| Art Davis | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 5, 1934 |
| Origin | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, US |
| Died | July 29, 2007 (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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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]
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