line up 1 ()

- Jesse Ed Davis (RIP 1988) -- vocals, guitar

  supporting musicians (1972)

- Donald "Duck" Dunn -- bass 

- Jim Keltner -- drums, percussion

- Mac Rebennack -- organ, piano 

- Billy Rich -- bass 

- Larry Knechtel -- organ 

- Leon Russell -- piano 

- Chuck Kirkpatrick -- backing Vocals 

- Albhy Galuten -- piano 

- Stan Szeleste -- piano 

- Arnold Rosenthal -- bass 

- The Charles Chalmers Singers -- backing vocals

- Clydie King -- backing vocals

- Merry Clayton -- backing vocals

- Vanetta Fields -- backing vocals 

- Asylum Choir

- Grafitti Man

- Taj Mahal

- Tulsa Tops

- The Rising Sons

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: 

Title: Ululu

Company: ATCO

Catalog: SD 33-382
Year: 1972

Country/State: Norman Oklahoma

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: gatefold sleeve

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $40.00

By the nature of their jobs sessions players are expected to stay anonymous; hugging the background.  Sure, there are some players who breakout into the daylight - Larry Carlton, Al De Lory, Jimmy Johnson, Tim Renwick, Tommy Tedesco, etc.  but they're the exceptions and still unknown to the vast majority of people.  That makes the late Jesse Ed Davis such a curiosity.  Starting in the late-'60s Davis appeared on countless albums.  By my quick count, he provided support to at least 62 artists (including three of the solo Beatles); in some cases playing on multiple album releases by many of those artists (Arlo Guthrie).  Along with sideman catalog, his career included a stint in Taj Mahal's first band, appearing on their first three albums amd releasing three unheralded early-'70s solo albums. Following his tragic drug overdose death in 1984, it's hard to understand why he seems to be largely forgotten in this day and age.

While Davis 1970 ATCO debut "Jesse Edwins!" did little commercially, the label went ahead financing a follow-on.  Co-produced by Davis and Alby Gaulten, at least to my ears 1972's "Ululu" was a significant improvement over the debut.  Surrounded by an impressive cast of friends and studio musicians including Dr. John, Jim Keltner and Leon Russell, this time out Davis sounded more comfortable in the spotlight.  Offering up a mixture or originals and cover tunes, exemplified by material like 'My Captain' and the title track ballad 'Ululu' his dry, brittle voice remained an acquired taste, but was well suited to songs like the leadoff blues-rocker 'Red Dirt Boogie, Brother' and a remake of the traditional 'Oh! Susannah'. If people could deal with Dylan's bleating voice, there was no reason they couldn't make it through a Davis album.  Of course you didn't buy a Jesse Ed Davis album strictly for the vocals.  You bought it for his tasteful guitar work and as shown on a remake of The Band's 'Strawberry Wine' and the slashing '' there was plenty to like across these ten tracks. 

"Ululu" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Red Dirt Boogie, Brother (Jesse Ed Davis) - 3:44 rating: **** stars

Admittedly Davis' dry, brittle voice took a little time to grow into.  The good thing is it was perfect for a gritty rocker like 'Red Dirt Boogie, Brother'.  'Red Dirt Boogie, Brother' also serves as a great introduction to his signature cutting slide guitar sound (which inspired Duane Allman when he heard Davis playing on the first Taj Mahal album).  Not sure if it was Donald "Duck" Dunn, Billy Rich, or Arnold Rosenthal, but the song's secret ingredient was the amazing bass line.

2). White Line Fever (Merle Haggard) - 3:03 rating: *** stars

Nice "rocked up" cover of the Merle Haggard classic ...  The chirping female back singers didn't add anything to the tune.

3.) Farther On Down The Road (You Will Accompany Me) (Taj Mahal - Jesse Ed Davis) - 3:14 rating: ** stars

Co-written by Davis and Taj Mahal, 'Farther On Down The Road (You Will Accompany Me' originally appeard on Mahal's third album; 1969's "Giant Step / De Old Folks t Home".  Complete with horns and bleeting female chorus, the updated bluesy ballad had a distinctive '70s feel.  It actually reminded me a bit of a George Harrison performance where everyone knew the song wasn't very good so a concerted effort was made to cover the shortcomings up with horns, backing singers, etc.  Ultimately it didn't help.

