Richard Davis (bassist)
Richard Davis (born April 15, 1930) is an American jazz bassist. Among his most famous contributions to the albums of others are Eric Dolphy's 1964 Blue Note LP Out to Lunch!, Andrew Hill's Point of Departure and Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, of which critic Greil Marcus wrote (in The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll), "Richard Davis provided the greatest bass ever heard on a rock album". Davis is a recipient of the 2014 NEA Jazz Masters award. [1]
Biography
He has been a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison since 1977. Originally from Chicago, he first became known in that city before establishing himself in New York City for twenty-three years. He teaches bass, jazz history, and improvisation.[2]
A long-time educator, Davis' former students include William Parker and Karl E. H. Seigfried.
Richard Davis began his musical career as a singer with his brothers, singing bass in his family vocal trio. In addition to his earlier years of singing, Richard Davis began studying the double bass in high school with his music theory and band director, Captain Walter Dyett. After high school, Davis studied the double bass with Rudolf Fahsbender of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra while attending Vandercook College. In 1952 Richard Davis received a BME from Vandercook College.
After college, Davis performed in dance bands. The connections he made while performing various gigs led him to meet pianist Don Shirley. In 1954 Davis and Shirley moved to New York city and performed together until 1956, when, Davis began playing with the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra.[3]
In 1957 Davis became a part of Sarah Vaughan's rhythm section, touring and recording with her until 1960. The 60's proved to be a particularly busy and fruitful period for Davis. He was increasingly in demand in a wide variety of musical circles. He worked with many of the cutting edge small jazz groups of the time including those led by Jaki Byard, Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Andrew Hill, and Elvin Jones. He was a member of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra from 1966 until 1972 (now know as the Village Vanguard Orchestra).
In addition to his contributions to the jazz community, Davis was also active performing with rock and popular music acts. He recorded on some of the period's greatest albums including Laura Nyro's Smile, Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run and Van Morrison's Astral Weeks.
Discography
As leader
- 1967: Heavy Sounds with Elvin Jones (Impulse!)
- 1969: Muses for Richard Davis (MPS)
- 1971: The Philosophy of the Spiritual (Cobblestone) - also released as With Understanding (Muse)
- 1972: Epistrophy & Now's the Time (Muse)
- 1973: Dealin' (Muse)
- 1975: As One (Muse)
- 1977: Harvest (Muse) - released 1979
- 1977: Way Out West (Muse) - released 1980
- 1977: Fancy Free (Galaxy)
- 1978: Divine Gemini with Walt Dickerson (SteepleChase)
- 1987: Persia My Dear (DIW)
- 1990: Live at Sweet Basil with George Cables, Ricky Ford, Cecil Bridgewater, Ronnie Burrage, Roland Hanna
- 2000: Forest Flowers with Stanley Cowell, Ted Dunbar, Billy Hart, James Spaulding, Eddie Henderson, Sonny Brown, Billy Cobham, Chick Corea, Frankie Dunlop
- 2001: The Bassist: Homage to Diversity with John Hicks
As sideman
With Dorothy Ashby
- The Fantastic Jazz Harp of Dorothy Ashby (Atlantic, 1965)
With Kenny Burrell
- A Night at the Vanguard (Argo, 1959)
With Jaki Byard
- Freedom Together! (Prestige, 1966)
- Jaki Byard with Strings! (Prestige, 1968)
- The Jaki Byard Experience (Prestige, 1968)
With Candido Camero
- Beautiful (Blue Note, 1970)
With Eric Dolphy
- Iron Man (Douglas, 1963)
- Out to Lunch! (Blue Note, 1964)
With Lou Donaldson
- Rough House Blues (Argo, 1964)
- Sophisticated Lou (Blue Note, 1973)
With Kenny Dorham
- Trompeta Toccata (Blue Note, 1964)
With Jonathan Edwards
- Have a Good Time for Me (Alto, 1973)
With Booker Ervin
- The Song Book (Prestige, 1964)
