Brittany Davis - Black Thunder (2025) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Ancestors I
02. All You Get
03. Ancestors II
04. Amid the Blackout of the NIght
05. Ancestors III
06. Black Thunder
07. Ancestors IV
09. Ancestors V
10. Girl (Don't You Know)
11. Girl (Now We're the Same)
12. Ancestors VI
13. Mirrors Explicit
14. Ancestors VII
15. Sarah's Song
16. Sun and Moon
17. Ancestors VIII

Black Thunder is the fully improvised new album by Seattle-based musician Brittany Davis, featuring her on keys and vocals, Evan Flory-Barnes on bass, and D’Vonne Lewis on drums. The trio, who barely knew each other prior to recording, created the album in just two days, bringing an intense, interactive energy to the studio.

“Brittany, Evan, and D’Vonne have, in some way, been preparing for this recording all their lives,” Evans said. “Honing their instrumental craft and ability, of course — but more importantly, preparing their ears, emotions, and egos to be fully present and create absolutely in the moment. To listen deeply and respond empathetically. To speak with uncomfortable honesty. To listen, and be vulnerable.”

The result is a work deeply influenced by Black and Afrocentric cultural elements, and a powerful, cathartic expression of Davis’s artistry. Producer Josh Evans emphasizes the musicians’ emotional and musical preparation, allowing them to create freely and vulnerably without overthinking. The album marks a departure from Davis's previous work, replacing drum machines and programmed keys with live, organic performances that showcase her stylistic maturation.

With a range of themes from celestial reflections to raw self-exploration, Black Thunder captures Davis's evolution as an artist. Tracks like “Amid the Blackout of the Night” and “Black Thunder” blend spiritual, personal, and cultural explorations. Evans describes Davis’s improvisation as channeling something beyond the room, tapping into voices and spirits larger than the moment. The album concludes with “...Ancestors,” a track where Davis felt connected to ancestral voices, adding a deep, almost theatrical layer to the music.

Black Thunder isn’t just a collection of songs but a creative, emotional thunderclap, challenging easy narratives and creating an immersive, unforgettable listening experience. This album is jazz at its core, pushing boundaries and embracing the spirit of improvisation in its purest form.

Davis — who has been blind since birth — arrives at Black Thunder via considerable headwinds. In 2023, she released her debut album, Image Issues, also via Loosegroove Records. Image Issues met critical hosannas, including recognition and appearance on NPR Tiny Desk Home, KEXP, World Cafe and SPIN. As NPR’s All Songs Considered put it, "Brittany's music is a potent expression of hope...giving the listener courage to face the challenges the world throws at them." And American Songwriter hailed her “voice that would fill the deepest cavern. The blind singer/songwriter is a marvel, imbued with talent and presence.” In 2023, Davis was featured on ABC’s Good Morning America, which noted, “She uses her music to connect with people and fight for a more inclusive world.”

Brittany Davis, vocals, keyboards
D’Vonne Lewis, drums
Evan Flory-Barnes, bass

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