Talking about Iowa's Sumpin Doo

One thing that surprised me about Iowa is it seems to have a deep love for the Blues. It is surely surprising but sure enough the Central Iowa Blues Society (and the various festivals and Hall of Fame that go with it) seem to be one of the healthier area club organizations. There have been at various times enough people to support an all Blues nightclub in Des Moines. 

he city is the size that it can’t always support such niche ideas (while there currently is not a Blues club here, there is a Jazz club downtown). It’s not the only part of the state either. Other festivals around the state feature blues, and Kevin Burt is the latest Blues Legend to hail from Iowa City 

Like anywhere, there are plenty of local events with live music. Rarely worth a mention, they provide steady income for musicians. I do have to admit that when the band is one of the state’s top notch blues bands and not just the standard cover band, I do take note. And when it’s a band I know friends like (that I hadnt yet seen) like Sumpin Doo, it’s enough to get me off the couch. 

Sumpin Doo is the blues band of Iowa Rock N Roll Hall of Famers Gill and George Davis augmented by New York via Des Moines jazz pianist Jesse Villabos. Though there were plenty of popular standards like “Dock of the Bay” and “Take Me to the River”, the band could definitely hold their own on any Blues stage. 

No surprise that the band was good, but I often go down rabbit holes and found a really good one for the Davis Brothers. First off, they had chart success. In 1963, the golden era of doo wop, George and Gil Davis sang with the Blendtones and their single “Lovers” went to # 3 on the Billboard R&B charts. Online remembrances adds that the band was popular as they toured the West Coast, got strong airplay in Los Angeles from influential DJ Dick “Huggy Boy”Hugg and the song was only kept from the top spot by R&B classic “Just One Look” and the number one “Fingertips” 

 I often say we would probably be shocked to know the back story of people we meet and sure enough, the Davises have an incredible backstory. Relocating to New Jersey, they joined a band called the Chosen Few which had a saxophonist named Clarence Clemons. Davis’s bio even includes recording with Springsteen. I could not find details on where but since Garry Tallent joined The Boss in 1972, I assume it would be on pre- Greetings from Asbury Park recordings, but given their documented history with the Big Man (and lack of details on those early recordings) I don’t doubt it.