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Davey Graham
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Key Information
David Michael Gordon "Davey" Graham (originally spelled Davy Graham) (26 November 1940 – 15 December 2008) was a British guitarist and one of the most influential figures in the 1960s British folk revival. He inspired many famous practitioners of the fingerstyle acoustic guitar such as Bert Jansch, Wizz Jones, John Renbourn, Martin Carthy, John Martyn, Paul Simon and Jimmy Page, who based his solo "White Summer" on Graham's "She Moved Through the Fair". Graham is probably best known for his acoustic instrumental "Anji" and for popularizing DADGAD tuning, later widely adopted by acoustic guitarists.[1]
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]Graham was born in Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, England,[2][page needed][3] to a Guyanese mother, Winifred (known as Amanda) and a Scottish father, Hamish, a teacher from the Isle of Skye.[4][5] He grew up in Westbourne Grove, in the Notting Hill Gate area of London.[5] Although he never had any music theory lessons, he learnt to play the piano and harmonica as a child and then took up the classical guitar at the age of 12.[6] As a teenager he was strongly influenced by the folk guitar player Steve Benbow, who had travelled widely with the army and played a guitar style influenced by Moroccan music.[7]
"Anji"/"Angi"
[edit]At the age of 19, Graham wrote what is probably his most famous composition, the acoustic guitar solo "Angi" (sometimes spelled "Anji": see below). Colin Harper credits Graham with single-handedly inventing the concept of the folk guitar instrumental.[2][page needed] "Angi", named after his then girlfriend, appeared on his debut EP, 3/4 AD, in April 1962. The tune spread through a generation of aspiring guitarists, changing its spelling as it went. Before the record was released, Bert Jansch had learnt it from a 1961 tape borrowed from Len Partridge. Jansch included it on his 1965 debut album as "Angie". The spelling Anji became the more widely used after it appeared on Simon & Garfunkel's 1966 album Sounds of Silence.[8] In 1969, the same name for Chicken Shack's 100 Ton Chicken was used.[citation needed]
"Anji" soon became a rite of passage for many acoustic finger-style guitarists. Arlen Roth has recorded "Anji" on two of his albums.[citation needed]
Some other musicians of note who have covered "Anji" are John Renbourn, Lillebjørn Nilsen, Gordon Giltrap, Clive Carroll and the anarchist group Chumbawamba, who used the guitar piece as a basis for their anti-war song "Jacob's Ladder (Not in My Name)".[9]
"Angi" is the second track on the first CD of the Topic Records 70th anniversary box set Three Score and Ten.[citation needed]
Folk fame
[edit]Graham came to the attention of guitarists through his appearance in a 1959 broadcast of the BBC TV arts series Monitor, produced by Ken Russell and titled Hound Dogs and Bach Addicts: The Guitar Craze, in which he played an acoustic instrumental version of "Cry Me a River".[10] During the 1960s, Graham released a string of albums of music from all around the world in many genres. 1964's Folk, Blues and Beyond and the following year's collaboration with the folk singer Shirley Collins, Folk Roots, New Routes, are frequently cited[by whom?] among his most influential albums. Large as Life and Twice as Natural includes his cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides, Now" alongside explorations of Eastern modes.
Graham appears (uncredited) playing guitar in a pub in Joseph Losey's 1963 film The Servant.[citation needed]
Retirement
[edit]Graham married the American singer Holly Gwinn in the late 1960s and recorded the albums The Holly Kaleidosope and Godington Boundary with her in 1970, shortly before Gwinn had to return to the US and he was unable to follow her, because of his visa problem due to a marijuana conviction.[5] He later described himself as having been "a casualty of too much self-indulgence",[10] becoming a heroin addict in imitation of his jazz heroes.[6] During this period, he taught acoustic guitar and also undertook charity work, particularly for various mental health charities. For several years he was on the executive council of Mind[10] and he was involved for some time with the mystic Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh).[citation needed]
In 1976, Graham recorded All That Moody, essentially a private pressing. He recorded two further groundbreaking albums for Kicking Mule, 1978's The Complete Guitarist and 1980's Dance For Two People.[citation needed]
He continued to play concerts, but dedicated the main thrust of his life to studying languages; he was fluent in Gaelic (taught by his native-speaking father),[5] French, and Greek and could hold his own in Turkish. He collected poems and folk songs and would regale his neighbours. After some time, he became increasingly disinhibited.
