Davell O'Ryan Crawford
b. September 3rd, 1975 in New Orleans (Louisiana)
LIVE AT BOURBON STREET MUSIC CLUB
Bourbon Street Music Club
January 1995
LET THEM TALK
Rounder
February - March 1995
Petit-fils de James "Sugar Boy" Crawford, neveu de Lionel Hampton, Davell veut d'abord devenir pilote d'avion. Mais il se tourne rapidement vers la musique en jouant de l'orgue et du piano. Influencé par le Gospel, il suit l'enseignement du Dr Bert Brand et commence à se produire en public très jeune (une tournée en France à 18 ans, au Brésil à 20 ans). Sous la supervision du producteur Scott Billington, Davell enregistre ce premier album à seulement 20 ans entouré d'excellents sidemen comme Alvin "Red" Tyler, Sammy Berfect, Herman Ernest, Wardell Quezergue et son grand-père James "Sugar Boy" Crawford. Chanteur quelconque mais pianiste dans la lignée de James Booker ou du Professor Longhair, il livre un cocktail louisianais Rhythm & Blues, Gospel et Jazz. Quelques bons moments : "Just a closer walk with thee / Amazing grace", "She's got a wobble", "Can't nobody do me like Jesus", "No more heartaches", "Walk around heaven" (avec son grand-père James "Sugar Boy" Crawford).
Grandson of James "Sugar Boy" Crawford, nephew of Lionel Hampton, Davell first wants to become an airplane pilot. But he quickly turns to music while playing organ and piano. Influenced by Gospel, he follows the teaching of Dr. Bert Brand and begins to perform in public very young (a tour in France at 18, in Brazil at 20). Under the supervision of producer Scott Billington, Davell records this first album at only 20 years old surrounded by excellent sidemen like Alvin "Red" Tyler, Sammy Berfect, Herman Ernest, Wardell Quezergue and his grandfather James "Sugar Boy" Crawford. Ordinary singer but pianist in the tradition of James Booker or Professor Longhair, he delivers a Louisiana cocktail of Rhythm & Blues, Gospel and Jazz. Some good moments : "Just a closer walk with thee / Amazing grace", "She's got a wobble", "Can't nobody do me like Jesus", "No more heartaches", "Walk around heaven" (with his grandfather James "Sugar Boy" Crawford).
JUST FRIENDS
Her
1996
THE B3 AND ME
Bullseye
April - June 1997
LOVE LIKE YOURS AND MINE
Bullseye
April - August 1997
Second album pour Bullseye centré sur les ballades romantiques et jazzy. En configuration trio avec Mark Brooks (basse) et Shannon Powell (batterie). On apprécie toute la subtilité du piano de Davell et ses progrès au chant. Mais les tempos presque uniformément lents engendrent une certaine monotonie.
Second album for Bullseye focused on romantic and jazzy ballads. In a trio configuration with Mark Brooks (bass) and Shannon Powell (drums). We appreciate all the subtlety of Davell's piano and his progress in singing. But tempos almost uniformly slow generate a certain monotony.
PIANO IN THE VAULTS vol.1
Basin' Street
1998 - 2013
Davell a recueilli ici une collection de titres gravés entre 1998 et 2013 dans lesquels il est seul au piano. Rendant hommage d'abord à James Booker, il parsème le programme de titres entre Rhythm & Blues, Jazz et Gospel avec son habituelle virtuosité technique au piano et une certaine inspiration. On peut retenir "Booker days", "Morning star", "Fine brown frame" (chanté par Carol Fran), "Teana Titty". Pour information, le label Basin' Street a annoncé la sortie d'autres volumes de "Piano in the vaults". Mais pour l'instant, rien ne semble être paru. Pendant ce temps, en 2003-04, il participe à de nombreux disques d'artistes louisianais comme Dr John ou le Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Davell has collected here a collection of titles recorded between 1998 and 2013 in which he is alone on piano. Paying tribute first to James Booker, he sprinkles the program with titles between Rhythm & Blues, Jazz and Gospel with his usual piano technical virtuosity and nice inspiration. We can point out "Booker days", "Morning star", "Fine brown frame" (sung by Carol Fran), "Teana Titty". For information, Basin' Street label announced the release of other volumes of "Piano in the vaults". But at the moment, nothing seems to have appeared. Meanwhile, in 2003-04, he participated in many records of Louisiana artists like Dr. John or the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
BORN WITH THE FUNK
Mardi Gras
1999
Pour Mardi Gras, le label de Warren Hildebrand, Davell propose un album qui mélange Rhythm & Blues, Gospel et Funk. "The Mardi Gras song", "Going back home to New Orleans", "Drown in my own tears", "Born with the funk", "Help me make it through the night" sans oublier le duo Gospel avec Jackie Tolbert "He'll make your day" figurent parmi les meilleurs moments de ce sympathique disque. Entrainant, dynamique, dansant dans l'ensemble mais desservi par quelques temps morts ça et là.
