Wallace Foster Davenport (30 June 1925 – 18 March 2004) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

trumpeter. Davenport has been one of the few

traditional jazz Trad jazz, short for "traditional jazz", is a form of jazz in the United States and Britain in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, played by musicians such as Chris Barber, Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball, Ken Colyer and Monty Sunshine, based on a reviva ...

musicians of the 1930s who later branched out into swing and bop styles, as well as backing

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

and R&B vocalists during an extensive career in eight different decades. Davenport was born in

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

. He started on trumpet at age 13 with The Young Tuxedo Brass Band. He played with

Papa Celestin Oscar Phillip Celestin (January 1, 1884 – December 15, 1954) better known by stage name Papa Celestin was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader. Life and career Celestin was born in Napoleonville, Louisiana, to a Creole family, son of a s ...

in 1941 before leaving New Orleans to serve in the U. S. Navy. Davenport returned there after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, making an easy transition to swing and bop with various bands. He recorded with Roy Brown in 1947. During the 1950s he toured the US and Europe playing with Lionel Hampton, and recorded in Paris in the mid-'50 with

Mezz Mezzrow Milton Mesirow (November 9, 1899 – August 5, 1972), better known as Mezz Mezzrow, was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist from Chicago, Illinois. He is remembered for organizing and financing recording sessions with Tommy Ladnier ...

. Davenport played and recorded with the

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

jazz orchestra (1964–1966), and also toured with singers

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

and

Lloyd Price Lloyd Price (March 9, 1933May 3, 2021) was an American singer-songwriter, record executive and bandleader, known as "Mr. Personality", after his 1959 million-selling hit, "Personality". His first recording, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", was a hit for S ...

. In 1969 he went back to doing traditional jazz in New Orleans, and issued recordings of his groups playing this style from on his own label ''My Jazz'' (1971–1976); recorded again in Europe with

George Wein George Wein (October 3, 1925 – September 13, 2021) was an American jazz promoter, pianist, and producer.

in 1974, with

Panama Francis David Albert "Panama" Francis (December 21, 1918 – November 13, 2001) was an American swing jazz drummer who played on numerous hit recordings in the 1950s. Early life Francis was born in Miami, Florida, on December 21, 1918. His father was ...

and Arnett Cobb in 1976, and also reunited with Hampton and recorded with Earl Hines this same year. In the eighties, Davenport worked with both traditional units as The Alliance Hall Dixieland Band and gospel groups like The Zion Harmonizers and Aline White, and backed the vocalists Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. However, he routinely went on impromptu tours in Asia and Europe, and once played expressly for the king

Olav V of Norway Olav V (; born Prince Alexander of Denmark; 2 July 1903 – 17 January 1991) was the King of Norway from 1957 until his death in 1991. Olav was the only child of King Haakon VII of Norway and Maud of Wales. He became heir apparent to the Nor ...

. A cultural icon of New Orleans, Davenport played regularly at the

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (commonly called Jazz Fest or Jazzfest) is an annual celebration of local music and culture held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Fest attracts thousands of visitors to New ...

and the

French Quarter Festival French Quarter Festival is a free, annual music festival held in early April, located in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in 1983 with the first festival held in 1984, the festival features primarily New Orleans ...

. He received numerous awards and recognitions for his musical contributions from the city government and local arts groups. Wallace Davenport died in New Orleans, Louisiana, at 78 years of age. His nephew was Roger Donald Dickerson.

Discography

With

* ''

Pop Goes the Basie ''Pop Goes the Basie'' is an album by pianist and bandleader Count Basie featuring jazz versions of contemporary hits recorded in 1964 and originally released on the Reprise label.Kitora, R.Count Basie Discography accessed November 15, 2015 Recep ...

'' (Reprise, 1965) * ''

Basie Meets Bond ''Basie Meets Bond'' is a 1966 album by Count Basie and his orchestra. The album is a collection of musical pieces originating from the first four James Bond films; '' Dr No'', '' From Russia with Love'', '' Goldfinger'' and '' Thunderball''. The ...

'' (United Artists, 1966) * ''

Live at the Sands (Before Frank) ''Live at the Sands (Before Frank)'' is a live album by the pianist and bandleader Count Basie with performances recorded in Las Vegas in 1966 at the same concerts that produced Frank Sinatra's 1966 album ''Sinatra at the Sands''. It was released ...

'' (Reprise, 1966

998 Year 998 ( CMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Otto III retakes Rome and restores power in the papal city. Crescenti ...

* ''

Sinatra at the Sands ''Sinatra at the Sands'' is a live album by Frank Sinatra accompanied by Count Basie and his orchestra, and conducted and arranged by Quincy Jones, recorded live in the Copa Room of the former Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in 1966. It w ...

'' (Reprise, 1966) with Frank Sinatra * ''

Basie's Beatle Bag ''Basie's Beatle Bag'' is a 1966 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra, arranged by Chico O'Farrill. Basie released a second album of Beatles songs, '' Basie on the Beatles'', in 1969. Track listing # "Help!" – 2:15 # "Can't Buy M ...

'' (Verve, 1966) * ''

Basie's Beat ''Basie's Beat'' is a 1967 album by Count Basie and his orchestra. The trombonist Richard Boone sings on two of the tracks, "Boone's Blues" and "I Got Rhythm". Track listing # "It's Only a Paper Moon" ( Harold Arlen, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, Billy ...

'' (Verve, 1967) With

Phil Upchurch Philip Upchurch (born July 19, 1941) is an American jazz and blues guitarist and bassist. Career Upchurch started his career working with the Kool Gents, the Dells, and the Spaniels, before going on to work with Curtis Mayfield, Otis Rush, an ...

*'' Feeling Blue'' (Milestone, 1967) {{DEFAULTSORT:Davenport, Wallace 1925 births 2004 deaths Jazz musicians from New Orleans American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters Big band bandleaders Dixieland trumpeters Swing trumpeters 20th-century trumpeters 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Verve Records artists Reprise Records artists