chickens, bad men and love gone wrong: one of the heroes of the New Acoustic Blues serves up an unqualified masterpiece in this stunning CD of classic and new-school original blues. Guy will be touring heavily throughout North America through the spring and summer of 2006 in support of the new album. Guy Davis will be playing dates in the UK during June, August, October & November 2006. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |