Art Davis

Art Davis
Born December 5, 1934(1934-12-05)
Origin Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, US
Died July 29, 2007(2007-07-29) (aged 72)
Genres Jazz
Occupations Double bassist
Instruments Double bass
Associated acts Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach

Art Davis (December 5, 1934 – July 29, 2007) was a double-bassist, known for his work with various seminal jazz musicians including Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, and Max Roach.

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Biography

Davis was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where he began studying the piano at the age of 5, switched to tuba, and finally to bass while attending high school. He studied at Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music but graduated from Hunter College [1]

As a busy New York session musician, he recorded with many pop artists and has also worked in classical symphony orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Art Davis was a professor at Orange Coast College.[2]

Performing with bassist Reggie Workman in Coltrane's group, Davis pioneered the use of two basses in a jazz combo setting.[3]

Davis is also known for launching a legal case which led to the current system of blind auditions for orchestras [4][5]

Davis earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from New York University in 1982. He moved to southern California in 1986 where he balanced his teaching and practicing of psychology with jazz performances.

Davis died on July 29, 2007 from a heart attack. He was survived by two sons and a daughter.[6]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Art Blakey

With John Coltrane

With Curtis Fuller

With Freddie Hubbard

With Roland Kirk

With Abbey Lincoln

With Booker Little

With Lee Morgan

With Dizzy Reece

With Max Roach

With Hilton Ruiz

With Shirley Scott

With McCoy Tyner

References

  1. ^ Washington Post
  2. ^ Carr, Ian; Digby Fairweather, Brian Priestley (1995). Jazz: The Rough Guide. The Rough Guides. p. 156. ISBN 1-8582-8137-7. 
  3. ^ Walton, Ortiz (1972). Music: Black, White & Blue: A Sociological Survey of the Use and Misuse of Afro-American Music. William Morrow. ISBN 0688050255. 
  4. ^ IHT.com
  5. ^ Seattle Times
  6. ^ Obituary

External links