Welsh singer, songwriter, and guitarist Spencer Davis was certainly one of the guiding lights of the 1960s British Invasion. Best remembered for his band’s iconic hits “Keep On Running,” “I’m A Man,” and “Gimme Some Lovin’,” and for first recognizing the talented Winwood Brothers (Steve and Muff) who he recruited into the band, Davis has always followed his own path. Although the initial Spencer Davis Group lasted but a few short years, Davis’ approach to American blues and R&B had a lasting effect, directly influencing a diverse range of bands in the decade to follow, from Chicago Transit Authority and Traffic to the Allman Brothers Band, all of whom covered Spencer Davis Group material.
Following personnel changes and the eventual demise of his band toward the end of the 1960s, Davis went back to basics, first forming a brief partnership with guitarist and songwriter Alun Davies (a major component to Cat Stevens success) before leaving the UK and relocating in sunny California in 1969, where he would team up with guitarist Peter Jameson at the dawn of the new decade. Now an in-demand collector’s item, the duo’s 1970 album, It’s Been So Long was a drummerless acoustic-oriented affair that featured a mix of soft ballads and traditional blues.
Despite neither being a particularly strong singer, Davis and Jameson displayed a remarkable knack for vocal harmony and their acoustic guitars blended together beautifully and tastefully, whether they were covering Leadbelly songs or exploring their own material, which combined the introspective nature of the early singer/songwriter movement with the musical esthetics of groups like the Incredible String Band. (by pastemagazine.com)
Listen to the other side of Spencer Davis …. and enjoy it !
Personnel:
Spencer Davis (guitar, vocals, harmonica)
Peter Jameson (guitar, vocals)
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Barney Kessel (guitar)
Larry Knechtel (bass)
Richard Landis (piano)
Tracklist:
01. It’s Been So Long (Davis) 2.50
02. Crystal River (Davis) 3.11
03. One Hundred Years Ago (Davis) 3.55
04. Balkan Blues (Davis) 3.35
05. Brother Can You Make Up Your Mind (Davis) 2.35
06. Mountain Lick (Davis) 4.25
07. Jay’s Tune (Mountain A In Girl) (Davis/Jameson) 3.30
08. Thinking Of Her (Davis/Davies) 2.50
09. It’s Too Late Now (Davis/Jameson/Davies) 5.35
* (coming soon)
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Billboard Review from 1971
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