Page 39 - BiTS_01_JANUARY_2021

then he has played at a good number of venues and festivals with many and varied artists including
musicians from Estonia. Over the years David has shared the stage with many musicians including
harmonica player Lee Oskar, who not only became a friend and mentor he also signed David to his
company ‘Lee Oskar Harmonicas in 2019’. Here are the fruits of this collaboration; eleven of the

twelve numbers here are original compositions, with the exception of ‘Trouble In Mind’. David has
surrounded himself with a splendid array of fine musicians with the bonus of Lee Oskar in the
producer’s chair. David takes lead vocals and harmonica with a core band of Milky Burgess on
guitar, Dean Schmidt; bass and Dean Clouter; drums.

The opener ‘She’s Dynamite', splendidly combines swinging percussion burning B3 and guitar, with
a jaunty dancing harmonica and honking saxophone, courtesy of Darian Asplund while over the top
David’s pleasing tenor vocal urges the toe-tapping onwards. On ‘I Must Be Crazy', a melancholic
tale of deceit is recounted by David; his raw emotional vocal is joined by a steadily rising, guitar
and B3, courtesy of Ron Weinstein, a seething harmonica solo tops it off. Continuing this dark and
dismal theme is ‘Foolish Love', David’s gentle vocals splendidly evoke memories of a tender and
wistful Willie Nelson. ‘Long Road', is a thoughtful ode to the journey of life, featuring a

marvellously haunting and contrasting combination of slide guitar, cello and tabla, courtesy of
Phillip Nelson and Joseph Ravi Albright. The atmospheric and slightly psychedelic Pink Floyd
influenced mixture of swirling harmonica, guitar, B3 and saxophone on ‘So Much Trouble', refers to
the present day woes of the world, as does ‘Hard Times Coming', which features a splendid slow
Delta slide and laidback harmonica, focusing upon the political and climate changes coming upon

us.

Greatly endorsed!

Brian Harman.

Andy Cohen with Moira Meltzer-Cohen Small But Mighty

(Songs For Growing People) EARWIG CD 4977

Andy Cohen Tryin’ To Get Home EARWIG CD
4976

When he was 16, Andy heard the Rev. Gary Davis
perform, and the effect of Davis’ performance was
such that he became a young musician who was
highly influenced by the work of pre-war artists
such as Big Bill Broonzy and the Jim Kweskin Jug
Band. As time passed. he started to perform on
the road and over time began to share the stage with many of his heroes including Jim Brewer,

Reverend Dan Smith, Brother Daniel Womack, Reverend Gary Davis, ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards and John
Jackson. Throughout his career, Andy, as a ‘keeper of the flame’ has focused his attention upon
studying, promoting and playing pre-war blues and folk music from across the world. He plays in
the Piedmont tradition, which is an East Coast finger picking style which is thoroughly soaked in
Ragtime. To further his understanding of the music and its traditions Andy has gained a Masters

Degree in Anthropology also, in 2011 he was given The Eisteddfod Award from The Eisteddfod