Living Blues Magazine Reviews Live at Proud Larry’s

Given his environs, Memphis-area vocalist and guitarist Davis Coen would seem to have the basics of blues ingrained as part of his essence. Likewise, his years of experience on the festival circuit, multiple tours of Europe, and music that's been frequently showcased on television and radio testify to both his credence and clarity.

Not surprisingly then, Live at Proud Larry's finds him maintaining that mindset. Recorded live at the aforementioned venue in Oxford, Mississippi, it finds Coen and his colleagues—Charles Gage and Kinney Kimbrough (drums on tracks one through four and five through ten, respectively), bassists Robb Roaten and Justin Showah (alternating on the same selections as above), and John Gage on occasional keyboards-laying down a steady groove while keeping to an authentic rootsy regimen. The song selection underscores those intents, with a funky cover of Muddy's You Gonna Miss Me, Junior Kimbrough's Stay All Night, the Allen Toussaint composition Yes We Can Can, and the age-old Charlie Poole standard Don't Let the Deal Go Down finding a fit with Coen's own vintage sounding originals. The musicians share the sounds with a similar straightforward flourish throughout, eschewing any need for unnecessary embellishment. The inclusion of the country classic Long Black Veil and the traditional trappings of Jack of Diamonds underscore their archaic intents.

While Coen's reverence for past precepts is evident in his singular stance, his gruff vocals find him maintaining an absolute authority in each of these offerings. He takes an aggressive approach to Stay All Night alongside a persistent pace. Likewise. Yes We Can Can adds a steady swagger to the proceedings. Coen's ragged riffed adds a nuffied edge as well, and his bottleneck slide on Anna Ann, Stranger in My Home, and Don't Let the Deal Go Down sound as if they were lifted from a back porch located deep in the Delta. There's a slight suggestion of funk in each of those entries, but it never intrudes on Coen and company's steady stride.

Ultimately, Live at Proud Larry's is an ideal showcase for Coen's tempered treatment of standard fare. It's an ideal example of some well-burnished blues.

Lee Zimmerman
Living Blues Magazine (July 2025)