Larry Charles Davis

b. December 4th, 1936 in Kansas City (Missouri)

d. April 19th, 1994 in Los Angeles (California)

COMPLETE EARLY RECORDINGS

Blue Eye (mp3)

1958 - 1971

N� � Kansas City, il grandit � Little Rock dans l'Arkansas. Multi-instrumentiste, il se concentre d'abord sur le chant puis devient le bassiste du groupe de Fenton Robinson. Recommand� par Bobby "Blue" Bland, Larry peut graver ses premiers titres chez Duke, notamment le magnifique "Texas flood" (avec la superbe guitare de Fenton Robinson) qui restera un standard du blues fr�quemment jou�. Larry s'affirme alors comme un chanteur dou� excellant dans un morceau comme "Angels in Houston". Malheureusement, le succ�s n'est pas au rendez-vous. Il passe chez Trey (un label appartenant � Goldband et dirig� par Wayne Shuler) et enregistre quelques beaux titres en compagnie du guitariste "Hop" Wilson ("I need your love to keep me warm"). En 1957, Larry s'installe � Saint Louis et rencontre Oliver Sain, qui deviendra un ami proche, et Albert King qui lui apprend la guitare. Gr�ce � G�rard Herzhaft, cette premi�re oeuvre a �t� reprise sur son blog Blue Eye.

Born in Kansas City, he grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. Multi-instrumentalist, he focuses first on singing then became the bassist of Fenton Robinson's band. Recommended by Bobby "Blue" Bland, Larry can write his first songs for Duke, including the magnificent "Texas flood" (with the superb guitar of Fenton Robinson) that remain a frequently played blues standard. Larry, then emerging as a talented singer, excelling in a song like "Angels in Houston". Unfortunately, success is not here. He joins Trey (a label owned by Goldband and directed by Wayne Shuler) and records some beautiful songs with guitarist "Hop" Wilson ("I need your love to keep me warm"). In 1957, Larry moved to Saint Louis and met Oliver Sain, who became a close friend, and Albert King, who taught him the guitar. Thanks to G�rard Herzhaft, this first work is reissued on the Blue Eye blog.

SWEET LITTLE ANGEL

P-Vine

1968 - 1969

Ce n'est qu'en 1968 que Larry peut retrouver le chemin des studios. Pour Virgo - label appartenant � B.B. King - il propose de remarquables titres entre Soul et Blues avec quelques excellents sidemen comme Oliver Sain et le guitariste Wesley Farmer : "Whole world down on you", "As the years go passing by" ainsi que de nombreuses reprises de B.B. King comme "Sweet little angel", "Woke up this morning", "You upset me baby", "Three o'clock blues". La production est sign�e Oliver Sain. Dans un entretien avec Bill Greensmith du magazine Blues Unlimited, Larry affirma qu'un album complet avait �t� enregistr� � ce moment l�. Mais, Virgo ferme rapidement ses portes et Larry cherche en vain de nouvelles opportunit�s. Il travaille pour les marques Pieces et Kent sous la supervision du producteur Bobby Lewis. Cette riche p�riode est recueillie dans le rare CD "Sweet little angel" propos� par le label japonais P-Vine. Mais, sa carri�re va connaitre un nouveau coup d'arr�t. En 1972, un grave accident de moto le laisse tr�s diminu�. Il retourne alors � Little Rock vivre avec ses parents. Paralys� sur son c�t� gauche pendant un temps, il mettra plus d'un an � se remettre sur pied.

It was only in 1968 that Larry can find again the studios. For Virgo - label owned by B.B. King - he offers outstanding titles between Soul and Blues with some excellent sidemen like Oliver Sain and guitarist Wesley Farmer : "Whole world down on you", "As the years go passing by" and many B.B. King covers as "Sweet little angel", "Woke up this morning", "You upset me baby", "Three o'clock blues". Production is signed Oliver Sain. In an interview with Bill Greensmith of magazine Blues Unlimited, Larry claimed that a full album had been recorded at that time. But, Virgo quickly closes and Larry looks in vain for new opportunities. He works for Pieces and Kent imprints under the supervision of producer Bobby Lewis. This rich period is collected in the rare CD "Sweet little angel" proposed by japanese label P-Vine. But, his career will stop again. In 1972, a serious motorcycle accident leaves him really diminished. He returns then to Little Rock to live with his parents. Paralyzed on his left side for a while, it will take more than a year to recover.

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IN SEARCH OF THE BLUES

Six Sisters

1979

LIVE AT J.B. HUTTO'S

P-Vine

1980 ?

Obscur concert �dit� par la firme japonaise P-Vine (P-Vine a rachet� les bandes qui �taient la propri�t� de True Soul). La date de 1980 est g�n�ralement attribu� � cet enregistrement. Pourtant, il pourrait avoir �t� capt� plus t�t comme le sugg�re la Blues Discography. Les musiciens sont rest�s inconnus. La qualit� sonore demeure plut�t correcte tout comme le contenu avec des versions intenses de "Cummins prison farm", "Sweet sixteen", "Just a little bit", "As the years go passing by".