Rediscovery and death
[edit]Graham was the subject of a 2005 BBC Radio documentary, Whatever Happened to Davy Graham?,[11] and in 2006 featured in the BBC Four documentary Folk Britannia.[12]
Many people sought out Graham over the years and tried to encourage him to return to the stage to play live; the last of this long line of seekers was Mark Pavey,[citation needed] who arranged some outings with guitarists and old friends including Bert Jansch, Duck Baker and Martin Carthy. These concerts were typically eclectic, with Graham playing a mix of acoustic blues, Romanian dance tunes, Irish pipe tunes, songs from South Africa and pieces by Bach.[5] His final album, Broken Biscuits, consisted of originals and new arrangements of traditional songs from around the world.[13]
Graham was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008 and died on 15 December of that year,[5] at his home in London.[14]
In November 2016, a blue plaque was installed at his birthplace, the former Bosworth Park Infirmary building.[3]
Influence
[edit]Graham did not seek or achieve great commercial success,[10][15] though his music received positive critical feedback and influenced folk revival artists and fellow players such as Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Martin Carthy, Ralph McTell, Dick Gaughan, Wizz Jones, John Martyn, Nick Drake, Ritchie Blackmore, and Paul Simon, as well as folk rock bands such as Fairport Convention and Pentangle.[citation needed]
Though Graham is commonly referred to as a folk musician, the diversity of his music shows strong influences from many genres. Elements of blues, jazz, and Middle Eastern music are evident throughout his work.[citation needed]
Martin Carthy described Graham as "...an extraordinary, dedicated player, the one everyone followed and watched – I couldn't believe anyone could play like that," while Bert Jansch claimed that he was "courageous and controversial – he never followed the rules." Ray Davies maintained that the guitarist was "the greatest blues player I ever saw, apart from Big Bill Broonzy".[5]
According to George Chkiantz, "What impressed me with Davy Graham...was he played the guitar fretboard somehow as if it was a keyboard. There was a kind of freedom. You weren't conscious of him using chord shapes at all: his fingers just seemed to run around with complete freedom on the fretboard."[16]
DADGAD
[edit]One of Graham's lasting legacies is the DADGAD (open Dsus4) guitar tuning, which he popularised in the early 1960s.[17] While travelling in Morocco, he developed the tuning so he could better play along with and translate the traditional oud music he heard to guitar. Graham then went on to experiment playing traditional folk pieces in DADGAD tuning, often incorporating Indian and Middle Eastern scales and melodies. A good example is his arrangement of the traditional air "She Moved Through the Fair", which he recorded live at the Troubadour in Earl's Court in 1964. The tuning provides freedom to improvise in the treble, while maintaining a solid underlying harmony and rhythm in the bass—though it restricts the number of readily playable keys. While guitarists used "non-standard" or "non-classical" tunings before this (e.g., open E and open G in common use by blues and slide guitar players) DADGAD introduced a new "standard" tuning.[10] Many guitarists now use the tuning, especially in folk and world music.[citation needed]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]- The Guitar Player (1963)
- Folk, Blues and Beyond (1965)
- Midnight Man (1966)
- Large as Life and Twice as Natural (1968)
- Hat (1969)
- Holly Kaleidoscope (1970)
- Godington Boundary (1970) (with Holly Gwinn)
- All That Moody (1976)
- The Complete Guitarist (1978)
- Playing in Traffic (1991)
- Broken Biscuits (2007)
EPs
[edit]Live albums
[edit]- After Hours (1997)[20]
Compilations
[edit]- Dance for Two People (1979)
- Folk Blues and All Points in Between (1985)
- Fire in the Soul (1999)
- The Best of Davy Graham (A Scholar & A Gentleman) (2009)
- Anthology-Lost Tapes 1961–2007 (2012)
Collaborations
[edit]- Folk Roots, New Routes (1964) with Shirley Collins
- Irish Reels, Jigs, Hornpipes & Airs (1979) with Dale Evans, Dan Ar Braz, and Duck Baker
Bibliography
[edit]- Harper, Colin (2005), Irish Folk, Trad and Blues: a Secret History
- Harper, Colin (2006), Dazzling Stranger: Bert Jansch and the British Folk and Blues Revival. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0-7475-8725-6
- Hodgkinson, Will (2005). Article in The Guardian; Friday, 15 July 2005.
- The Times (2008). Obituary published in The Times, 22 December 2008, p. 50.[21]
- Young, Rob (2010), "Electric Eden: Unearthing Britain's visionary music"
References
[edit]- ^ The DADGAD article, for example, lists users of this tuning, including Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, Dáithí Sproule, Russian Circles, Stan Rogers, Jimmy Page, Artie Traum, Pierre Bensusan, Eric Roche, Laurence Juber, Tony McManus, Bert Jansch, Richard Thompson, Dick Gaughan, Imaad Wasif, Jeff Tweedy, Paul McSherry, DEPAPEPE, Ben Chasny and Trey Anastasio.
- ^ a b Harper, Colin (August 2006). Dazzling Stranger: Bert Jansch and the British Folk and Blues Revival (2nd ed.). London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-0-7475-8725-5.
