Bart Davenport - Bart Davenport (CD)

the greatest!

By mark  Mar 17, 2003

Bart Davenport is one of the last true troubadours of his generation. His warm, distinctive voice emanates an endangered kind of honesty, making listeners feel as if he is singing to each and every one of them personally. The message is one of optimi...sm and love. 2002 saw Bart spreading the love with the release of his debut solo album, two American tours and a successful stint in the UK. His style is assorted, ranging from a pop-locking soul brother to a more plaintive and timeless folk singer and his live shows are always entertaining.This singer/songwriter was once the frontman of garage/blues band, The Loved Ones and blue eyed soul stirrers, The Kinetics. Both are bands whose impact is still felt today among Bay Area musicians. Having grown up in Berkeley California, Bart spent his childhood years raiding his hippie parents’ record collection. The influence of his three favorites, Arthur Lee/Love, Gil Scott Heron and the early solo work of Paul McCartney has sewn binding stitches into much of Davenport’s own musical patchwork. Fusing old and new alike, he will not hesitate to use drum machines and is not a slave to any retro aesthetic. As Davenport has cryptically stated before, “We are living in the time of Great Gatsby and we simply cannot spend every single day reenacting the civil war.”After a successful summer tour with The Kings Of Convenience, and following a lead singing session on a couple of twelve-inch singles for DJ Greyboy, Davenport went back into the studio last fall to record his second solo album. Produced by Jon Erickson, Davenport’s new offering hits a tighter, no-nonsense, analogue sound that is both classic and pioneering. Some of the East Bay’s finest musicians were recruited to achieve this natural balance. Keeping with the Berkeley/Oakland spirit, Davenport’s second long-player has more cameos than a hip-hop album. Members of Call And Response, Cake, Subtle and Dave Gleason’s Wasted Days all contribute rich accompaniments, while stunning vocal harmonies by The Moore Brothers give many of Davenport’s songs a West Coast, “Ventura Highway” kind of vibe that will undoubtedly set this CD apart from anything else released in 2003. Read more Less