Cyril Davies... British Blues Harp Pioneer
Welcome to the web site dedicated to documenting the unsung
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I never met (a British blues disciple) who seemed to be remotely like a blues singer in background or personality, apart from Cyril Davies. Cyril was a laconic (or loquacious when drinking, which was heavily and often) burly, working-class panel-beater who made a living taking the dents out of wrecked automobiles; he had a devotion close to total identification with Leadbelly. It seemed to me that he had bridged the gulf between the cultures in a way no other blues-singing Britisher did or could. He died suddenly and tragically and that possibility went with him. - Paul Oliver from 'Blues off the Record' |
We are building a history of the life and times of Cyril Davies through the memories of many of the artists who appeared with him - Musicians' recollections - and the many other people who remember seeing and hearing Cyril as they were growing up through these years - Guest book. If you have anything you want to add please send your recollections to us for inclusion.
Latest Updates - The site has been growing fast. Keith Scott who played piano with Cyril from 1958 to 63 has added his recollections and more photographs. Brian Knight's obituary and an interview with Marie plus memories from Chris Barber and John Pilgrim have been added to the Musicians' recollections. We are building the section on The Roundhouse pub so if you have any memories or photographs, please let us know.
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The Cyril Davies Tribute Night took place on Saturday, 1st March 2008 in The Dome, Tufnell Park, London. Here is the finale. More details and images soon. Do you still have your membership card for Cyril's Blues and Barrelhouse club held in the Roundhouse? Two people at the concert did. If you want to know about future events and "Preachin' the Blues", the CD of Cyril's recordings put together by Sanctuary but abandoned before release following the takeover by Universal Music - email Roger. To see a video of Pete Brown who opened the Tribute Concert, singing a song he wrote with Jack Bruce - "Waiting for the Call" To see a video of Stormy Monday from Dave Ball's set in the Tribute Concert featuring Art Themen and Alan Glen. It was put together with Henry's Gigs, and supported by Seydel Harmonicas. |
If you want to hear some of Cyril's and Britain's first blues harp hit, Country Line Special from 1963 click here.
Watch Mick Jagger talking about learning from Cyril Davies.
Tribute Gig for Lord Sutch & Carlo Little - Ace Cafe, London Friday 20th June 2008, 7pm, £7 on the door, proceeds to charity.
With Paul Neon & The Saints, Bessie & The Zinc Buckets, The Good Old Boys, Tonto's Horse and special guests.
Humph - Humphrey Littleton, who, along with Chris Barber and Ken Colyer, was responsible for the flowering of traditional jazz in the UK in the 1950s, died peacefully at home, aged 86, on Friday April 25, 2008. They introduced a inquisitive postwar generation to jazz and blues music and played their part in the UK music boom which followed in the 1960s. His recording of the piano-led Bad Penny Blues was the first jazz record to reach the UK Top Twenty. The pianist, Johnny Parker was one of the many jazz muscians of the time who also played with Cyril and Alexis in Blues Incorporated and the All Stars.
Click to listen to the original recording or watch video of a later concert perfomance of Bad Penny Blues.
In his later years, Humph was a well well loved broadcaster on BBC Radio with a jazz program and the hugely successful antidote to panel games, I'm sorry I haven't a clue. Click to watch part of the live Radio Panel Show and get a feel of the special humour the show became renowned for.
Web site navigation
Introduction: Cyril Who?
Cyril's Denham Home
Cyril and Leadbelly
With Alexis at The Roundhouse
Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated
Cyril Davies' R&B All Stars
Musicians' recollections of Cyril Davies
Cyril's Recordings
UK Blues links
Guestbook
Back To Home Page
The force behind this project is Todd Allen from Canada. To send any feedback click here
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Cyril Davies - British Blues Architect, is a not-for-profit enterprise. Its contents are online purely to inform and entertain fans of Cyril Davies and the development of blues harmonica in the UK. His name is often misspelled Cyril Davis.
This page and all its contents, ©2008, all rights reserved.
Webmaster: Roger Trobridge