Davis once left the music world to be a tailor, but returned. A soloist, bandleader, and accompanist, he amassed a body of work while never becoming a high-profile name even within the jazz community. Davis played with Babs Gonzales' Three Bips & a Bop as a teen, then moved from Richmond to New York in the early 1950s. He played with Max Roach and Charlie Parker, recording with Roach in 1953.
After retiring from music for a while to run his tailor shop, Davis returned in the 1960s, producing records and writing arrangements for a local New Jersey group. He studied music in India in 1979, and played with Sonny Rollins in the early 1970s.
Although he retired from music in the 1960s to work as a tailor, painter, and designer, he returned to his music career later that decade, and in the 1970s he performed with Sonny Rollins and again with the Jazz Messengers. He recorded with many other prominent jazz musicians, including Kenny Clarke, Sonny Criss, Jackie McLean, Pierre Michelot and Archie Shepp.[3]
Davis in Amsterdam
Davis was known as an interpreter of the music of Bud Powell,[4] but also recorded an album capturing the compositional and piano style of Thelonious Monk. Several of his compositions served as titles for albums by Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Combining traditional harmonies with modal patterns and featuring numerous rhythmic shifts along with internal melodic motifs within operatic, aria-like sweeping melodies, Davis's compositions included "Scorpio Rising", "Backgammon", "Uranus", "Gypsy Folk Tales", "Jodi", and "Ronnie Is a Dynamite Lady".
Davis had an occasional role as the piano player on the CBS television comedy Frank's Place. He also contributed to the soundtrack of the Clint Eastwood film Bird (1988).
Deathedit
Davis died in New York City on June 2, 1990, aged 57, from complications of liver and kidney disease.[5]
^Feather, Leonard. The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. p. 171. ISBN978-0195320008.
^Jet Magazine, Vol 38, No. 10, June 11, 1970, p. 33
^"Walter Davis Jr". www.bluenote.com. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
^Goldsher, Alan (2002). Hard Bop Academy: The Sidemen of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, p. 94. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard; ISBN0-634-03793-5.
^Watrous, Peter (1990-06-04). "Walter Davis Jr., 57, Jazz Pianist Who Played Bud Powell's Be-Bop". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
^Walter Davis, Jr. - Illumination Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved 2023-12-22
An Interview with Walter Davis, Jr., by Bob Rosenbaum, January 1982
January 01, 1970
walter, davis, september, 1932, june, 1990, american, bebop, hard, pianist, photo, carlo, rondinellibackground, informationborn, 1932, september, 1932richmond, virginia, diedjune, 1990, 1990, aged, york, city, york, genresjazz, bebopoccupation, musicianinstrum. Walter Davis Jr September 2 1932 June 2 1990 was an American bebop and hard bop pianist Walter Davis Jr Photo by Carlo RondinelliBackground informationBorn 1932 09 02 September 2 1932Richmond Virginia U S DiedJune 2 1990 1990 06 02 aged 57 New York City New York U S GenresJazz bebopOccupation s MusicianInstrument s PianoYears active1940s 1990LabelsBlue Note Denon Palcoscenico Mapleshade SteepleChaseSpouse s Mayme Watts Davis once left the music world to be a tailor but returned A soloist bandleader and accompanist he amassed a body of work while never becoming a high profile name even within the jazz community Davis played with Babs Gonzales Three Bips amp a Bop as a teen then moved from Richmond to New York in the early 1950s He played with Max Roach and Charlie Parker recording with Roach in 1953 He joined Dizzy Gillespie s band in 1956 and toured the Middle East and South America He also played in Paris with Donald Byrd in 1958 and with Art Blakey amp the Jazz Messengers in 1959 After retiring from music for a while to run his tailor shop Davis returned in the 1960s producing records and writing arrangements for a local New Jersey group He studied music in India in 1979 and played with Sonny Rollins in the early 1970s Contents 1 Biography 2 Death 3 Discography 3 1 As leader 3 2 As sideman 4 References 5 External linksBiography editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Walter Davis Jr news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message Davis was born in Richmond Virginia and raised in East Orange New Jersey His mother played gospel music and he had uncles who were pianists As a teenager he performed with Babs Gonzales in Newark 1 In the 