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[andylemontree]

Davey Graham
Mark Pavey
Monday 19th March
Doors Open 7pm/Onstage 8pm
£15 (£10 concessions and Regulars)

Davy Graham picked up the guitar at the age of 12 and has devoted his life to achieving total mastery of the instrument ever since. In 1960, at the age of 19, he wrote an instrumental tune for his then girlfriend, Anji, which remains a rite of passage for every budding guitarist. In1962, he invented a system of tuning called DADGAD, which is now used by musicians all over the world and has become a cornerstone of acoustic guitar playing.
He is widely regarded as one of the most influential guitarists of any genre and era and has been an important influence on countless musicians including Bert Jansch, Paul Simon and Jimmy Page. The word “legend” is vastly overused in music circles but Davy Graham is one of the elite band of performers who genuinely deserves such a description. He has recently made a comeback to live performance and recording after a very long lay-off and we are absolutely delighted to welcome him to The Lemon Tree.
www.davygraham.com

"Davey Graham is a living legend of the British folk scene. Back in the 1960s, when the folk clubs provided a home for mavericks as well as traditionalists, he was always ahead of the pack, a guitar hero who mixed English folk songs with blues and jazz, and then disappeared to north Africa to add in Arabic influences long before anyone else. He wrote the classic Anji, covered by Paul Simon, and influenced other great players like Bert Jansch. There were fears at one time that his lifestyle would overtake him, but he survived to be rediscovered by the new generation of folk fans.

Davey (or Davy as he was once known), now in his 60s, came on looking like a cool veteran cowboy in black hat and dark glasses. He had confided earlier that "I'm a bit slower than before", but his guitar work was as eclectic as ever. He started with blues, followed by a baroque piece from Serbia and a dance tune from Romania. When asked to sing he responded with Big Bad Bill, the ragtime track recorded by Ry Cooder. Then came his intricate guitar treatment of songs from South Africa, Irish pipe tunes, or a courtly piece from 16th-century Italy.

There were a couple of stumbled passages, maybe, but his playing and musical vision are still unparalleled."

Robin Denselow, The Guardian, Tuesday September 12, 2006

[Alan Cynic]

I'm very excited about this one!!!! Saw him in the late 70s when, as you quote "There were fears at one time that his lifestyle would overtake him!", but he was great that night, in the Star & Garter, Putney.
A living legend.

Hey Alan, you can give him a copy of "Anji's Nightmare"!

[Alan Cynic]

Apart from getting his lawyers onto me he'd probably batter me senseless (or more so).

I once turned down a gig because Davy Graham might be in the audience!