Art Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Art Davis
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| Birth name | Arthur David Davis |
| Born | December 6, 1934 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | July 29, 2007 (aged 72) |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Double bass |
| Associated acts | Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach |
Arthur David Davis (December 6, 1934 – July 29, 2007) was a super talented musician. He played the double bass. He was especially famous for playing with jazz legends like Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, and Max Roach.
Biography
Art Davis was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in the United States. He started learning piano when he was just five years old! Later, he switched to playing the tuba. Finally, he found his main instrument, the double bass, while he was in high school. He studied music at famous schools like Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music. He also earned a degree from Hunter College.
Art became a very busy musician in New York City. He was a "session musician." This means he played on many recordings for different jazz and pop artists. He also played in big symphony orchestras. These included the New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, and John Coltrane.
Art Davis was also a professor at Orange Coast College. He is famous for starting a legal case. This case led to "blind auditions" for orchestras. A blind audition means musicians play behind a screen. This way, judges only hear the music. They cannot see the musician. This helps make sure everyone gets a fair chance.
In 1982, Art Davis earned a special degree. It was a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from New York University. In 1986, he moved to southern California. There, he balanced teaching and practicing psychology with playing jazz music.
Art Davis passed away on July 29, 2007. He had a heart attack. He was survived by his two sons and a daughter.
His Music
Art Davis released several albums as the main artist. He also played on many albums with other famous musicians.
As the Leader
- Reemergence (Interplay, 1980) - with Hilton Ruiz, Greg Bandy
- Life (Soul Note, 1985) - with John Hicks, Idris Muhammad, Pharoah Sanders
- A Time Remembered (Jazz Planet, 1995) - with Ravi Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Marvin Smith
Playing with Others
Art Davis played the double bass on many albums for other artists. Here are some of the famous musicians he recorded with:
- John Coltrane (on albums like Africa/Brass and Ascension)
- Dizzy Gillespie (on Gillespiana)
- Freddie Hubbard (on Ready for Freddie)
- Elvin Jones (on Elvin!)
- Quincy Jones (on Golden Boy)
- Max Roach (on many albums, including Deeds, Not Words and It's Time)
- Pharoah Sanders (on Rejoice)
- McCoy Tyner (on Inception)