4.) Sue Me, Sue You Blues (George Harrison) - 2:45 rating: ** stars

Davis played on Harrison's "Concert for Bangla Desh" so it shouldn't come as a major surprise to hear him doing a Harrison cover.  Unfortunately 'Sue Me, Sue You Blues' simply wasn't a great tune to have picked.  The biting anti-Beatles lyrics had a certain impact coming from Harrison, but the melody wsn't all that great and who cared when Davis croaked his was through those same lyrics?  Sure, the solo was good, but it wasn't enough to save the tune.  Odd choice for ATCO to have tapped as a promotional single:

- 1972's 'Sue Me, Sue You Blues' (stereo) b/w 'Sue Me, Sue You Blues' (mono) (ATCO catalog number 45-6872) 

5.) My Captain (Jesse Ed Davis) - 3:23 rating: *** stars

Powered by Leon Russell's piano, the stark, bluesy 'My Captain' was reportedly dedicated to former "boss" Taj Mahal.  Pleasant, but not something you were going to remember an hour from now.

(side 2)
1.) Ululu (Jesse Ed Davis) - 3:40 rating: **** stars

The title track was the album's most commercial and mainstream performance.  With a slight lysergic flavor and some nice Davis lead guitar the ballad 'Ululu' has always reminded me a touch of The Fab Four's 'Dear Prudence'.  The track also appeared as the "B" side on his 'Alcatraz' 45.

2.) Oh! Susannah (traditional) - 2:45  rating: *** stars

I remember wondering why he'd want to cover a traditional tune like this one.  And of course I was surprised to hear how good the "rocked up" arrangement was.

3.) Strawberry Wine (Levoln Helm - Robbie Robertson) - 2:13 rating: *** stars

Funky acoustic blues ...

4.) Make A Joyful Noise (Jesse Ed Davis) - 3:51 

5.) Alcatraz (Leon Russell) - 3:15 

 © Scott R. Blackerby 

esse Edwin Davis III (September 21, 1944 – June 22, 1988) was an American guitarist.[1] He was well regarded as a session artist and solo performer, was a member of Taj Mahal's backing band and played with musicians such as Eric Clapton, John Lennon, and George Harrison.[2] In 2018, he was posthumously inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame at the 18th Annual Native American Music Awards.[3] Davis was an enrolled citizen of the Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma[4] with Comanche, Muscogee, and Seminole ancestry.[3][1]

Early life and education Davis was born in Norman, Oklahoma. His father, Jesse Edwin "Bus" Davis II, was a citizen of the Comanche Nation[5] with Muscogee and Seminole ancestry.[1][6] His father was also a prominent Native American artist whose nome d'arte was Asawoya[5] or Running Wolf.[7][6][8] His mother, Vivian Mae (Bea) Saunkeah, was Kiowa.[7][1][9][10]

Davis began his musical career in the late 1950s in Oklahoma City and surrounding cities with John Ware (later a drummer for Emmylou Harris and Michael Nesmith during the First National Band era); John Selk (later a bass player for Donovan) late 1950s; Jerry Fisher (later a vocalist with Blood, Sweat & Tears);[11] and drummer Bill Maxwell (later with Andrae Crouch).[citation needed]

Davis graduated from Northeast High School in 1962[1] and graduated with a degree in English literature from the University of Oklahoma. Even into his later years, it was remembered that he enjoyed quoting Socrates and Plato.[12] By the mid-1960s, he had quit school and went touring with Conway Twitty.[13]

Career Davis eventually moved to California. For eight years, he lived in Marina del Rey with his companion, Patti Daley, and her son, Billy. Through his friendship with Levon Helm, he became friends with Leon Russell, who introduced him to recording session work.[14]

Davis joined Taj Mahal and played guitar and piano on Mahal's first four albums. He played slide, lead and rhythm, country and even jazz during his three-year stint with Mahal. In a 1967 gig, Mahal played with a young Duane Allman in attendance, and Davis' slide guitar playing on Statesboro Blues that night would ignite Allman's interest in the technique. [15] Mahal and his band were later invited to England by the Rolling Stones,[16] and they appeared as a musical guest in The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus.[17]

He played in the "electric" disc of Mahal's double album Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home (1969) and appeared in two songs of his fourth album Happy Just to Be Like I Am (1971).[18]

In 1970, Davis played on and produced Roger Tillison's only album for Atco Records, a division of Atlantic. Davis and Tillison - both Oklahoman - were joined at the Record Plant by Bobby Bruce (fiddle), Larry Knechtel (organ and harmonica), Stan Szelest (piano); Billy Rich (bass); Jim Keltner (from Oklahoma, drums) and Sandy Konikoff (percussion); Don Preston and Joey Cooper were vocal accompanists.[19] Roger Tillison's Album was recorded live. It was finally released on CD by Wounded Bird Records in 2008, with Davis playing electric guitar, bottleneck (slide) guitar and banjo.[20]

