Hot on the heels of her tough Texas outing Tales From the Austin Motel (a collaboration with the Double Trouble rhythm tandem of drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon that earned her a W.C. Handy nomination for 2000), guitarist-singer-songwriter Debbie Davies returnshome
to her regular working band of drummer Don Castagno and bassist Alan J. Hager on Love The Game .
The last cd I cut with Double Trouble was a fantastic experience, says Davies. And my guys were good sports and totally cool about it. But it really meant a lot to me to have the band do this project. The whole situation -- the studio, the producer and the fact that my band was involved -- was just so perfect. It all really made this the most satisfying recording experience Ive ever had. It was just a very, very groovy situation.
Produced by seasoned blues veteran and fellow guitarist Duke Robillard, Debbies third Shanachie recording (and seventh overall since her 1993 debut as a leader) is augmented by special guest appearances from Robillard, Jay Geils, pianist Bruce Katz, saxophonists Doug James and Sax Gordon Beadle and longtime guitar colleague Coco Montoya.
A collection of insightful, slice-of-life tunes penned mainly by Davies and her prolific bandmate Castagno, Love The Game offers keen, wry observations about life, love and the blues while kicking ass along the way. Dons really got a certain gift for songwriting, says Debbie. And were totally different in the way we come at songs and how they take shape. Mine sort of come out of personal experiences and his method is to come up with ideas for songs and develop them. Hes really creative that way. As a songwriter he brings a lot of other things to the table than I do, and I think that keeps our little creative realm growing.
Producer Robillard duels alongside Debbie on the funky Cant Live Like This No More, her semi-autobiographical riff on approaching mid-life crisis, and on the playful r&b closer Grow Up, Grow Old. The two engage in a more laid back vibe on the intimate, acoustic Was Ya Blue then are joined by guitar slinger Coco Montoya for a fierce three-way shuffle jam on the aptly-named instrumental Fired Up. Bruce Katz, whom Robillard recruited for the session, contributes some old school piano tinkling on Costagnos hard hitting Fabulous T-Birds flavored title track and his sly, humorous Worst Kinda Man, which features some downhome bluesy slide guitar from former rock star Jay Geils. Katz switches to some soulful organ work on Cant Find The Blues, Keep Your Sins To Yourself and Im Just Your Fool. Davies poignant Earl King-styled ballad Leading Me Home has Katz effectively doubling on organ and piano, providing a cushion of accompaniment behind Debbies blues--drenched solo and overdubbed vocal harmonies. And Katz dips into a Professor Longhair bag on Alan Hagers New Orleans flavored offering, Funky Little Teapot.
Working with Robillard on this project proved to be a rewarding experience for Debbie. Hes a musical genius, she says. Ive always thought of him like that as a guitar player but then you work with him in the studio its pretty unbelievable what he brings to the session. The amazing thing is how he has retained so much information about music. Anything hes ever learned or listened to, he can just call it up in his memory banks like a computer. So he has this enormous palette that he can bring to any session he produces. And, of course, being a great player himself, he really understands the music and where the musician is coming from.
Its no wonder why Davies was thrilled by her collaboration with Robillard on Love The Game And her infectious enthusiam resonates from start to finish. As she explains, It felt totally fun, totally creative. Duke is just there with you every minute when youre in the studio doing something. Some guys that Ive worked with its off and on....theyre on the phone or carrying on conversations with other people while youre trying to record. But Duke is just right in there with you the whole time. Hes a musician to the bone, he has like no attitude and tons of ideas, and that makes it a really fun situation to be in.
The results speak loud and clear. Love The Game reaffirms Debbie Davies status as one of the top female contemporary blues artists on the scene.
Born in 1952 in Los Angeles, Debbie was exposed to the music scene at an early age through her musician parents (her father wrote arrangements for Ray Charles and made sessions with such industry heavy weights as Frank Sinatra and Pearl Bailey.) She came up playing in blues and rock n roll bands in the Bay Area before returning to Los Angeles in 1984 and landing the lead guitar spot a year later in Maggie Mayall and the Cadillacs, an all female R&B band led by wife of British blues pioneer John Mayall (Debbie performed on John Mayalls Sense Of Place album for Polygram/PGD). In 1988, she was drafted into Albert Collins & the Icebreakers and for the next three years was the featured guitarist, performing night after night behind one of the most innovative blues legends of all time. She appeared on Alberts 1991 Grammy nominated self titled release for Point Blank/Virgin Records.
Working with Albert has definitely affected my playing, she told Guitar World in a 1989 interview. Its really pushed me a lot because he just wants you to put it all into your solo every time you play -- just like he does. Theres no laying back with Albert. He comes out and tears it up, and he likes everybody who takes a solo to try to kick his ass. And just observing how he works the audience and really reaches out to the people has been really inspiring and I think theres a whole other talent being able to make that connection with the people while still pulling out what you feel and putting it into your playing. Thats what Albert does and I hope that I am learning that.
In the summer of 1991, Davies became lead guitarist for Fingers Taylor and the Ladyfinger Revue, which served as the opening act on Jimmy Buffets Outpost tour. In September of that same year she formed her own band and in 1993 she came out with her Blind Pig records solo debut release, Picture This , which featured a cameo appearance by Collins on I Wonder Why. Later that year, Collins died of cancer at the age of 61.
Debbie stuck closely to a blues format on her followup album, 1994s Loose Tonight , but began to broaden her range on her 1997 Blind Pig release, Ive Got That Feeling , which featured duets with Louisiana Blues guitarist Tab Benoit and Albert Collins alumni and close friend Coco Montoya. She branched out stylistically on her 1998 Shanachie debut Round Every Corner , then returned to the aggressive guitar player mode on 1999s Tales from the Austin Motel.
Her stinging licks are still very much intact on Love The Game , only they are tempered this time around by her growth and maturity as a singer and songwriter. And with Robillard on board to enchance the proceedings with his magic producers touch, Debbies seventh release may be her most potent and satisfying yet.
Pick it up by clicking on the album graphic above or right here.
