This is mainly aimed at my music critic friends. As you know, I don’t usually plug records, but this one deserves some attention, and because it is on a tiny label it may not get it. The following isn’t really a review, it’s more of a prod to get some people in the business to write reviews.
Most of you will have heard of the late Ron Davies, or at least of his much-covered song “It Ain’t Easy.” Some of you will know that while still in his teens he wrote an entire album of songs for the Tacoma, Washington band The Wailers (a.k.a. “the Fabulous Wailers” to avoid confusion with the guys from Jamaica) or that he had a few favorably reviewed but commercially unsuccessful albums of his own. Such notables as Jerry Jeff Walker, Nanci Griffith, and Maria Muldaur have covered Davies songs.
The new CD, The Mystery of Ron Davies consists of 18 covers of Davies songs plus one track by Davies himself, “The Bells of Belfast”. Many of the songs are reminiscent of Townes Van Zandt or Tom Waits, though there are occasionally sweeter lyrics than are typical of either of those two songwriters, and certainly most of the singing on this album is, like Davies’ own, a bit closer to the pop/folk mainstrean than Tom Waits. Probably my own favorite track, though not typical of the album’s style, is Tommy Dean’s version of “Please Prez” (there’s a video online of him doing the song at here, but the version on the disk is much stronger). Kent Morrill of the Wailers weighed in with what turned out to be his last recording on “Higher Ground”; the venerable Baby Gramps does his own distinctive take on “It Ain’t Easy”; other fine performances come from Carla Torgerson (of the Walkabouts), the Daily Flash, and Reggie Garrett.
Apparently, the project was Ron Bailey’s idea, and Eric Apoe had the drive to make it happen. Bailey and Apoe each contribute a track to the recording.
Davies lived much of his life in and around Seattle, hence the tribute by mainly Northwest musicians (there is one “ringer” from Israel, Saar Liven). Davies did not have an easy life, and it is appropriate that this CD is a benefit for MusiCares, a non-profit organization that provides critical assistance to music people in times of need.
There’s more online about Davies and this project at http://www.rondavies.info, but if anyone wants to follow up, I recommend contacting Eric Apoe; tell him I sent you. He is reachable at eric[at]ericapoe.com.
– Joe Mabel
