New?
It was recorded nearly a half century ago by Stefan Grossman at the original location of the famous venue that closed in 1987! Just release this month though, this 3-CD release captures Davis and the spirit of the venue well, but the combination of relatively primitive recording equipment, the Rev Davis’ forceful shouting/singing style, and hard to decipher introductions, make this for the most part an acquired taste. Make no mistake, though, this is good stuff! If you’re a fan of Rev Davis, you’ll feel like you’re right there in Gerde’s , singing along with the crowd on some cuts, and being scolded by Rev Davis when you’re not paying enough attention.
You might hear a few cuts from these CDs from time to time on the folk show, but if you’re a fan of the man, you’ll want to see about getting “Live at Gerde’s” for your personal collection.
By the way, another CD drawn from recordings at Gerde’s in the early 1960’s was released by Sugar Hill in 2001: Doc Watson at Gerde’s Folk City. It’s in the Folk Show Broadcast library, and I’ll play something from in Sat morn on the Folk show (4/4/09)
