traditional blues song "Delia" (Rev. Gary Davis)

Hi guys,

here's my latest recording. It's a Reverend Gary Davis arrangement of the traditional song blues song "Delia". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delia_Green This arrangement is an example of what Gary Davis would refer to as "country picking" i.e., a much simpler telling of a song compared to the complex arrangements he was famous for. Those who listened to my recording of Cocaine Blues recently will recognize some of the arrangement is shared between the two songs. After working on RGD's tunes and studying with Woody Mann I've come to recognize several "isms". The Reverend was endlessly creative but he did rely on some staple licks and turnarounds that do make learning his arrangements easier at times. This tune is played in the RGD style of fingerpicking which uses only the right hand thumb and index finger. I do find this challenging because I usually pick with the thumb and two or three fingers. Unlike the Reverend I did not use fingerpicks (and probably never will).

I learned the arrangement from Ernie Hawkins excellent video "Blues Guitar of Rev Gary Davis": http://www.guitarvideos.com/Products...avis-2-dvd-set

I recorded this tune on a Zoom H2n with my 2008 Martin 000-28VS which is a 12-fret 000 with a sitka spruce top and rosewood back and sides. It's a 175th anniversary Martin and a very fine guitar all around. I found this guitar locally one day when dropping into my favorite guitar shop. They had just hung up the 000 and a D-18VS, two guitars that I hadn't encountered in person. I played the D-18VS first and while it was quite nice it still sounded like a tree to me. Not there yet. Then I played the 000. It was so stunning that I returned the next day with two quality guitars in tow and a handful of cash to make the deal. One of the best guitar purchases I've made. It now sports a beveled tortoiseshell celluloid pickguard beautifully handmade by Mark Stutman of Folkway Music in Guelph. It's a very lush sounding guitar in person and I hope it translates into good tone on this recording.

Here's the tune:



I hope you like it.

[BJ9RW]

Very nice, Doug. Lots of great versions of this song, I never really knew the Rev's arrangement until recently, mainly Bromberg's take. Woody recorded it for his recently released CD, played it for us last weekend at FPR. We missed you, most of the same gang was back from last year. I'm sure you'll have an equally good class with him on Gary Davis weekend.

Dubi

Originally Posted by BJ9RW

Very nice, Doug. Lots of great versions of this song, I never really knew the Rev's arrangement until recently, mainly Bromberg's take. Woody recorded it for his recently released CD, played it for us last weekend at FPR. We missed you, most of the same gang was back from last year. I'm sure you'll have an equally good class with him on Gary Davis weekend.

Dubi

Thanks Dubi! I missed you guys very much too.

[TBman]

Nice playing Doug. The Martin sounds excellent too!

[islandguitar]

Very nice, Doug!! And, great find in that guitar!
I understand about the finger pick issue......however, I've been with them since '67 and would feel lost without them!! Funny how there is such a big range of thought about those little items!
Enjoy the day,
fred

[Jeremy]

Nicely done, Doug.

Originally Posted by TBman

Nice playing Doug. The Martin sounds excellent too!

Thank you Barry! Glad you liked the tune and the tone.

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Very nice, Doug!! And, great find in that guitar!
I understand about the finger pick issue......however, I've been with them since '67 and would feel lost without them!! Funny how there is such a big range of thought about those little items!
Enjoy the day,
fred

Thank you Fred! Re fingerpicks: It's not for lack of trying.

Originally Posted by Jeremy

Nicely done, Doug.

Thank you Jeremy!

[reeve21]

Hi Doug,

Nice to hear from you, great job on this tune. It sure is a lot of sound out of thumb plus 1!

I'm with you on the finger picks. It feels like I have shovels taped to my fingers

My teacher recently convinced me to grow out my nails just a little bit, maybe 1/8th inch of "white" showing. I file them just short of the edge of my fingertips so that I contact the string with flesh first, and then a little bit with the nail on the release. This gives me a little bit of sparkle. Any longer than that and it sounds metallic to my ears.

Lots of great players use flesh only, and you sure get a big sound that way

Originally Posted by reeve21

Hi Doug,

Nice to hear from you, great job on this tune. It sure is a lot of sound out of thumb plus 1!

I'm with you on the finger picks. It feels like I have shovels taped to my fingers

My teacher recently convinced me to grow out my nails just a little bit, maybe 1/8th inch of "white" showing. I file them just short of the edge of my fingertips so that I contact the string with flesh first, and then a little bit with the nail on the release. This gives me a little bit of sparkle. Any longer than that and it sounds metallic to my ears.

Lots of great players use flesh only, and you sure get a big sound that way

As always Bob thank you for the kind words! The last time I grew my nails to fingerpick my kids were in diapers. Long nails + diaper changes = YUCK. Never again! Plus Woody plays bare fingers and gets great tone and that's good enough for me.

[Glennwillow]

Well done, Doug! I recognize the sound of that Martin 000-28VS because I also have one of those, but not an anniversary model. It sure is a great sounding guitar!

- Glenn

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Well done, Doug! I recognize the sound of that Martin 000-28VS because I also have one of those, but not an anniversary model. It sure is a great sounding guitar!

- Glenn

Thank you Glenn! How does your VS stack up to the others in your collection? You have quite the fine selection of guitars!