Obscure concert issued by the japanese imprint P-Vine (P-Vine bought the tapes that were owned by True Soul). The year 1980 is generally attributed to this recording. Yet, it could have been caught earlier as suggested by the Blues Discography. The musicians have remained unknown. The sound quality seems rather decent and musical content too with intense versions of "Cummins prison farm", "Sweet sixteen", "Just a little bit", "As the years go passing by".

FUNNY STUFF

Rooster

March 1981

Retrouv� en 1981 par des amateurs de sa musique, Larry peut miraculeusement reprendre sa carri�re. V�ritable album de retour, il replace enfin Larry Davis au premier plan. Gr�ce � la production experte de son ami Oliver Sain (�galement au piano, � l'orgue et aux saxophones), "Funny stuff" poss�de un son situ� entre B.B. King et Albert King. Le chant passionn� de Larry est toujours parfaitement plac�. Outre Sain, Larry retrouve tous ses amis musiciens de Saint Louis : Phil Westmoreland, Johnnie Johnson, Billy Gayles. Il s'agit clairement d'un album majeur qui m�rite assur�ment l'�coute. "Funny stuff", "Teardrops", "Worried dream", "Since I been loving you" s'imposent de remarquables titres.

Rediscovered in 1981 by some of his fans, Larry can miraculously resume his career. True comeback album, it finally replaces Larry Davis at the foreground. Thanks to the expert production of his friend Oliver Sain (also on piano, organ and saxophone), "Funny stuff" has a sound between B.B. King and Albert King. Larry's impassioned singing is always perfectly placed. Besides Sain, Larry finds again all his friends musicians from Saint Louis : Phil Westmoreland, Johnnie Johnson, Billy Gayles. It is clearly a major album that certainly deserves listening. "Funny stuff", "Teardrops", "Worried dream", "Since I been loving you" are absolutely outstanding.

I AIN'T BEGGIN' NOBODY

Pulsar

Evidence

1985

Pour ce nouvel album, Larry et son �quipe ont reproduit la m�me recette que dans "Funny stuff" : un disque de Soul-Blues chaud et inspir� enregistr� � Saint Louis avec Oliver Sain pour le petit label Pulsar. Un peu moins dense que son illustre pr�d�cesseur, il demeure un disque tout � fait recommandable.

For this new album, Larry and his team repeated the same formula as in "Funny stuff" : a warm and inspired Soul Blues albumm recorded in Saint Louis with Oliver Sain for the small Pulsar label. A little less dense than its predecessor, it is still a quite recommendable record.

BLUES KNIGHTS

Blue Phoenix

Black & Blue

Evidence

November 1985

Venu en France au milieu des ann�es 80 pour la tourn�e du Chicago Blues Festival aux c�t�s de Byther Smith et Maurice John Vaughn, Larry participe � cet album studio avec quatre morceaux. Accompagn� de Maurice John Vaughn (guitare), A.C. Reed (saxophone), Douglas Watson (basse) et Julian Vaughn (batterie), il donne notamment une belle version de "Giving up on love".

Came to France in the mid 80's for the Chicago Blues Festival tour alongside Byther Smith and Maurice John Vaughn, Larry participates in this studio album with four tracks. Accompanied by Maurice John Vaughn (guitar), A.C. Reed (saxophone), Douglas Watson (bass) and Julian Vaughn (drums), he notably gives a beautiful version of "Giving up on love".

SOONER OR LATER

Bullseye

1992

Apr�s une longue absence discographique, voici le retour de Larry Davis sous la houlette du producteur Ron Levy. Chez Bullseye, un label appartenant � Rounder, il montre qu'il est toujours en excellente forme : chanteur passionn� et guitariste dans la lign�e d'Albert King. "I'm workin' on it", "Penitentiary blues", "Help the poor", "Goin' out west", "Little bluebird" m�ritent une �coute attentive. On note �galement une belle participation des Memphis Horns (Andrew Love, Wayne Jackson). Alors que cet album aurait pu lui permettre de relancer sa carri�re, il n'eut que peu de r�percussions pour Larry. Malheureusement, un cancer l'emporte au printemps 1994.

After a long discographical absence, here is the return of Larry Davis under the guidance of producer Ron Levy. At Bullseye, a label owned by Rounder, he shows that he is still in excellent shape : passionate singer and guitarist in the tradition of Albert King. "I'm workin' on it", "Penitentiary blues", "Help the poor", "Goin' out west", "Little bluebird" deserve careful listening. There is also a good participation of the Memphis Horns (Andrew Love, Wayne Jackson). While this album could have allowed him to revive his career, he had a little impact for Larry. Unfortunately, the cancer carried him off in the spring of 1994.