The story of Cyril Davies, the first British blues harmonica player. From Traditional Jazz to Country Blues and Jug Bands in the 1950s. Joining up with Alexis Korner at the Round House pub in Soho. The meetings with blues greats like Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Terry, Muddy Waters and James Cotton. Amplification and the Explosion of Blues Incorporated into the Ealing Club and The Marquee in 1962. A year of fame with his own band, The All Stars, and his early death in January 1964.
This comes from a podcast radio show I did in 2013 on Jonathan Baillie Strong’s “Live Lockdown” on K2K Community Radio in Kilburn. I covered the life of Cyril Davies on from his beginnings in Denham, West London, until his death in 1964, aged 33. With live music from Simon Prager, Doc Stenson, Hylda Sims, John O’Leary and Laurie Garman.
Live Lockdown – Cyril Davies – from Trad Jazz to the Rolling Stones
1 – Intro – 00:00
2 – Cyril Davies – Country Line Special – 01:36
3 – Mick Jagger – Warm up – 03:00
4 – Talk – 03:37
5 – Barbeque Jazz Band – Trad jazz – 05:30
6 – Talk – 06:30
7 – Steve Lane – Tennessee Twilight – 07:25
8 – Talk – 09:10
9 – City Ramblers – On a Monday – 12:40
10 – Talk – 16:05
11 – Big Bill Broonzy – Glory of Love – 21:02
12 – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – San Franciso Bay Blues – 21:38
13 – Speckled Red – Dirty Mistreater – 22:22
14 – Sonny Terry – Harmonica Blues – 23:06
15 – Muddy Waters – Catfish – 23:38
16 – Talk – 24:20
17 – City Ramblers – All by Myself – 30:30
18 – Talk- 33:00
19 – City Ramblers – How Long Blues – 35:10
20 – Talk – 37:20
21 – Blues Inc – Hoochie Coochie Man – 40:54
22 – Alexis Korner Blues Inc – Spooky but Nice – 42:45
23 – Blues Inc – Down Town – 44:30
24 – Alexis Korner Blues Inc -How Long Blues – 46:45
25 – Talk – 49:20
26 – Cyril Davies – Preachin’ the Blues – 55:00