Who was the greatest of all American guitarists? You probably didnrsquo;t name Gary Davis; but many of his musical contemporaries considered him without peer. Bob Dylan called Davis ldquo;one of the wizards of modern music.rdquo; Bob Weir of the Grateful Deadmdash;who took lessons with Davismdash;claimed his musical ability ldquo;transcended any common notion of a bluesman.rdquo; And the folklorist Alan Lomax called him ldquo;one of the really great geniuses of American instrumental music.rdquo; But you wonrsquo;t find Davis alongside blues legends Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Despite almost universal renown among his contemporaries; Davis lives today not so much in his own work but through covers of his songs by Dylan; Jackson Browne; and many others; as well as in the untold number of students whose lives he influenced.The first biography of Davis; Say No to the Devil restores ldquo;the Revrsquo;srdquo; remarkable story. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with many of Davisrsquo;s former students; Ian Zack takes readers through Davisrsquo;s difficult beginning as the blind son of sharecroppers in the Jim Crow South to his decision to become an ordained Baptist minister and his move to New York in the early 1940s; where he scraped out a living singing and preaching on street corners and in storefront churches in Harlem. There; he gained entry into a circle of musicians that included; among many others; Lead Belly; Woody Guthrie; and Dave Van Ronk. But in spite of his tremendous musical achievements; Davis never gained broad recognition from an American public that wasnrsquo;t sure what to make of his trademark blend of gospel; ragtime; street preaching; and the blues. His personal life was also fraught; troubled by struggles with alcohol; women; and deteriorating health.Zack chronicles this remarkable figure in American music; helping us to understand how he taught and influenced a generation of musicians.
#1971834 in eBooks 2015-02-26 2015-02-26File Name: B00SHBMRP0
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Important thinking doesnt get much clearer than thisBy Richard BuckI heard this author speak at a panel discussion about urban transportation; and I knew immediately that I wanted more of his clear thoughts. I am not a transportation planner nor much of a user of transit systems. Yet I found this book fascinating all the way through. Walker writes clearly and divides his topics into chapters; each focused on a specific issue; in a way that the whole picture unfolds easily and naturally.Any politician or urban planner could benefit from Walkers insights. He does not prescribe solutions; but he describes the crucial choices that are always made; either by design or default. I hope that transit leaders in my home town of Seattle have this book handy when they are thinking about the future of our city.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent book that sets a clear transit agenda - a must readBy Dusty BillFirstly; this is a clear and well written book. It is not lsquo;technicalrsquo; or jargon ridden; it uses clear and direct terms. It sets out a set of fundamental choices in a very well-defined and logical manner. It considers all forms of human transit and how these all interconnect. It takes a forward and workable view of the future for many urban areas. It does not take any sides or promote one form of transit system; which is quite liberating. It is not anti-car but does point out the many advantages of the more mixed transit mode era in which we live.For each of the choices offered it explains them with good strong and distinct examples form many parts of the world; so it is grounded in the current reality. It make one dogmatic proposals but expects that the reality will end up being a bit messier than the pure intent. It acknowledges that in a democratic society; politics is a very strong force and that planners need to bring along public opinion or at least their representatives to any changes that they propose to improve the current situation where you live.Well recommended for anybody interesting in transit and it ability to transform the lives of citizens and the urban landscape that we live for the better.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Insightful and EnjoyableBy CustomerHighly recommended for any planner; engineer; politician; enthusiast; transit rider; or concerned citizen. It is easy and enjoyable to read. Jarrett clearly knows what hes talking about. I learned a lot from this book and encourage others to do the same.