- ^ a b "Folk musician Davy Graham honoured with birthplace plaque". BBC News. 26 November 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ Hughes, Rob (December 2022). "Midnight Man". Uncut: 60.
- ^ a b c d e f g Denselow, Robin (17 December 2008). "Obituary: Davey Graham". The Guardian. London. p. 32.
- ^ a b "Obituary: Davy Graham". The Telegraph. London. 18 December 2008.
- ^ Hodgkinson, Will (15 July 2005). "Davey Graham". The Guardian.
- ^ "Sounds Of Silence". The Official Simon & Garfunkel Site. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ Gill, Andy (2 August 2002). "Album: Chumbawamba - Readymades, Republic/Universal". The Independent. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Obituary of Davey Graham". The Times. 22 December 2008. p. 50.
- ^ "BBC Radio 6 Music - Whatever Happened to Davy Graham?". BBC. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "Folk Britannia - Episode guide". BBC. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ "Davy Graham". Davy Graham. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (19 December 2008). "Davy Graham, Influential Guitarist, Dies at 68". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "Davey Graham interview".
I never wanted to have a following. I was never interested in the big time, just to be good at what I was doing.
- ^ Sean Egan, Not Necessarily Stoned But Beautiful, Unanimous Ltd, 2002, p. 137.
- ^ Irwin, Colin (16 June 2011). "Davey Graham invents DAGDAD". The Guardian. London.
- ^ With Alexis Korner, guitar, on one track.
- ^ As The Thameside Four and Davy Graham.
- ^ Recorded at Hull University in 1967.
- ^ "Obituary". Timesonline.com. Retrieved 28 February 2015.[dead link]
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Article by John Renbourn and discography at Folk Blues & Beyond
- Interview given to www.terrascope.co.uk
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Davey Graham
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Davey Graham (26 November 1940 – 15 December 2008) was an English guitarist renowned for pioneering the British folk revival in the 1960s through his innovative fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing, which blended folk, blues, jazz, and global musical traditions such as Indian ragas and Middle Eastern styles.[1][2] Born in Leicester to a Scottish father and Guyanese mother, Graham grew up in London's Notting Hill area, where he began studying classical guitar at age 12 under a local teacher and later developed a unique approach influenced by jazz artists like Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderley.[1][2] A teenage accident left him with severely impaired vision in his right eye, yet he debuted on BBC television in 1959 at age 18, performing "Cry Me a River" and quickly establishing himself as a guitar hero in the emerging folk-blues scene.[1][2]
Graham's career gained momentum in the early 1960s with recordings like his 1962 EP 3/4 A.D. and debut album The Guitar Player (1963), followed by influential works such as Folk, Blues & Beyond (1964) and the collaborative Folk Roots, New Routes (1964) with singer Shirley Collins, which helped define the "folk baroque" style.[1][2] His instrumental composition "Anji," first released in 1962 on an EP with Alexis Korner and named after a former girlfriend, became a cornerstone of modern fingerstyle guitar, covered by artists including Paul Simon on his 1966 album Sounds of Silence and inspiring countless players with its intricate blend of blues, jazz, and classical elements.[2] Graham's travels, particularly to Morocco, led him to develop the DADGAD open tuning in the early 1960s—first notably used on his 1963 rendition of "She Moved Through the Fair"—which unlocked richer harmonic possibilities for acoustic guitar and revolutionized folk accompaniment worldwide.[3][2]
Throughout his life, Graham collaborated with key figures in British music, including Alexis Korner, John Mayall, and Long John Baldry, and his experimental approach profoundly shaped the next generation of guitarists such as Jimmy Page, Bert Jansch, and Ray Davies, sparking the folk-rock movement in the UK.[1] Despite personal struggles with addiction and health issues, he continued recording sporadically, releasing albums like Dance for Two People (1979), Playing in Traffic (1993), and Broken Biscuits (2007), while living modestly in Camden, London, for over three decades.[1] Graham died of lung cancer in 2008 at age 68, leaving a legacy as one of the most inventive and underrecognized virtuosos in acoustic guitar history.[1][2]
Biography
Early life
David Michael Gordon Graham was born on 26 November 1940 in Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, England.[4] His father, Hamish Graham, was a Gaelic teacher and amateur singer from the Isle of Skye in Scotland, while his mother, Winifred (whom he affectionately called Amanda), hailed from British Guiana (now Guyana).[1] The family relocated to London during World War II, where Graham was raised in the Westbourne Grove area of Notting Hill.[1] This multicultural household, marked by bilingual influences—his father teaching Gaelic and his mother introducing French—fostered an early appreciation for diverse languages and sounds amid the post-war austerity of 1940s and 1950s Britain.[5] Graham's initial exposure to music came in childhood through playing the harmonica and piano, instruments he picked up without formal training, relying instead on his innate ability to memorize tunes after a single hearing.