In 1971, Davis recorded his first solo album after Atco Records signed a contract with him to record two albums with the label. The first was the album ¡Jesse Davis! (1971), which featured backing vocals by Gram Parsons and performances by Leon Russell and Eric Clapton, among others.[21]

Davis was close friends with Gene Clark. In 1971, he played on and produced Clark's second solo album, White Light, and provided lead guitar on Clark's album No Other in 1974. On Jackson Browne's 1972 debut album, Davis played the electric guitar solo on Browne's hit song "Doctor, My Eyes".[18]

After guesting with Russell on Bob Dylan's 1971 single "Watching the River Flow", and collaborating in Albert King’s Lovejoy, Davis went on to work with George Harrison, performing at the ex-Beatle's 1971 Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden, along with Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Russell, Keltner, Clapton and others.[22]

Two more solo albums followed: in 1972 Ululu, which included the original release of Harrison's "Sue Me, Sue You Blues",[23][24] and in 1973 Keep Me Comin, occasionally listed as Keep On Coming. Around this time, Davis began playing with John Lennon, for whom he played lead guitar on the albums Walls and Bridges (1974) and Rock 'n' Roll (1975).[13] In addition, Davis was a guest performer on other albums by former Beatles: Harrison's Extra Texture (1975)[25] and Starr's Goodnight Vienna (1974) and Ringo's Rotogravure (1976).[18]

In the late summer and fall of 1975, he performed with the Faces as second guitarist throughout their final US tour. It was on this tour that Davis became addicted to drugs.[16]

After the Faces tour, Davis continued to work as a session player. In addition to the artists listed above, Davis contributed to albums by Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Keith Moon, Steve Miller, Guthrie Thomas, Harry Nilsson, Ry Cooder, David Cassidy, Willie Nelson, Neil Diamond, Rick Danko, Van Dyke Parks and others. He played on Leonard Cohen's Death of a Ladies' Man (1977), produced by Phil Spector.

In 1977, Davis moved to Hawaii. In 1981, he returned to Los Angeles broke and ravaged by drug and alcohol addiction.[12] In and out of clinics, Davis disappeared from the music industry for a time, spending much of the 1980s dealing with alcohol and drug addiction. In 1985 he formed and played in the Graffiti Band, which coupled his music with the poetry of the Native American activist John Trudell (American Indian Movement). The result of this collaboration was the album, released initially only on cassette, called AKA Grafitti Man, which Bob Dylan called the best album of the year.[16][26]

In the spring of 1987, the Graffiti Band performed with Taj Mahal at the Palomino Club in North Hollywood, California. At this show, George Harrison, Bob Dylan and John Fogerty got up from the audience to join Davis and Mahal in an unrehearsed set which included Fogerty's "Proud Mary" and Dylan's "Watching the River Flow", as well as classics such as "Blue Suede Shoes", "Peggy Sue", "Honey Don't", "Matchbox" and "Gone, Gone, Gone".[27]

Personal life Davis had a relationship with Patti Daley for about ten years. Then he married twice, first to Tantalayo Saenz and then Kelly Brady.[1]

In his last years, he served as drug and alcohol counselor at the American Indian Free Clinic in Long Beach.[12]

Davis collapsed in the laundry room of an apartment building and was pronounced dead in Venice, Los Angeles, California, on June 22, 1988. Police stated his death appeared to be the result of a drug overdose. Davis had a fresh needle mark on one arm and burned matches and tin foil were scattered on the ground nearby.[28] He was 43 years old.

Legacy In 2002, he was posthumously inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame.[29]

In 2018, Jesse Ed Davis was inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame at the 18th Annual Native American Music Awards. A performance tribute was held by his former Graffiti band members, Mark Shark and Quiltman.[30] His cousins Richenda Davis Bates and Constance Davis Carter accepted the induction.[10][31]

