Walter Davis Jr.

Walter Davis Jr. (September 2, 1932 – June 2, 1990) was an American bebop and hard bop pianist.

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.

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 & 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.

Biography

Born in Richmond, Virginia, Davis performed as a teenager with Babs Gonzales. 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 Pêche 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.

After retiring from music in the 1960s to work as a tailor, painter, and designer, he returned in the 1970s to perform 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.

Davis was known as an interpreter of the music of Bud Powell,Goldsher, Alan (2002). ''Hard Bop Academy: The Sidemen of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers'', p. 94. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard; . 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

Davis died in New York City on June 2, 1990, aged 57, from complications of liver and kidney disease.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Art Blakey
* ''Africaine'' (Blue Note, 1959)
* ''Paris Jam Session'' (Fontana, 1961)
* '' Roots & Herbs'' (Blue Note, 1961)
* '' Gypsy Folk Tales'' (Roulette, 1977)
With Nick Brignola
*''Burn Brigade
* ''Byrd in Hand'' (Blue Note, 1959)
With Sonny Criss
* '' This is Criss!'' ( Prestige, 1966)
* '' Portrait of Sonny Criss'' (Prestige, 1967)
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