- The Blues Book (Prestige, 1964)
- The Space Book (Prestige, 1964)
- Groovin' High (Prestige, 1963-64)
- Heavy!!! (Prestige, 1966)
With Art Farmer
- New York Jazz Sextet: Group Therapy (Scepter, 1966)
With Jimmy Forrest
- Soul Street (New Jazz, 1962)
With Frank Foster
- Soul Outing! (Prestige, 1966)
With Don Friedman
- Metamorphosis (Prestige, 1966)
With Dizzy Gillespie
- Cornucopia (Solid State, 1969)
With Chico Hamilton
- The Further Adventures of El Chico (Impulse!, 1966)
With Eddie Harris
- Silver Cycles (Atlantic, 1968)
With Johnny Hartman
- The Voice That Is! (Impulse!, 1964)
With Roy Haynes
- Togyu (RCA, 1975)
With Joe Henderson
- In 'N Out
- Relaxin' at Camarillo
With Andrew Hill
- Black Fire (Blue Note, 1963)
- Smokestack (Blue Note, 1963)
- Judgment! (Blue Note, 1964)
- Point of Departure (Blue Note, 1964)
- Andrew!!! (Blue Note, 1964)
- Pax (Blue Note, 1965)
- Lift Every Voice (Blue Note, 1969)
- Nefertiti (East Wind, 1976)
With Freddie Hubbard
- The Hub of Hubbard (1970)
With Janis Ian
- Between the Lines (1975)
With Milt Jackson
- Statements (Impulse!, 1962)
- For Someone I Love (Riverside, 1963)
- Jazz 'n' Samba (Impulse!, 1964)
With J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding
- Israel (CTI, 1968)
With Elvin Jones
- Dear John C. (Impulse!, 1965)
- Heavy Sounds (Impulse! Records, 1967)
- Very R.A.R.E. (Trio Records, 1979)
- Heart to Heart (Denon, 1980)
- Love & Peace (Trio Records, 1982)
- Elvin Jones Jazz Machine Live at Pit Inn (Polydor (Japan), 1984)
With Hank Jones
- Ain't Misbehavin'
- Arigato
With Roland Kirk
- Reeds & Deeds (1963)
- Rip, Rig and Panic (1965)
With Eric Kloss
- Grits & Gravy (Prestige, 1966)
- In the Land of the Giants (Prestige, 1969)
With Hubert Laws
- The Laws of Jazz (Atlantic, 1964)
- Flute By-Laws (Atlantic, 1966)
- Wild Flower (Atlantic, 1972)
With John Lewis
- P.O.V. (1975)
With Charles Lloyd
- Discovery! (1965)
With Pat Martino
- Baiyina (The Clear Evidence) (Prestige, 1968)
- The Visit! (Cobblestone, 1972) also released as Footprints
- Exit (Muse, 1976)
With Brother Jack McDuff
- Prelude (Prestige, 1963)
- Moon Rappin' (Blue Note, 1969)
- Check This Out (Cadet, 1972)
With Gary McFarland
- The Gary McFarland Orchestra with Bill Evans (1963)
- Simpático with Gábor Szabó (Impulse!, 1966)
With Charles Mingus
- Let My Children Hear Music (Columbia, 1972)
With James Moody
- Great Day (Argo, 1963)
With Van Morrison
- Astral Weeks (1968)
With David Murray
With Oliver Nelson
- More Blues and the Abstract Truth (Impulse!, 1964)
- Oliver Nelson Plays Michelle (Impulse!, 1966)
With Sam Rivers
- Hues (Impulse!, 1973)
With Michel Sardaby
- Michel Sardaby in New York (Sound Hills, 2002)
With Shirley Scott
- Latin Shadows (Impulse!, 1965)
- Roll 'Em: Shirley Scott Plays the Big Bands (Impulse!, 1966)
- Mystical Lady (Cadet, 1971)
With Marlena Shaw
- Marlena (1972)
With Paul Simon
- There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973)
With Bruce Springsteen
- Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (Columbia, 1973)
- Born to Run (Columbia, 1975)
With Sonny Stitt
- Mr. Bojangles (Cadet, 1973)
- Satan (Cadet, 1974)
With Ed Summerlin
- Ring Out Joy' (Avant-Garde, 1968)
With Lucky Thompson
- Lucky Strikes (Prestige, 1964)
With Mickey Tucker and Roland Hanna
With Sarah Vaughan
- Swingin' Easy (EmArcy, 1957)
With Mal Waldron
- Sweet Love, Bitter (Impulse!, 1967)
With Cedar Walton
- Cedar Walton Plays Cedar Walton
- Spectrum
With Walter Wanderley
- Moondreams (A&M/CTI, 1969)
With Ben Webster
- Soulmates (Riverside, 1963) - with Joe Zawinul
- See You at the Fair (Impulse!, 1964)
With Reuben Wilson
- Set Us Free (1971)
With Jimmy Witherspoon
- Blues for Easy Livers (Prestige, 1965)
With Phil Woods
- Musique du Bois (Muse, 1974)
With Joe Zawinul
References
- ↑ "NEA Jazz Masters: Richard Davis". National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
- ↑ Allmusic Biography
- ↑ Bennet, Bill; Barry Kernfield. "Davis, Richard". Oxford Music Online.
External links
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