Discography With Junior Markham & The Tulsa Review "Let 'em Roll Johnny" / "Operator Operator" (Uptown Records, 1967) "Black Cherry" / "Gonna Send You Back to Georgia" (Uptown Records, 1967) With Taj Mahal Taj Mahal (Columbia Records, 1968) The Natch'l Blues (Columbia, 1968) Giant Step (Columbia, 1969) Happy Just to Be Like I Am (Columbia, 1971), guitar on "Oh Susanna" and "Chevrolet" The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (ABKCO Records, 1996) As leader ¡Jesse Davis! (Atco Records, 1971) Ululu (Atco Records, 1972) Keep Me Comin or Keep On Coming (Epic Records, 1973) Bonus Record (Epic Records, 1973), an exclusive interview in Los Angeles with KMET-FM's B. Mitchel Reed - Jesse "Ed" Davis talks about his background, his music and his new album (promotional release for Keep Me Comin album) Red Dirt Boogie: The Atco Recordings 1970-1972 (Real Gone Music, 2017), compilation of his first two albums As sideman Daughters of Albion - Daughters of Albion (1968) Look Inside the Asylum Choir - The Asylum Choir (1968) Live at Bill Graham's Fillmore West - various artists (1969) "Watching the River Flow / When I Paint My Masterpiece" - Bob Dylan (1971) Roger Tillison's Album - Roger Tillison (1971) Minnows - Marc Benno (1971) Feel Your Groove - Ben Sidran (1971) There's Gotta Be a Change - Albert Collins (1971) Booker T. & Priscilla - Booker T. & Priscilla (1971) Warm Waters - Charles Lloyd (1971) She Used to Wanna Be a Ballerina - Buffy Sainte-Marie (1971) Leon Russell and the Shelter People - Leon Russell (1971) Asylum Choir II - The Asylum Choir (1971) Endless Boogie - John Lee Hooker (1971) Lovejoy - Albert King (1971) White Light - Gene Clark (1971) The Concert for Bangladesh - George Harrison & Friends (1971) Ambush - Marc Benno (1972) Out the Window - Jim Pulte (1972) Salty - Alex Richman (1972) L.A. Midnight - B.B. King (1972) Jackson Browne - Jackson Browne (1972) Recall the Beginning...A Journey from Eden - Steve Miller Band (1972) Rod Taylor - Rod Taylor (1973) These Foolish Things - Bryan Ferry (1973) Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys - Arlo Guthrie (1973) Home at Last - Wayne Berry (1974) Arlo Guthrie - Arlo Guthrie (1974) L.A. Turnaround - Bert Jansch (1974) No Other - Gene Clark (1974) Walls and Bridges - John Lennon (1974) A Toot and a Snore in '74 - John Lennon, Paul McCartney (bootleg, 1974) Goodnight Vienna - Ringo Starr (1974) Pussy Cats - Harry Nilsson (1974) That's a Plenty - Pointer Sisters (1974) ST11261 - Brewer & Shipley (1974) Burnin' Thing - Mac Davis (1975) The Eyes of an Only Child - Tom Jans (1975) See How the Years Have Gone By - Valdy (1975) Stars - Cher (1975) Two Sides of the Moon - Keith Moon (1975) Extra Texture (Read All About It) - George Harrison (1975) Rock 'n' Roll - John Lennon (1975) Duit on Mon Dei - Harry Nilsson (1975) Born to Be with You - Dion (1975) New Arrangement - Jackie DeShannon (1975) Earthbound - The 5th Dimension (1975) Midnight on the Water - David Bromberg Band (1975) Atlantic Crossing - Rod Stewart (1975) A Night on the Town - Rod Stewart (1976) Sandman - Harry Nilsson (1976) Diggin' It - Dunn & Rubini (1976) Cupid's Arrow - David Blue (1976) Welcome to Club Casablanca - Long John Baldry (1976) Time Is on My Side - Tracy Nelson (1976) Motion - Geoff Muldaur (1976) Attitudes - Attitudes (1976) Home Is Where the Heart Is - David Cassidy (1976) Beautiful Noise - Neil Diamond (1976) Slow Down World - Donovan (1976) No Reason to Cry - Eric Clapton (1976) Ringo's Rotogravure - Ringo Starr (1976) Clang of the Yankee Reaper - Van Dyke Parks (1976) Death of a Ladies' Man - Leonard Cohen (1977) Blue Collar (soundtrack) - with Captain Beefheart and Jack Nitzsche (1978) A Little Kiss in the Night - Ben Sidran (1978) "Precious Love" - Emmylou Harris (1980) The Legend of Jesse James - various artists (1980) Kent State (soundtrack) - various artists (1981) Hobo Eagle Thief - Guthrie Thomas (1983) AKA Graffiti Man - John Trudell (1986) Heart Jump Bouquet - John Trudell (1987) Taj - Taj Mahal (1987) Slide of Hand - Scott Colby (1987) It's a Sin to Be Rich - Lightnin' Hopkins (1992, recorded in 1972) "1000 Dollar Wedding" and "Hot Burrito #1" - Gram Parsons (1992, Extended play side B only, recorded in 1971)