1950s Davis recorded with Melba Liston and Max Roach He played with Roach Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie In 1958 he played with trumpeter Donald Byrd at Le Chat Qui Peche in Paris and shortly after realized his dream of becoming pianist and composer arranger for Art Blakey s Jazz Messengers Davis married songwriter Mayme Watts who was performing as a vocalist with the Walter Davis Jr Trio 2 Although he retired from music in the 1960s to work as a tailor painter and designer he returned to his music career later that decade and in the 1970s he performed with Sonny Rollins and again with the Jazz Messengers He recorded with many other prominent jazz musicians including Kenny Clarke Sonny Criss Jackie McLean Pierre Michelot and Archie Shepp 3 nbsp Davis in Amsterdam Davis was known as an interpreter of the music of Bud Powell 4 but also recorded an album capturing the compositional and piano style of Thelonious Monk Several of his compositions served as titles for albums by Blakey s Jazz Messengers Combining traditional harmonies with modal patterns and featuring numerous rhythmic shifts along with internal melodic motifs within operatic aria like sweeping melodies Davis s compositions included Scorpio Rising Backgammon Uranus Gypsy Folk Tales Jodi and Ronnie Is a Dynamite Lady Davis had an occasional role as the piano player on the CBS television comedy Frank s Place He also contributed to the soundtrack of the Clint Eastwood film Bird 1988 Death editDavis died in New York City on June 2 1990 aged 57 from complications of liver and kidney disease 5 Discography editAs leader edit Year recorded Title Label Notes 1959 Davis Cup Blue Note Quintet with Donald Byrd trumpet Jackie McLean alto sax Sam Jones bass Art Taylor drums 1977 6 Illumination Denon With Carter Jefferson tenor sax Charles Sullivan trumpet Jeremy Steig flute Buster Williams bass Bruno Carr Art Blakey and Tony Williams drums Nana Vasconcelos percussion Milton Frustino guitar added for one track 1979 Night Song Denon Trio with Tom Barney bass electric bass Kenny Washington drums Abide with Me Denon 1979 Blues Walk Red A Being Such As You Red 1979 Uranus Palcoscenico 1979 400 Years Ago Tomorrow 1981 Live au Dreher Trio with Pierre Michelot bass Kenny Clarke drums in concert 1987 In Walked Thelonious Mapleshade Solo piano 1989 Scorpio Rising SteepleChase Trio with Santi Debriano bass Ralph Peterson drums 1990 Jazznost Moscow Washington Jazz Summit As sideman edit With Art Blakey Africaine Blue Note 1959 Paris Jam Session Fontana 1961 Roots amp Herbs Blue Note 1961 Gypsy Folk Tales Roulette 1977 With Nick Brignola Burn Brigade Bee Hive 1979 With Donald Byrd Byrd in Hand Blue Note 1959 With Sonny Criss This is Criss Prestige 1966 Portrait of Sonny Criss Prestige 1967 With Dameronia To Tadd with Love Uptown 1982 Look Stop Listen Uptown 1983 Live at the Theatre Boulogne Billancourt Paris Soul Note 1989 1994 With Walt Dickerson Walt Dickerson Plays Unity Audio Fidelity 1964 With Teddy Edwards Nothin But the Truth Prestige 1966 With Dizzy Gillespie World Statesman Norgran 1956 Dizzy in Greece Verve 1957 With Slide Hampton Explosion The Sound of Slide Hampton Atlantic 1962 With Etta Jones Ms Jones to You Muse 1976 With Philly Joe Jones Philly Joe s Beat Atlantic 1960 With Jackie McLean New Soil Blue Note 1959 Let Freedom Ring Blue Note 1962 With Hank Mobley Newark 1953 Uptown 1953 2012 With Max Roach The Max Roach Quartet featuring Hank Mobley Debut 1954 With Julian Priester Spiritsville Jazzland 1960 With Sonny Rollins Horn Culture Milestone 1973 With Charlie Rouse Soul Mates Uptown 1988 1993 featuring Sahib Shihab With Art Taylor Taylor s Tenors Prestige 1959 References edit Feather Leonard The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz p 171 ISBN 978 0195320008 Jet Magazine Vol 38 No 10 June 11 1970 p 33 Walter Davis Jr www bluenote com Retrieved 2023 07 18 Goldsher Alan 2002 Hard Bop Academy The Sidemen of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers p 94 Milwaukee Hal Leonard ISBN 0 634 03793 5 Watrous Peter 1990 06 04 Walter Davis Jr 57 Jazz Pianist Who Played Bud Powell s Be Bop The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2023 07 18 Walter Davis Jr Illumination Album Reviews Songs amp More AllMusic retrieved 2023 12 22External links editWalter Davis Jr at AllMusic Walter Davis Jr discography at Discogs Walter Davis Jr at IMDb An Interview with Walter Davis Jr by Bob Rosenbaum January 1982 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Walter Davis Jr amp oldid 1218365629, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