[5] By his early teens, he developed a fascination with the guitar after encountering recordings of American blues artists like Big Bill Broonzy via radio broadcasts and records, which captivated him in the vibrant yet challenging environment of post-war London.[1] He began classical and Spanish guitar lessons around this time with instructor Oliver Hunt, though he remained largely self-taught, experimenting with styles drawn from skiffle (such as Lonnie Donegan) and early rock influences like Elvis Presley.[5] Graham received no formal music theory education beyond basic schooling, allowing his intuitive approach to flourish in his teenage years.[5] During his adolescence, Graham attended a lycée in Kensington, where he honed his French language skills and continued to explore music independently, blending his family's cultural heritage with emerging jazz and blues elements heard on the radio. While attending the lycée, he suffered an accident that left him with severely impaired vision in his right eye.[1] This period of experimentation laid the groundwork for his later innovations, shaped by the eclectic sounds of artists like Miles Davis and Snooks Eaglin, though he had not yet pursued professional performance.[1]Career beginnings
At the age of 17, in 1958, Davey Graham left school and acquired a guitar suitable for professional performance, marking the start of his active entry into the music scene; he began busking on the streets of London and making initial appearances in local clubs and coffee bars in Soho during 1958–1959.[6][1] These early outings allowed him to hone his distinctive fingerstyle technique amid the burgeoning folk and jazz circles, drawing from influences he had absorbed as a youth. Graham's breakthrough public exposure came in 1959 with his debut appearance on the BBC television program Monitor, directed by Ken Russell, where at age 18 he performed the jazz standard "Cry Me a River" on acoustic guitar, showcasing his improvisational flair and earning early recognition among musicians.[1][7] This performance highlighted his ability to blend standards with personal expression, solidifying his presence in London's evolving music community. In 1962, Graham released his debut EP, 3/4 A.D., on Topic Records, a shared release with Alexis Korner that featured his original compositions and marked his first foray into recording.[2] The EP included tracks that demonstrated his innovative approach to acoustic guitar, blending folk elements with rhythmic complexity. In 1963, Graham released his debut full-length album, The Guitar Player, on Decca Records.[1] A pivotal moment in Graham's early output was the composition of his instrumental "Anji" (also spelled "Angi") in 1959, at age 19; inspired by the name of his girlfriend at the time, he improvised the piece during a train journey from Cornwall to London, capturing a spontaneous fusion of blues, folk, and personal melody.[2] This work received its initial recording on the 3/4 A.D. EP, where it stood out for its intricate fingerpicking and emotional depth, laying the groundwork for his signature style.[2] Throughout the early 1960s, Graham undertook travels to Paris and Morocco, where he busked and immersed himself in diverse musical traditions, absorbing flamenco techniques from European scenes and North African modal structures that profoundly shaped his guitar approach and expanded his rhythmic palette.[5][3] These experiences, including encounters with oud players in Morocco, informed his experimentation with alternate tunings and cross-cultural integrations, influencing his subsequent compositions.[5]Rise to fame
Graham's breakthrough came with his 1964 album Folk, Blues and Beyond, released on Decca Records, which blended folk traditions with blues, jazz, and influences from his travels, including Indian and Arabic music.[1][8] The record featured standout tracks such as the original instrumental "Davy's Gospel" and his adaptation of Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk," showcasing his innovative guitar approach that expanded the boundaries of British folk music.[9] In 1964, Graham collaborated with folk singer Shirley Collins on Folk Roots, New Routes, also for Decca, where her traditional English folk vocals were fused with his jazz-inflected guitar innovations, creating a landmark recording that bridged purist folk revivalism with experimental elements.[1][10] This partnership highlighted Graham's ability to reinterpret classic ballads like "Nottamun Town" through unconventional arrangements, earning acclaim for revitalizing the genre. Throughout the mid-1960s, Graham performed at prominent venues in the British folk scene, including the Royal Festival Hall and the Edinburgh Festival, where his sets captivated audiences and influenced emerging talents such as Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, who would later form Pentangle.[11][2] His live shows increasingly incorporated alternate tunings, which added exotic modal flavors to standards and originals, drawing growing attention in contemporary folk media.[1] Graham's rising profile led to further commercial releases, including Midnight Man in 1966, which emphasized original compositions and a stronger jazz orientation compared to his debut.[12] By 1968, Large as Life and Twice as Natural on Decca demonstrated his experimental side through eclectic arrangements featuring flute, saxophone, and rhythm section, covering material from Joni Mitchell to traditional blues while pushing folk guitar into avant-garde territory.[13][14]Later career and challenges
