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Sit Down on the Banks of the River

from Take Yo Time by Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons

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about

Our take is adapted from the 1960's recording by the late great Gary Davis. Check out Davis' album "From Blues to Gospel". You can read a fantastic piece of writing by one of the people of studied with Davis in Harlem near the end of the Reverend's life, click here:

arbiterrecords.org/music-resource-center/rev-gary-davis/

A UNC Ashville student, Arielle Carlson, compiled a good list of resources detailing Davis' recordings and books about the man:

toto.lib.unca.edu/sounds/piedmontblues/davis.html

Of course, you can always learn the most by listening to his music, we recommend you start by watching footage of him performing in this two videos:

"Death Don't Have No Mercy"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiQfhwWcDkk

"Children of Zion"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ536xET4rU

Davis had the distinction of performing a lot of songs in minor keys, rather than using the more typical blues tonality of a major tunes that alludes to the minor third for expressive purposes. The two videos above are fine examples of some of what makes Davis unique: he has a powerfully soulful voice, an incredibly syncopated guitar style, and melds gospel and blues into haunting melodies that are never repetitive even though they are played over and over again in his compositions.

lyrics

I’m gonna run through the streets of the city
Where the rest have run before,

I’m gonna sit down on the banks of the river
I won’t be back no more.

We gonna have a good time when we all get there—
Gonna sit round my god’s door.


Well when I get up in heaven
I want you to be there, too.

I’m gonna sit down with Abraham, John and Jacob,
Tell ‘em all bout the trouble I been through.

Well, gonna meet my mother and father,
My sister and my brothers, too.

credits

from Take Yo Time, released November 14, 2014
Ben Hunter - fiddle, bones, harmony vocals
Joe Seamons - guitar, vocals

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Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons Seattle, Washington

Ben & Joe give life to voices that have long been silenced in American culture.

Their award- winning performances are highlighted by story-telling that shows how the past still lives in the present.

Through their songs, audiences witness current issues crop up again and again in folk songs, dance tunes, acoustic blues, and original traditional songs.
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