Search - Davy Graham :: Large As Life And Twice As Natural

Davy Graham, fully-realized: the stuff of legends!

Elliot Knapp | Seattle, Washington United States | 02/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In 1968, a scant five years after his full-length debut, Davy Graham released this, his fifth album, and the most full-fledged realization of his creative vision, and arguably the highest of his high-water marks (with the possible exception of his first masterpiece, Folk, Blues & Beyond...). Not only does this album contain some of Graham's most ripping moments as a guitar virtuoso, it also contains some of the most mind-blowing combinations of world folk music idioms and strikingly original arrangements of Graham's career.



As usual, Large as Life and Twice as Natural finds Graham backed by an ace combo of inventive and reactive session players, most notably Danny Thompson on upright bass. Their chemistry is clearly evidenced on the very first track, Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now." This recording is one of Graham's most fiery, and certainly a classic reading of Mitchell's standard. The song starts out mysteriously enough, with Davy's stinging acoustic bursting single notes, with some flourishes by the rhythm section behind. Soon, Graham's smooth voice enters, wordlessly mimicking the melody. Finally, the song explodes into a galloping, jazzy riff that guitar aficionados will certainly drool over. Fans of Joni Mitchell can also note how Graham's buoyant arrangement lends a cathartic energy to her classic song. It wouldn't be classic Davy Graham if the vocals weren't imperfect, and it's a thrill to hear him strain for the high notes on the chorus--sometimes, energy does make up for imprecision!



"Bad Boy Blues" finds the ensemble as full as ever, with a sax and flute augmenting the band's jazzy groove. "Tristano" is undoubtedly some of the best solo guitar Graham ever committed to tape--a whirling blend of jazz and faux-Eastern droning, with some blistering fretboard runs. "Babe, It Ain't No Lie" and "Bruton Town," (later recorded again by Thompson and Pentangle on Sweet Child) are American and British folk songs, respectively, and wouldn't have been out of place on Folk, Blues and Beyond. "Sunshine Raga," which, as the booklet notes, is based on a scale with a major third, is a blast of Indian-influenced improvisation that conveys pure rapture through music. "Jenra" is another ripper, with some killer riffs in Graham's DADGAD tuning. "Blue Raga" concludes the album with another seductive Eastern groove. In reality, it's a spinning blend of raga and pan-British folk modes, fired off with the attitude and improvisational flair of the jazz and blues traditions, which perfectly sums up Graham's unique vision and overwhelming contribution to music that has inspired countless guitarists, not the least of which include Bert Jansch, Jimmy Page, Roy Harper,Paul Simon, and Martin Carthy.



In comparison with Folk, Blues and Beyond..., which usually gets the limelight as Graham's best album, I think this one is underappreciated--while Folk, Blues and Beyond... is certainly a high-water mark, it's principally a collection of folk songs with unconventionally Eastern and progressive moods and flourishes, while Large as Life features some all-out explosions into territory uncharted by most mere traditional song interpreters. Regardless, they're both unquestionably essential for Graham's guitar playing, his influence, and his flair for eclecticism and classy fusion of disparate world folk elements. Plus, this album's artwork is packed with photos of Graham as I always picture him in my mind's eye--in a straw hat, smoking cigarillos, just a bit of a madcap (or was that in a sombrero? Oh wait, wrong album...). Whether you get the 2005 Fledg'ling reissue, or the brand new 2008 Les Cousins reissue (released simultaneously with Graham's new album (!), Broken Biscuits), you're getting great sound and a beautiful color booklet of the original album art. Don't miss this album."

Folk Music ?

Steve R. Schmiedbauer | USA | 03/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am not much of a Folk Music listener, however, there are Folk musicians and then there is Davy Graham. I can't say enough about the superb song writing and guitar playing of Davy Graham, he is above board and probably has had some influence on many of the Folk, Blues, and Jazz guitar players of his time, all on the acoustic guitar. His style can range from the Jug Band sound to sophisticated Jazz riffs and also throw in some Blues handles to round out a recording session. I would recommend this record and/or any other by Davy Graham, in fact I have copied this review and added it to my other purchases, as I can not think of anything else to say about any of the other records, other than to buy them you will not be disappointed."