Though this album is far more a collector's record than an actual "turntable staple," it is a significant improvement from Davis' first solo outing. During the title track in particular, as well as a cover of Merle Haggard's "White Line Fever," Davis' voice achieves a ragged glory that makes the listener realize why sloppy rock & roll can be so much fun. Other standout moments include a version of the tune that Davis co-wrote with Taj Mahal, "Further on Down the Road," and the Davis-penned "Reno St. Incident." In all, it is the fun record that you would expect from a standout session player like Davis.

n his second solo album Ululu, Jesse Ed Davis does a cover version of "Strawberry Wine" from The Band's Stage Fright. Present on this album are several Band cohorts like Dr. John, Jim Keltner, Donald "Duck" Dunn, and the great Stan Szelest.

Jesse Ed Davis Bio. A full-blooded Kiowa Indian, Jesse Ed Davis was perhaps the most versatile session guitarist of the late '60s and early '70s. Whether it was blues, country or rock, Davis' tasteful guitar playing was featured on albums by such giants as Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, John Lennon and John Lee Hooker, among others. It is Davis' weeping slide heard on Clapton's "Hello Old Friend" (from No Reason to Cry), and on both Rock n' Roll and Walls & Bridges, it is Davis who supplied the bulk of the guitar work for ex-Beatle Lennon. Born in Oklahoma, Davis first earned a degree in literature from the University of Oklahoma before beginning his musical career touring with Conway Twitty in the early '60s. Eventually the guitarist moved to California, joining bluesman Taj Mahal and playing guitar and piano on his first three albums. It was with Mahal where Davis was able to showcase his skill and range, playing slide, lead and rhythm, country and even jazz guitar during his three-year stint.

The period backing Mahal was the closest Davis came to being in a band full-time, and after Taj's 1969 album Giant Step, Davis began doing session work for such diverse acts as David Cassidy, Albert King and Willie Nelson. In addition, he also released three solo albums featuring industry friends such as Leon Russell and Eric Clapton.

In and out of clinics, Davis disappeared from the music industry for a time, spending much of the '80s dealing with alcohol and drug addiction. Just before his death of a suspected drug overdose in 1988, Davis resurfaced playing in the Graffiti Band, which coupled his music with the poetry of American Indian activist John Trudell. The kind of expert, tasteful playing that Davis always brought to an album is sorely missed among the acts he worked with.

-- Steve Kurutz, All-Music Guid

2002 Blues Inductee Jesse Ed Davis was born in Norman, Oklahoma on September 21, 1944 of Kiowa and Cherokee parents. He was playing guitar at venues in and around Oklahoma City by his early teens with other young musicians like bassist John Selk, vocalist Jerry Fisher, and drummer John Ware.

Jesse studied literature at OU and then toured with Conway Twitty. Moving to California, he became associated with Levon Helm and Leon Russell which led to a very busy career as a session musician in the recording industry.

By the late 1960’s Jesse had joined Taj Mahal’s band as guitarist and also on piano. He got a chance to delve into many genres of music, including jazz and country, as part of Taj’s eclectic mix and was featured on his first three albums. Other significant album work followed with the likes of John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Leonard Cohen, John Lee Hooker, Steve Miller, and Jackson Browne.

Jesse Ed Davis young

His concert dates included the famous 1971 George Harrison “Concert for Bangladesh” at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Three solo albums were released in the early 1970s which featured guests like Gram Parsons, Eric Clapton, and Leon Russell. This incredible run of creative work came to an end as the shadows of drug and alcohol addiction overtook Jesse.

After years of treatment, Jesse emerged in the eighties as part of the Graffiti Band which included American Indian Movement activist/poet John Trudell and played a notable night at the Palomino Club In Hollywood with Taj Mahal, Bob Dylan, George Harrison and others.

Unfortunately, the comeback was cut short when Jesse died in June of 1988 of an overdose at only 43 years of age. He was one of the most important elements of the rock and roll of the late 1960s and early 1970s as is shown by his work with Taj Mahal on “Leavin‘ Trunk” in 1968 and his own “Jesus Was An Outlaw Too” on Youtube.