In the late 1960s, Graham married American folk singer Holly Gwinn, with whom he recorded two albums, The Holly Kaleidoscope and Godington Boundary, both released in 1970.[2] However, around this time, he developed a heroin addiction, influenced by his admiration for jazz musicians' lifestyles, which led to him registering as a drug addict and significantly disrupting his professional life.[1] This addiction contributed to sporadic performances, financial difficulties, and a gradual withdrawal from the public eye, as he struggled with personal instability and lived modestly in London for decades.[15] From the 1970s onward, Graham shifted focus to private guitar teaching in London, where he instructed numerous students in acoustic techniques while avoiding the demands of the music industry.[2] He also became actively involved in mental health advocacy, serving on the executive council of MIND, the UK's leading mental health charity, and volunteering extensively due to his own experiences with psychological challenges.[2] These efforts provided structure amid his reclusive lifestyle, though he largely stepped away from touring by the mid-1970s. Despite his seclusion, Graham made occasional collaborations and guest appearances, including tours with fellow guitarists like Bert Jansch and John Renbourn in later years.[2] His creativity persisted through limited releases, such as the 1993 album Playing in Traffic and the archival live recording After Hours (1997), culminating in his final studio effort, Broken Biscuits (2007), which featured original compositions and demonstrated his enduring, introspective artistry.[16][1]Death and posthumous recognition
In 2008, Davey Graham was diagnosed with lung cancer and died on 15 December of that year at the age of 68 in his flat in Camden Town, London, from complications related to the illness, including a seizure.[17][16] He was survived by his two daughters, Kim and Mercy, as well as his former wife.[1][16] Graham's death prompted immediate obituaries in major publications, including The Guardian and The New York Times, which emphasized his pioneering role in folk guitar while lamenting his underrecognized status during his lifetime despite his profound influence on the 1960s British folk revival.[17][16] Prior to his passing, interest in his work had begun to revive through media features, such as the 2005 BBC Radio 2 documentary Whatever Happened to Davy Graham?, which explored his career and innovations, and his inclusion in the 2006 BBC Four series Folk Britannia, which highlighted his contributions to the folk movement.[18][19] Following his death, several posthumous releases renewed attention to Graham's recordings. The 2012 triple-disc compilation Anthology: 1961-2007 Lost Tapes gathered previously unreleased material spanning his career, offering fresh insights into his eclectic style and technical mastery.[20] In 2016, a blue plaque was installed at his birthplace, the former Bosworth Park Infirmary in Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council to honor his legacy as an influential musician.[21] Into the 2020s, tributes continued with the November 2024 release of the eight-disc box set He Moved Through the Fair: The Complete 1960s Recordings by Cherry Tree Records, which compiles all his studio work from that era alongside demos and live tracks, coinciding with a broader resurgence in folk music appreciation through streaming platforms.[22][23]Musical style and innovations
Genre influences and evolution
Davey Graham's early musical style drew heavily from American blues, particularly the fingerstyle approaches of Big Bill Broonzy and Jesse Fuller, whose works he emulated and covered in his initial recordings.[5][24] His exposure to jazz came through icons like Django Reinhardt, whose virtuosic swing and gypsy jazz phrasing informed Graham's improvisational flair, and Thelonious Monk, whose angular melodies he adapted in pieces such as "Blue Monk."[1][25] Additionally, flamenco guitar techniques influenced his percussive rhythms and dramatic phrasing, rooted in his classical Spanish guitar training during the 1950s.[26] These foundations blended with British folk traditions, creating a hybrid acoustic sound that emphasized intricate fingerpicking over conventional song structures. Graham's travels in the 1960s profoundly expanded his palette, incorporating world music elements during trips to Morocco, India, and Turkey. In Morocco, he engaged with local musicians, adopting gnawa rhythms and Arabic scales to emulate the oud on guitar, which facilitated modal explorations in his compositions.[1][27] Indian ragas similarly inspired his use of drone-based harmonies and raga-like improvisations, evident in tracks like "Majuun" that fused Eastern modalities with Western folk-blues.[5] These global influences marked a shift toward percussive techniques and open tunings, prioritizing introspective, non-linear acoustic narratives over standard rock or pop formats. Graham's style evolved from the straightforward folk-blues of his 1950s EPs, such as renditions of traditional ballads and blues standards, to the genre-blending fusions of his 1960s albums like Folk, Blues and Beyond, where modal improvisation bridged jazz, blues, and world elements in extended solos.[28][8] By the 1970s, as in Dance for Two People, he integrated Arabic oud and Indian sarod sounds more explicitly, emphasizing cross-cultural dialogue.[1] In the 1990s and 2000s, amid personal challenges including health issues that led to greater isolation, his output turned toward minimalist and ambient pieces, as heard in Playing in Traffic and Broken Biscuits, featuring sparse, meditative arrangements drawing on Romanian, Irish, and South African motifs alongside Bach-inspired classical introspection.[1][29] This progression reflected a lifelong commitment to acoustic experimentation, evolving from vibrant fusions to contemplative solitude.DADGAD tuning and guitar techniques
