Cascade Blues Music Reviews

Stuck On The Way Back

David Jacobs-Strain

Music Review Reprint from the
June, 2002 BluesNotes
By Greg Johnson

River Was Gone
Bowlegged Charlie
Poor Black Mattie
Sidewalk Rag
Poor Boy
Black And Blue
Dark Horse Blues
Wild Bill Jones
Linin' Track
Old Many Dancing
Cold Mountain Blues
Broken Wings

David Jacobs-Strain is an accomplished player well beyond his years. He writes music like an untamed animal just waiting to be unleashed upon the world, shouting out, "Hey everybody! Listen up! I've got something to say!" And it's not your everyday bump'n'grind guitar licks happening here, either. His material comes across like a master as yet undiscovered. An acoustic gem ready to take on all comers and deservedly awaiting his place among the elite of his profession.

Those of us in the Pacific Northwest have witnessed his growth as a musician. "Prodigy" simply seems to be a word too often thrown on younger artists, but hardly ever is it more fitting than when describing David Jacobs-Strain. Over the past five years, we have seen him take the stage at major West Coast festivals and teaching others far older than himself at workshops, such as Centrum, Port Townsend's annual affair. Now, the rest of the world is awakening to his enormous talent.

After high school graduation, David decided to forego college for at least a year in order to travel and study the renowned performers of the craft. Much like many of the great artists throughout music history, this is the exact method one must learn and it has been a tradition throughout time. It is the progress that Howlin' Wolf followed by watching Charley Patton, Muddy Waters with Son House, James Cotton from Sonny Boy Williamson, and on-and-on. But, something truly amazing happened during that year off: David signed a recording contract with the up-and-coming Canadian label, Northern Blues. Now, he finds himself touring with the likes of Harry Manx and Otis Taylor, and discovering newfound recognition every place he goes.

David's first release for Northern Blues should definitely raise his value as well. It is a collection of mostly well-written original pieces grouped with a few covers from the likes of R.L. Burnside, Otis Taylor and Leadbelly. His songwriting belies his age. It is extremely proficient, especially with his instrumental material which sounds as if they could've been written by a more established musician some 50-60 years prior. There is also an interesting exploration on exotic mystic sounds that Northern Blues has delved into previously with Harry Manx. On this release, the inclusion of Peter Joseph Burtt playing exotic instruments such as the kora, djembe and an electric tamboura add quite a flavorful mix that extends the usual acoustic fare into the future of how Blues music may proceed. David is also joined on a handful of numbers by the multi-talented Kenny Passarelli on keyboards and bass. But again, it is David in a solo setting that truly offers him at his peak. One only need listen to a self-written piece like "Sidewalk Rag," with its John Jackson-like sound or "Old Man Dancing," with extraordinary guitar work that'd make John Fahey proud, to be convinced of his credibility as an artist to watch.

And believe me, David Jacobs-Strain is an artist to watch. With the support that Northern Blues appears to be pushing behind him, his name should be appearing in Blues and roots music press throughout the world very quickly. Rightfully so.