For Mardi Gras, Warren Hildebrand's label, Davell offers an album that mixes Rhythm & Blues, Gospel and Funk. "The Mardi Gras song", "Going back home to New Orleans", "Drown in my own tears", "Born with the funk", "Help me make it through the night" not to mention the Gospel duet with Jackie Tolbert "He'll make your day" are among the best moments of this nice record. Stirring, dynamic, dancing overall but there are some downtime moments here and there.
A BENEFIT ALBUM : OUR NEW ORLEANS
Nonesuch
September - October 2005
Album au bénéfice de la reconstruction de la Nouvelle Orléans après le terrible ouragan Katrina. Davell chante "Gather by the river" sur ce recueil. L'ouragan Katrina en 2005 a détruit sa maison et son studio d'enregistrement.
Album for the reconstruction of New Orleans after the terrible hurricane Katrina. Davell sings "Gather by the river" on this collection. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 destroyed Davell's house and his recording studio.
HALF NOTE JAZZ CLUB
Half Note
January - February 2010
MY GIFT TO YOU
Basin' Street
October 2011 - August 2012
Sans contrat d'enregistrement depuis 1999, il s'était fait de plus en plus discret. Grâce au label Basin' Street de Mark Samuels, Davell peut à nouveau jouer son cocktail néo-orléanais entre Soul et Jazz. Il produit lui-même le disque et invite Dr John, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Big Freedia, Nicholas Payton et Donald Harrison Jr. Un programme très varié mais peut être un peu long. Quelques moments valant vraiment l'écoute : "River / White socks & drawers", "The river of dreams", "Southern girl", "Southern woman", "Going back to Louisiana".
Without a recording contract since 1999, he had become more and more discreet. Thanks to Mark Samuels' Basin' Street label, Davell can once again play his New Orleans cocktail between Soul and Jazz. He produces the record himself and invites Dr. John, Walter "Washington Wolfman", Big Freedia, Nicholas Payton and Donald Harrison Jr. A very varied program but can be a bit long. Some really worth listening moments : "River / White socks & drawers", "The river of dreams", "Southern girl", "Southern woman", "Going back to Louisiana".
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM DAVELL CRAWFORD (EP)
Basin' Street
2017
DEAR FATS I LOVE YOU
Basin' Street
2019
Album hommage au célèbre pianiste lousianais Fats Domino. Davell est seul au piano mais surtout ne chante pas du tout. Il s'agit donc d'un hommage exclusivement instrumental ce qui engendre une réelle monotonie à l'écoute.
Tribute album to famous Louisiana pianist Fats Domino. Davell is alone on piano but especially does not sing at all. It is thus an exclusively instrumental tribute which generates a real monotony while listening.
LIVE AT LITTLE GEM SALOON
Basin' Street
?
Concert donné pour les 20 ans du label Basin' Street. Davell joue deux morceaux en leader : "Big boss man" et le medley "Don't ever be blue / Ode to Louisiana".
Concert given for the 20th anniversary of the Basin' Street label. Davell plays two tracks as a leader : "Big boss man" and the medley "Don't ever be blue / Ode to Louisiana".
Thanks to Serge T. from Monola