Kenny Davis

Kenny Davis (born September 4, 1961 in Chicago ) is an American jazz bassist who plays the double bass and electric bass .

Life

Kenny Davis initially listened to rhythm and blues artists such as Earth, Wind and Fire , The Brothers Johnson , The Temptations, and more. After teaching himself to play, he studied music theory with David Holder Sr. He then attended Northeastern Illinois University , where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education.

After attending university, he discovered jazz music for himself and quickly became part of the Chicago jazz scene, where he played with Von Freeman , Ari Brown and Fred Anderson . He later studied classical double bass with Warren Benfield of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra , and had a number of lessons with Jeffrey Bradetich. Some of his jazz influences include Ray Brown , Paul Chambers, and Ron Carter . He was also influenced by the electric bassists Jaco Pastorius and Verdin White .

In 1986 he moved to New York , where he played with Out of the Blue (OTB) and was quickly picked up on the New York scene. There he also did casual studio sessions for video games like Metal Gear Solid 2 and Diet Coke with Elton John, as well as jingles. In New York, he began performing with artists such as Freddie Hubbard , Cassandra Wilson , Abbey Lincoln , Dianne Reeves and Art Farmer , and studied with Ron Carter.

He arranged the song Tell Me You'll Wait for Me on Cassandra Wilson's album Blue Light Til Dawn , on which he also appears on other tracks, and which won a Grammy Award. The minimalist arrangement of the trio piece only has to deal with vocals, bass and drums, whereby Davis himself underscores his (probably later) bowed solo with plucked bass.

During the 1990s Kenny Davis toured with musicians such as Herbie Hancock (April 99 in Japan, October / November 96 in Japan, Australia, Korea), Dianne Reeves (April 98 in Japan and October / November 97 through Europe), Art Farmer and was at times Member of Hasidic New Wave . In 1999 Kenny Davis received a call from Kevin Eubanks to work as conductor and musical director of The Tonight Show Band, where he was also bass player from September 1999 to March 2002,

Kenny Davis moved back to New York in June 2002 and is back touring, recording, and teaching.

In May 2006 he received a doctorate in music from Rutgers University.

Kenny Davis currently teaches at the University of Connecticut (UConn).

He participates in projects of the drummer Billy Kilson and the pianist John Esposito . Davis has performed with post-bebop jazz musicians, musicians of all styles, and new younger jazz musicians. In 2019 he is a member of Don Braden's quartet .

Discography (selection)

As an accompanying musician

• Onaje Allan Gumbs : Remember Their Innocence (2005)
• Carla Cook , Simply Natural , Maxjazz 2002
• Regina Carter, Something for Grace , Atlantic, 1997
• Cassandra Wilson, Blue Light Til Dawn , Blue Note, 1993
• Steve Coleman & Five Elements, The TAO of Mad Phat Fringed Zones , Novus , 1993
• Out of the Blue, OTB Live at Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival , OTB / Blue Note, 1986

literature

• Kunzler Jazz Lexicon 2002

Web links

• Kenny Davis homepage
• Kenny Davis at Allmusic (English)
• Kenny Davis at Discogs (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Kenny Davis homepage