Davey Graham developed the DADGAD tuning (D-A-D-G-A-D) in the early 1960s during a trip to Morocco, where he was inspired by the modal sounds of the oud, a fretless lute used in North African music.[30][2] This innovation allowed him to replicate the droning and resonant qualities of the oud on the guitar, and he first notably applied it to his 1963 recording of the traditional Irish folk song "She Moved Through the Fair," later using it in variations of his instrumental composition "Anji" to exploit the tuning's open-string harmonics.[3] The advantages of DADGAD for modal playing lie in its facilitation of drone strings and open voicings, which produce a rich, ambiguous tonality without relying on barre chords. Strumming the open strings yields a Dsus4 chord (rooted in D with a suspended fourth from the G note), enabling seamless blending of genres like folk, blues, and Middle Eastern modes through sustained resonances and easy shifts between major, minor, and modal keys.[31][32] This modal focus transforms the guitar from a chord-driven instrument to one emphasizing melody and drone, as the tuning's structure supports counterpoint and harmonic ambiguity ideal for cross-cultural experimentation.[33] Graham's associated techniques in DADGAD emphasized thumb-independent fingerpicking, where the thumb provides a steady bass while fingers handle independent melodic lines, often incorporating rapid scale runs and double-stops for intricate textures. He integrated classical phrasing—such as counterpoint and descending basslines—with folk rhythms, creating a "folk baroque" style that featured busy, shifting patterns between melody and accompaniment. Percussive elements, like pulsing bass slaps against the guitar body, added rhythmic drive, enhancing the tuning's drone effects in dynamic passages.[31][34] These methods are vividly demonstrated in tracks from his 1965 album Folk, Blues, and Beyond, such as "Maajun (A Taste of Tangier)," where DADGAD's drones underpin exotic scales and percussive accents evoking Moroccan influences. In his later years, Graham taught DADGAD and these techniques to students during acoustic guitar lessons, often as part of community and charity work, passing on the tuning's nuances to emerging folk musicians.[9][35] Technically, retuning from standard EADGBE to DADGAD involves lowering the sixth string (E to D), second string (B to A), and first string (E to D) by a whole step each, which reduces overall string tension—particularly on the outer strings—for easier bending and sustained drones while maintaining playability on standard-gauge sets. Common chord shapes exploit this: the open position forms a Dsus4 (all strings open); a full D major is achieved by fretting the third string (G) at the second fret; and movable voicings, like barring the fourth fret for a G major, allow fluid progressions with minimal fretting, emphasizing suspended and open intervals.[32][36]Legacy and influence
Impact on British folk revival
Davey Graham played a pivotal role as a catalyst in elevating the acoustic guitar to a central instrument within the British folk club scene of the 1960s, transforming performances from predominantly vocal ballad traditions to more dynamic, technique-driven showcases. His innovative fingerstyle approach, exemplified by the instrumental "Anji" recorded in 1961, became a staple in folk clubs and inspired a wave of guitarists who adopted similar intricate picking and rhythmic complexities. This shift helped foster the formation of influential ensembles like the Pentangle, where members such as Bert Jansch and John Renbourn built upon Graham's shared techniques to create a jazz-inflected folk sound that dominated the era's live circuits.[2][1] Graham's contributions to modal folk experimentation marked a significant departure from rigid traditionalism, encouraging a blend of scales and tunings that emphasized instrumental improvisation over straightforward song interpretations. By popularizing the DADGAD tuning—adapted from North African influences—he enabled guitarists to explore modal structures drawn from Celtic, Arabic, and Indian traditions, as heard in his 1963 rendition of "She Moved Through the Fair" reimagined as a raga. This experimentation contributed to a broader shift toward instrumental-led performances in intimate venues like the Soho folk club Les Cousins, where Graham's performances in the mid-1960s helped redefine the acoustic guitar's expressive potential and attracted a new generation of players seeking creative freedom beyond conventional folk forms.