New Things From Old Strings
Strolling Bones, 2023
8/10
Listen to New Things From Old Strings
Davis Causey turned his fascination with a ukulele at age 10 into a 6 decade long career that had him playing alongside Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson and Derek Trucks, to name a few, and here he brings us songs that he’s carried with him through life, and he’s got an all star cast to help him flesh out the authentic sounds.
“Nothing’ Much” opens the listen with Causey’s spirited and warm guitar alongside Michael Steel’s agile bass and Tim White’s well timed Hammond organ in the cautious climate, and “Circadian Swing (Pt. 2)” follows with Chuck Leavell’s eloquent piano complementing Carlton Owens’ precise drums and Causey’s reflective guitar.
Further on, “Dreamtime” gets quite textured, where much focus on mood helps make for a rich, bluesy, jazzy album highlight, while “Mr. Tuesday” heads further into blues, where Tom Ryan’s baritone sax and J.R. Beckwith’s trumpet add much power to the equation.
Residing near the end, “Lari’s Lullaby” showcases Randall Bramblett’s cozy piano in the soothing delivery, and “Oh Kay” exits with Karen Bergmann’s stirring cello and Causey’s bass guitar interacting with sublime grace.
Causey is highly regarded as one of the best guitars that’s alive today, and these songs certainly reinforce that sentiment with his unparalleled attention to detail and timeless vision.
Travels well with: Haunted Shed- Faltering Light; Davis Causey & Jay Smith- Pickin’ On Christmas