WAYNE DAVIS Wayne Davis LP

+ LINER NOTES

Strut present the first ever reissue of an essential lost classic from the Black Fire catalogue, Wayne Davis’ powerful self-titled gospel-soul album from 1976.

An accomplished vocalist and keyboard player, Davis had studied in Washington D.C. and had worked with Roberta Flack and she subsequently secured him a recording deal with Atlantic Records; he released the A View From Another Place album in 1973 and Roberta contributed electric piano to one of the tracks. Davis was then dropped from the label and his subsequent album was released by Jimmy Gray on Black Fire. Produced by Jimmy Watkins and Bias Studios manager, Bob Dawson, the album line-up featured the celebrated poet and flautist Wanda Robinson and the horn section from legendary D.C. go-go pioneers Experience Unlimited. Wayne later returned the favour, appearing as a vocalist on Experience Unlimited’s seminal Free Yourself album.

This first international reissue of the album features new sleeve notes including band member interviews and original illustrated artwork by Muzi Branch. Audio was transferred from the original tapes by the album’s engineer, Bob Dawson, and was remastered by The Carvery

FOR FANS OF: Tribe, Black Jazz, Strata-East, Gilles Peterson, Roy Ayers, The Last Poets, Lonnie Liston Smith, Gil Scott Heron, Pharoah Sanders, Esther Phillips, Roberta Flack, Weldon Irvine, Donny Hathaway, Otis Redding

A1. STRIVE ON AND BE STRONG
A2. MORNING
A3. LOVE IS
A4. THE GARDEN THERE IS A GARDEN, FAR AWAY!)
B1. LOOK AT THE PEOPLE!
B2. DAWN OF A NEW DAY
B3. THINGS SEEM JUST RIGHT, NOW!
B4. INTERMEZZO/ BAHJIA HABIBA
B5. “… ONE LAST THING!”