[37][2] Graham's association with Topic Records, the pioneering British folk label, amplified his role in promoting world music fusions within the genre, expanding its boundaries beyond insular Celtic and Anglo-American roots. His early 1962 EP 3/4 A.D. with Alexis Korner on Topic introduced eclectic blends of blues, jazz, and Middle Eastern elements, influencing the label's catalog to incorporate global sounds and encouraging other artists to experiment similarly. Tracks like "Maajun" from his 1964 album Folk, Blues and Beyond exemplified this fusion, integrating Arabic scales with British folk frameworks and broadening the revival's scope to embrace multicultural improvisation as a core element.[1][2] During the 1960s folk festival boom, Graham's appearances, including at the Cambridge Folk Festival, underscored his status as a live innovator, where his performances bridged traditional and experimental styles to captivate audiences and shape festival programming. His archival legacy was further preserved through BBC sessions, beginning with a 1959 television debut on Hound Dogs and Bach Addicts and extending to radio broadcasts; these were revisited and reissued in the 2000s, such as in the 2006 Folk Britannia series and a 2005 radio documentary, ensuring his techniques remained accessible to subsequent generations.[38][11] In the long term, Graham's innovations sparked a revival of interest in fingerstyle guitar within UK folk scenes after 2000, driven by reissues like the 1990s compilation of his early work and the 2024 release He Moved Through The Fair: The Complete 1960s Recordings, along with tributes that highlighted his modal and fusion approaches. This resurgence influenced contemporary acoustic players, including a new generation of British solo guitarists as of 2025, and helped sustain the folk revival's evolution, with his "Anji" continuing as a touchstone for technical mastery and creative boundary-pushing in modern British folk performance.[39][1][40][41]Influence on international musicians
Davey Graham's innovative fingerstyle techniques and DADGAD tuning profoundly shaped the work of international musicians, particularly through his seminal piece "Anji," which became a cornerstone for acoustic guitarists worldwide. French-Algerian guitarist Pierre Bensusan has credited Graham as a key early influence, adopting DADGAD extensively in his compositions that blend Celtic, folk, and world music elements, as seen in albums like Près de Paris (1975).[42] Similarly, American fingerstyle player Al Petteway has used DADGAD in his Celtic-inspired works, such as those featured in his instructional materials and recordings that explore blues and beyond.[32] In the United States, Paul Simon drew directly from Graham's style during his time in the British folk scene, covering "Anji" (retitled "Angi") on Simon & Garfunkel's Sounds of Silence (1966), where it showcased a florid acoustic fingerpicking that echoed Graham's fusion of jazz, blues, and folk.[2] This adaptation not only popularized Graham's composition across the Atlantic but also influenced Simon's broader acoustic songwriting. Likewise, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin integrated Graham's DADGAD-driven folk elements into tracks like "White Summer," which drew from Graham's Eastern-infused improvisations and helped bridge British folk with rock for a global audience.[43] Graham's reach extended to modern acoustic revivalists. Beyond individual artists, Graham's DADGAD tuning facilitated fusions in world music, enabling guitarists in Celtic traditions—like those in Irish and Scottish scenes—and Middle Eastern adaptations to explore modal harmonies and drones, as evidenced by its adoption in cross-cultural recordings since the 1960s.[44]Discography
Studio albums
Davey Graham's studio albums showcase his innovative fusion of folk, blues, jazz, and world music influences, often recorded with minimal overdubs to capture a raw, immediate sound. His early releases on Decca established him as a pioneering acoustic guitarist, blending traditional forms with modal tunings and exotic scales. Later works explored more experimental and collaborative territories, reflecting his evolving style amid personal challenges. The Guitar Player (1963, Golden Guinea) was Graham's debut full-length album, featuring 12 instrumental tracks that highlighted his virtuosic fingerpicking and adaptations of jazz standards and blues. Recorded in a single session without overdubs, it introduced his signature hybrid approach, including covers like "Take Five" and "Cry Me a River," setting the stage for his influence on the British folk scene.[45] Folk, Blues and Beyond (1965, Decca), comprising 12 tracks, marked Graham's breakthrough as a solo artist, blending American blues ("Cocaine," "Rock Me Baby") with British folk ("Black Is the Colour of My True Love's Hair") and Middle Eastern modalities in pieces like "Mujian." Produced by Ray Horricks and recorded live to tape, the album's genre-blending established Graham's hybrid style and inspired a generation of guitarists, including Bert Jansch and Jimmy Page.[9][46] Folk Roots, New Routes (1965, Decca), a collaborative effort with vocalist Shirley Collins, contains 12 songs that fuse traditional English folk with Graham's Eastern-inflected guitar arrangements, including the modal reinterpretation of "Nottamun Town" and "Pretty Saro." Conceived by producer Austin John Marshall, the album's innovative sound—Collins' clear vocals over Graham's DADGAD-tuned acoustics—pioneered folk fusion and remains a cornerstone of the 1960s British revival.