Guy Davis – Give In Kind

Though he wears many hats as a playwright and actor (son of Ozzie Davis and Ruby Dee), the role that suits Harlem gadfly Guy Davis the best is that of a bluesman. Even if he isn’t as radical as Corey Harris or Alvin Youngblood Hart, he is a true torchbearer for the blues, putting his own stamp on the music.

For his fifth album, Davis works mostly alone with his guitar, and occasionally with his small combo. His sensibility is drawn from pre-war music with well-chosen covers from Big Bill Broonzy, Fred McDowell, Leroy Carr and Sleepy John Estes. Along with a handful of charming instrumentals, Davis pens worthy originals that work well alongside his mentors’ material; when he does a gritty rocker called “Layla Layla” that doesn’t make you long for Eric Clapton, you know he’s is doing something right. Also impressive is his ability to put across upbeat stompers such as “I Don’t Know” and “What You Doin” with thoughtful narratives such as “Grandma Is Dancing” and “Joppatown”.

If you buy the old adage that you listen to the blues to get rid of your blues, then think of the well-titled Give In Kind as a sweet balm from an artist deserving of more attention.