The latest recording from Rev. Gary Davis devotee Ernie
Hawkins is a ray of sunshine, a perfect cure for the winter doldrums. It's
unpretentious, overwhelmingly sweet and good hearted; Hawkins came up with
the title when a fan misheard the name of his previous album, Blues
Advice. It doesn't hurt, of course, that his favorite brands of blues
are among the most generally appealing: Piedmont, ragtime and gospel fall
so gently on the ear to begin with that one could market Hawkins' growing
oeuvre as a cure for depression. But though he's humble about his
talent--in the liner notes for his cover of "Broke Down Engine," Hawkins
notes: "Bob Dylan said, 'Nobody can sing the blues like Blind Willie
McTell.' Every so often, a fool like me tries." -- anyone who spent time
learning from Davis, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Son House and other such
giants is bound to have picked up something.
Hawkins certainly has; his opening number, a cover of
Merle Travis' classic "I Am a Pilgrim," is heartwarming without being at
all saccharine, while his version of Davis' "Slow Drag" bounces along
cheerfully. The title track features some especially fine slide work and a
stomping beat, but the real standout is "Riding on a Moonbeam," wherein
Hawkins melds two African tunes into a very Piedmont-sounding blues, once
again demonstrating the connection between the two traditions. (He even
adds a clarinet part, courtesy of Lou Schreiber, that fits in perfectly.)
Also worth mentioning is "I Belong to the Band," as strong a statement of
faith as you'll find anywhere, recorded in Maria Muldaur's living room and
positively glowing with good feeling. Actually, that pretty much sums up
how this album leaves you, with an homage to McTell as the final
sweetener. Hawkins may belittle his own abilities, but in truth, they're
considerable. Bluesified is a fine tribute to his years of
dedication.
-- Originally appeared in Blues Revue No. 66,
April 2001, pp. 56-57