Music: Saluting a Journeyman Sax player who made fantastic musical journeys

- from Jazz Promo Services Saturday, September 24, 2016 • 5 pm Saint Peter’s Church Lexington Avenue at 54th Street, NYC BARRY HARRIS LEROY WILLIAMS RONI BEN-HUR TARDO HAMMER RAY DRUMMOND MELBA JOYCE BILL SAXTON JOE MAGNARELLI TYLER MITCHELL MURRAY WALL DAVID WILLIAMS RICK GERMANSON RALPH LALAMA LEE HUDSON GEORGE COLEMAN TEX ALLEN LOUIS HAYES NEAL SMITH LARRY RIDLEY RICHARD CLEMONS GEORGE CABLES VICTOR LEWIS ADDITIONAL PERFORMERS TO BE ANNOUNCED SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Born in Goodman, Mississippi, Charles Davis was raised in Chicago and graduated from DuSable High School before studying at the Chicago School of Music. Davis also studied privately with John Hauser. He played with Billie Holiday, Ben Webster, Sun Ra, Lionel Hampton, Dinah Washington, Philly Joe Jones, Shirley Scott, Illinois Jacquet, Elvin Jones and Ahmad Jamal to name a few. He also performed and recorded with Kenny Dorham, with whom he was associated musically for many years.   He recorded and toured the world accompanying the Clifford Jordan Big Band, Barry Harris Jazz Ensemble, Dizzy Reece, Aaron Bell and the Duke Ellington Tribute Orchestra, Roni Ben-Hur and the El Mollenium Band, the Charles Davis All Stars, Apollo Hall of Fame Band and was the musical librarian for Spike Lee's Mo Better Blues. In 1964 he won Downbeat's International Jazz Critics Poll for the baritone saxophone and in 1984 he was named a BMI Jazz Pioneer.   Davis instructed private students from The New School; taught at the Lucy Moses School and for over 25 years was an instructor at Jazzmobile and also trained students internationally.   He leaves behind his legacy in his recordings and his family: daughters Linda Harris and Talya Wilkinson, sons Louis Davis and Lewis Holmes, grandchildren Chantell Harris, Danielle Walker, Fyielle Howard, Rachelle Jennings and Sha- keem Jennings, seven great-grandchildren, a host of relatives, friends, fellow musicians, students, and fans.   He has released multiple albums and is featured on over 100 recordings. His final release FOR LOVE OF LORI a tribute to his late wife Lori Samet Davis with Charles Davis (ts), Steve Davis (tb), Rick Germanson (p), David Williams (bass), Joe Magnarelli (tp), Neal Smith (d) Reade Street Records (2014). Other releases include: BLUE GARDENIA Charles Davis (ts), Cedar Walton (p), Peter Washington (b), Joe Farnsworth (d) Reade Street Records; OUR MAN IN COPENHAGEN Charles Davis (ts), Sam Yahel, Ben Street, Kresten playing the music of Bent Jaedig. Fresh Sound Records (2008); LAND OF DREAMS Charles Davis (ts), Tardo Hammer (p), Lee Hudson (b), Jimmy Wormworth (d) Smalls Records (2007); INGIA! Charles Davis (bs), Gerald Hayes (as), Ronnie Mathews (p), Tex Allen (tp), David Williams (b), Louis Hayes (d) with his son Louis Davis on guitar. Strata-East Records (1974)    Charles Davis forged his bracing, bebop tenor saxophone style in Chicago’s clubs and jam sessions, but it was only when he began to specialise on the more cum- bersome baritone that he found his true voice and gained wider international recognition. It was his instrumental com- mand and solo fluency on baritone that brought Davis several recording oppor- tunities and led band leaders as varied as the trumpeter Clark Terry and jazz mystic Sun Ra to recruit him for their touring orchestras. It also led to Davis combining with Gary Smulyan and Ronnie Cuber in the memorable Three Baritone Saxophone Band which played Ronnie Scott’s in 1998 – my first encoun- ter with the majesty of his playing. (John Gilmore and Clifford Jordan (mid 50s)  Latterly, Davis had returned to the tenor saxophone as his main instrument, fronting his own quartet and playing with the all-star Jimmy Heath big band while still taking the occasional tour with Marshall Allen’s Sun Ra Arkestra.

Charles Davis, jazz saxophonist, composer and educator, born 20 May 1933; died 15 July 2016 –– Peter Vacher The Guardian