© Brant Buckley, 2024
By: Alan Newman – 1972, Daily Planet Philadelphia
At first glance some people just seem out of place. Imagine a black man being cheered at the grand old opry, but there he is, Charley Pride. Try to picture a white artist getting it on at the uptown. How about a lady umpire in the big leagues, or a black Olympic swimmer? Well, Jesse Graves isn’t in any of these positions, but he is in one that, in reality, can be rougher than them all. He is a white man living and singing in the jet-black world of pure and honest blues.
I say this in all deference to a Bonnie Raitt or a Paul Geremia because they have a tendency to whiten their blues. Jesse doesn’t whiten his. He makes no attempt at doing his music contemporary. He performs songs unchanged from how they were written, in the 20’s and 30’s.
Jesse has devoted all of his 24 years to the blues, and can foresee doing this for the rest of his life. He knows that it is a very tough way to make a living, but only out of dire necessity will he do even odd jobs to get along. He never really had a place to call home until 1967 when he moved to this area. Before that it was one move after another, being the son of a traveling salesman.
While very young, Jesse started listening to folk music. Gradually he evolved into the blues. This specialization can really limit an artist, but he feels this way; “a person should do what he feels, no matter what it is. So why not do what I enjoy doing!”
As a musician his greatest influences came from the likes of Eddie “Son” House, The Rev. Gary Davis, John Hurt and Fred McDowell. The recent deaths of Davis and McDowell took from Jesse two good friends and father figures. He learned how to play the bottleneck from “Son” House, who also gave him much insight into blues philosophy. Gary Davis’ wife, Annie has played a great role in Jesse’s life. “She is one of the funniest and finest people around today. Her door is always open!”
The person most responsible for giving Jesse his chance to perform is Dick Waterman, Head of Avalon Productions. Of Waterman, Jesse can only sing praise: “I think we share a common love for the blues. Dick has done a tremendous job in furthering blues and has helped many blues musicians. I owe a tremendous deal to him. He has enabled me to sit down with “Son” House and to work with Bonnie Raitt. I can’t say enough for him.” (If it is an “in” thing to do, I would like to dedicate this album to Dick, and Bonnie, and “Son” and Fred and John and any person who ever raised their voice and heart with the Blues. Jesse Graves)
As a person, Jesse is a very grave human being. He is down on life in general. Like a few other bluesmen, he has had a few run-ins with the law. He wants to better himself, but seems to continually fall into ruts. He finds life very depressing, and finds being a musician and singing the blues even more so. When speaking to him, you can see, hear and feel all of this. "Sometimes I feel I am the grim reaper’s son. I look and see there ain’t nothin’ good about nothin’. Every time I play, it’s a struggle!”
Jesse sees that people have a hard time relating to a young white man singing the blues. It’s like he doesn’t belong, which makes him feel uneasy. But Jesse has been taught that the blues is nothing more than a feeling or emotion that you have to get out of your system. Different people get the blues about different things, and Jesse is certainly true to his feelings.“ Some people can get the blues without going out and looking for it. To me it just seems to come natural.”
The world of the folky is more glamorous and easier to Jesse than what he does. He may starve, but it’s all he knows. He realizes that folk artists can put on a façade and “sing about love and try to score some from the audience.” All Jesse usually scores is booze and according to his doctors he’s finished with that.
Jesse has played with many different people and in many different clubs and concerts, but this album is the most important thing he has ever done. He has put all of his savings into the making of this album. He’s done it all on his own label, Gazebo records. In his words: “It’s fly by night from the word go.”
The Album was recorded live in his living room on a small AMPEX two track. Backing Jesse on the set are his partner, John Davis on harp, guitarists Ted Estersohn and Gordan Reeves. Davis has played with Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal and Sweet Stavin Chain. Reeves has backed Taj and was in Stavin Chain. Estersohn has played with Bonnie and the Holy Modal Rounders.
This album features Jesse singing, speaking and playing the pure blues he knows best. It was done with no overdubbing, the way that it was all meant to be. Though they go over well on stage, he left off his more commercial songs like “Heifer song” which deals with a guy who gets his jollies from a cow.
But that’s the way Jesse is. He’s putting out the album and is just praying that someone will pick it up. By manufacturing it himself he is holding down the cost, hence the consumer can get it at budget prices. It’s Mucho cheap. Help save a life and buy this album. If you’ve already bought it God Bless you. Jesse Graves has a right to sing the blues.
© Brant Buckley, 2024