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is better-known as a script-writer and producer than a blues performer, though he did that

before working on “Crossroads”) to the slow menacing ‘Bad Boy’. The only exception is a
Doctor John-styled solo outing ‘Ophelia (Oh, I Feel Ya)’. Some tracks give a prominent role
to trombonist Sarah “The Bone Doctor” Marrow, who actually used to fill the same role for
Mr. Rebennack. She adds a rather different edge wherever she appears..

Maybe this is a good place to mention the musicians. They are split between the “Southern
Chapter” - the well-known multi-instrumentalist Cody Dickinson, the excellent female
vocalist Risse Norman (who has also worked with Samantha Fish), and the aforementioned
Ms. Marrow—and the “Northern Chapter” from John’s home-base in Vermont. The latter

includes harp player Magic Mark Lavoie, fiddler Patrick Ross, the guitarist bassist and
drummer on ‘Bad Dog’ and four backing vocalists.

The set is also similarly split, with the second CD for the most part much more Americana-

based, albeit a very bluesy Americana - and the Ray Charles-ish blues of ‘Good Money After
Bad’, a soulful blues with contemporary edge in ‘Baby Let’s Not Borrow’ or the Eagles-ish
country-rock of ‘Motel Laws Of Arizona’. To be honest, I came to this not knowing what to
expect, and I was very pleasantly surprised. Certainly worth checking out if you like the
more nuanced side of today’s blues.

Norman Darwen

EB Davis—Treasures from the Vault—Rockwerk

Ignore the label name - this is top-notch straightforward
blues with the occasional soul-inflected blues such as the
opening track, ‘One Way Ticket’ or the funky ‘Tried Tested,
Found True’, from this Arkansas-born but long-time Berlin,
Germany-based vocalist. Maybe when gigs start up again,

some enterprising promoter will bring him to the UK, it
would certainly be good to see him and his tightly-drilled
“Superband” over here.

On this set he has an impressive list of guests, including bass player Aron Burton, and
harmonica player Keith Dunn. Try particularly the slow drag ‘This Woman, The Devil, And
Me’ for the latter, and the horn section also is right on top form here - though that is not to
suggest they are anything less elsewhere.

The tracks are previously unreleased items from the past, though all are top quality. All are
Davis originals (or at least collaborations, including a couple with the vastly experienced
Burton, who was formerly also based in Europe for some years), with the sole exception of a
strong cover of Larry Garner’s ‘Shack Bully’ (sic), and the last three numbers of the set are

live recordings. EB has a strong but flexible voice, and listen to the way he rides across the
beat on ‘Sleeping In The Ground’ (not the Sam Myers song) - or try the slow ‘Same Old