Cyril Davies (Cyril Davis)...British Blues Harp Pioneer

We are building a history of the life and times of Cyril Davies through the memories of many of the artists who appeared with him - Musicians' Recollections - and the many other people who remember seeing and hearing Cyril as they were growing up through these years - Guest Book. If you have anything you want to add please send your recollections to us for inclusion.

The site is divided up into sections on Cyril's Career, the Recollections of Musicians of the times, a Discography of Cyril's Recording, and a people who documented the times is being written. Links to these sections are provided at the bottom of this page.

Cyril Davies Poster

Tribute to Cyril Davies - The Eel Pie Club - Wednesday 12 May, 2010.
The Patch, 67 London Road, Twickenham, TW1 3SZ, London.
Special tribute night celebrating the music of Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner - and the release in 1963 of 'Country Line Special / Chicago Calling featuring The John O'Leary / Alan Glen AllStars with: John O'Leary (Savoy Brown /John Dummer Blues Band ), Alan Glen (Yardbirds/Nine Below Zero), Bob Haddrell (Sonny Black/Barcodes), Costa Tancredi (Eric Clapton/Guy Tortora), Peter Miles (Jo-Ann Kelly/ Radical Sheiks) plus special guests Laurie Garman / Art Theman / Nick Newall / Paul Cox / Earl Green / Tom Nolan and more to be announced.
Ł9 (Ł7 Members). Buy Now! or phone 08444 771 000

'The Yardbirds Were the Beginning of Rock Music Š Uncut Magazine - article - TAKE 147 August 2009 p.51 - Words by David Cavanagh

"Doubling the tempo, and pushing the musical excitement levels to the max, were tricks the Yardbirds had learned from the Stones and, more particularly, from Cyril Davies' R&B All Stars, who had a Thursday night Marquee residency throughout 1963". "Cyril Davies changed my life," says Paul Samwell-Smith. "I went to see him with Keith [Relf], and he was a riot. Nicky Hopkins was on piano and a guy called Ricky Fenson, whose name was made up of Fender and Gibson, played the most amazing bass. He used to go up high, and double the time, and his bass playing behind those frantic Cyril Davies harmonica solos blew my head off. I copied Ricky Fenson all down the line".

Here is Cyril Davies and the All Stars playing on TV in 1963.

A new CD collection of folk, skiffle and country blues recordings, Blues from the Roundhouse, by Alexis Korner and Cyril Davis, was released by RSK in May 2009. It covers the period up to 1958 when Cyril was moving from playing his 12 String guitar to beginning to play harmonica. You can buy the CD here. We are still working to get the rest of Cyril's recordings released.

About two years ago, Sanctuary were planning to release a double CD of virtually all of Cyril's recordings, Preaching the Blues, a Tribute Album, but it was cancelled when they were taken over by Universal. Details were pre-released and you can still find it on some web sites. None were ever sold.

We are also seeking information on the infamous 'London Blues & Barrelhouse Club', the intimate up-stairs venue found on the corner of Wardour and Brewer Streets in London's Soho. This venue is most commonly referred to as 'The Roundhouse or Round House' - which was actually the public house below the 'London Blues & Barrelhouse Club' on the street level. If you have any memories or photographs, please let us know!

Michele Whitby's new book Eel Pie Island is now on sale on Amazon. Cyril and the All Stars get a mention.

Sit back and listen to Cyril's and Britain's first blues harp hit, Country Line Special and Chicago Calling from 1963.

Watch Mick Jagger talking about learning from Cyril Davies.

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Web site navigation
Introduction: Cyril Who?
Cyril's Denham Home
Cyril and Leadbelly
With Alexis at The Roundhouse
Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated
Cyril Davies' R&B All Stars
Musicians' recollections of Cyril Davies
Cyril's Recordings
The background to the developing London blues scene
UK Blues links
Guestbook
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This site was originally conceived and constructed by Roger Trobridge (UK) and Todd Allen (Canada); very special thanks must go to Keith Scott for his many contributions! To send any feedback click here

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Cyril Davies - British Blues Architect, is a not-for-profit enterprise. Its contents are online purely to inform and entertain fans of Cyril Davies and the development of blues harmonica in the UK. His name is often misspelled Cyril Davis.

Webmaster: Roger Trobridge