Jeff Davis

Some Fabulous Yonder

On Some Fabulous Yonder Jeff Davis presents a wide variety of old music, from Appalachian songs (Frank Proffitt's Will Bill Jones) to Long Island fiddle tunes, American versions of English folksongs, civil war ballads, songs of lumbermen and cowboys, the moving Doney Gal and an unusual version of Old Paint amongst them. He demonstrates his grasp of traditional vocal styles with two unaccompanied songs, and his mastery of the banjo with a version of Shortening' Bread that makes this old chestnut come vigorously to life. Elsewhere on the CD Jeff's considerable skills on fiddle, guitar and mandocello are amply demonstrated

Accompanying Jeff on some of the songs are Howie Bursen (banjo), Brian Peters (button accordion, concertina and guitar), Jay Rosenburg (drum, vocals) and Chris Rua (cane flute, vocals).

Jeff Davis is as much an expert on the history of old music as on its performance, and the CD includes a 24-page booklet packed with information on the songs and the singers who sang them, accompanied by some fascinating photographs.

"It's good to know that the folk revival still has people who can produce records of this calibre. It contains all the things I hope for when I press the play button on something new. What are they? Well, a good choice of songs old or new is always welcome, and we have that here. I like them to be sung by someone who lets the material speak for itself but who is individual enough to impart freshness to familiar pieces without distortion; someone who can take a song from a previous century and sing it in this one without trying to drag it 'kicking and screaming' into the next; someone who has deep understanding and love of his material, and lets those qualities show through in performance. In short, someone like Jeff Davis."
Roy Harris, the Living Tradition

"Hurrah! - just the sort of recording that I like to hunker down with – performances that captivate from the off, allied to an erudite and comprehensive booklet... an album that brims over with eloquence and inspiration."
Clive Pownceby, English Dance & Song

"American traditional music at it's best and in its element. The passion and love that he feels for the old songs and music is evident in every note he utters and every string he plucks"
Deb Cowan, Tykes News (UK)

"One of the most charismatic and widely-regarded of American oldtime folk revival performers.. master of several different instruments as well as a darned fine singer, a man of wholly unpretentious and completely natural musicianship who makes everything he does seem totally effortless."
David Kidman, Netrhythms (UK)

"A fine interpreter of traditional song"
Ian Robb, Sing Out! (USA)