[47][48] Midnight Man (1966, Decca), with 12 tracks, delved into experimental jazz-folk territory, featuring Graham's vocals on originals like "No Preacher Blues." The album's atmospheric production, again by Horricks, incorporated subtle jazz elements and modal explorations, showcasing Graham's growing interest in improvisation while maintaining his acoustic roots.[49] Large as Life and Twice as Natural (1968, Decca), featuring 12 tracks backed by an orchestra, shifted toward pop-folk arrangements, with Graham interpreting Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and standards like "April Come She Will." Produced by Horricks, the album's lush orchestration contrasted Graham's intimate guitar work, aiming for mainstream appeal but highlighting his versatility in a more produced setting.[50] Hat (1969, Decca), Graham's final Decca release, spans 14 tracks that mix blues, folk, and global influences, including "Getting Better" and "Lotus Blossom," with no overdubs to preserve spontaneity. Intended to appeal to a broader audience beyond folk fans, it reflected his eclectic tastes amid a shifting music landscape, though commercial success eluded it.[51] In his later career, Graham's studio output became sporadic and often self-released or on smaller labels, such as The Complete Guitarist (1978, Kicking Mule), a 12-track instrumental collection emphasizing technical guitar pieces recorded in London, and Dance for Two People (1979, Kicking Mule), another instrumental LP with 10 tracks exploring rhythmic and melodic innovations. These works, produced with basic setups, underscored his enduring commitment to acoustic experimentation despite limited distribution.[52]EPs, live albums, and compilations
Graham released two notable EPs in the early 1960s that captured his emerging acoustic guitar style and collaborations within the British folk scene. The debut EP, 3/4 A.D., issued in June 1962 by Topic Records in partnership with blues musician Alexis Korner, featured four tracks including the influential instrumental "Anji," which showcased Graham's innovative fingerpicking in a 3/4 time signature.[53] This recording stemmed from informal sessions reflecting the raw energy of London's folk clubs. His second EP, From a London Hootenanny, appeared in 1963 on Decca Records (DFE 8538) alongside the skiffle group The Thamesiders, compiling live-inspired performances from hootenanny gatherings, such as traditional tunes adapted to Graham's modal tunings.[54] Live albums from Graham's performances provide rare glimpses into his improvisational prowess during the 1960s folk revival. After Hours (At Hull University, 4th February 1967), recorded during a late-night university gig and released posthumously in 1997 by Rollercoaster Records (RCCD 3021), documents 13 tracks blending folk, blues, and jazz standards like "Cocaine" and "Buhaina Chant," highlighting his dynamic stage presence and eclectic repertoire.[55] Similarly, Live at St. Andrews Folk Club, 8th May 1966, issued in 2007 by the same label (RCCD 3025), preserves a high-fidelity audience recording of his solo guitar work, including originals and covers that influenced contemporaries in the acoustic scene.[56] A later collaborative live release, Davy & Bert Live in Edinburgh (2014, Les Cousins, LC019), pairs Graham with Bert Jansch on a limited-edition 10-inch LP from a 1960s performance, emphasizing their shared fingerstyle innovations.[57] Compilations have played a key role in preserving and curating Graham's output, particularly through posthumous efforts following his death in 2008. Folk Blues and All Points in Between (1985, See For Miles Records) aggregates selections from his 1960s Decca sessions, offering a retrospective of his genre-blending experiments in folk, blues, and beyond.[57] Fire in the Soul (1999, Topic Records, TSCD818) compiles rare tracks and alternate takes, underscoring his Middle Eastern and modal influences.[58] The double-CD A Scholar and a Gentleman: The Best of Davy Graham (2009, Decca/Universal, 532 263-1) draws from his early catalog, providing an accessible overview of seminal works like "Anji" and "She Moved Through the Fair."[57] Anthology: Lost Tapes 1961–2007 (2012, Les Cousins), a three-disc set of unreleased demos, home recordings, and archival material, was curated posthumously to reveal Graham's evolution across decades, including previously unheard blues and raga-inspired pieces.[59] Reissues of Midnight Man (originally 1966) in the 2000s, such as the 2005 Fledg'ling edition and 2019 Bread & Wine remaster, have revived interest in his rhythm-and-blues-inflected phase through bonus tracks and improved sound quality.[49] He Moved Through the Fair: The Complete 1960s Recordings (2024, Cherry Tree), an 8-CD clamshell box set released posthumously, compiles all of Graham's 1960s studio albums, EPs, and singles with remastered audio, bonus tracks, and extensive liner notes, providing a comprehensive overview of his foundational work.[60] These collections, often assembled from private tapes and label archives, have ensured Graham's contributions remain vital to acoustic guitar history.[22]Bibliography
- Harper, Colin (2000). Dazzling Stranger: Bert Jansch and the British Folk and Blues Revival. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-0-7475-4802-4. [61] (Extensive coverage of Graham's role in the British folk scene)
- Hodgkinson, Will (2006). Guitar Man: A Six-String Odyssey, or, You Love that Guitar More than Me. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-81514-0. [62] (Includes chapters on Graham's influence and the author's encounters with his music)