Anthony Davis (born February 20, 1951) is an American pianist and composer. He incorporates several styles including
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 majo ...
,
rhythm 'n' blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
, gospel, non-Western, African, European classical, Indonesian
gamelan
Gamelan () ( jv, ꦒꦩꦼꦭꦤ꧀, su, ᮌᮙᮨᮜᮔ᮪, ban, ᬕᬫᭂᬮᬦ᭄) is the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. ...
, and
experimental music
Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...
. He has played with several groups and is also professor of music at
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego or colloquially, UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California. Established in 1960 near the pre-existing Scripps Insti ...
.
Davis is perhaps best known for his
operas
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libre ...
; he has been called "the dean of African-American opera composers." His better known compositions include '' X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X'', which was premiered by the
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera (NYCO) is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through 2013 (when it filed for bankruptcy), and again since 2016 when it was revived.
The opera company, du ...
Wakonda's Dream
''Wakonda's Dream'' is an English-language opera composed by American Anthony Davis with a libretto by Yusef Komunyakaa. It premiered March 7, 2007 at Omaha, Nebraska's Orpheum. It is about a contemporary Ponca family and the spiritual journey o ...
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson ( ) is the largest city in and the county seat of Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. He has a 1975 degree from
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
, and has taught at Yale and
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
.
Davis is a Distinguished Professor of Music at the
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego or colloquially, UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California. Established in 1960 near the pre-existing Scripps Insti ...
, having joined the department in 1996. He has received acclaim as a free-jazz pianist, a co-leader or sideman with various ensembles. Such ensembles include those that featured Smith as
bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues o ...
from 1974 to 1977. He has played with
Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of ...
octet
Octet may refer to:
Music
* Octet (music), ensemble consisting of eight instruments or voices, or composition written for such an ensemble
** String octet, a piece of music written for eight string instruments
*** Octet (Mendelssohn), 1825 com ...
called Episteme. He also wrote the
incidental music
Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, or some other presentation form that is not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead ...
Tony Kushner
Anthony Robert Kushner (born July 16, 1956) is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter. Lauded for his work on stage he's most known for his seminal work '' Angels in America'' which earned a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award. At the tu ...
's ''
Angels in America
''Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes'' is a two-part play by American playwright Tony Kushner. The work won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for Best Play, and the Drama Desk Award f ...
''.
Many of his operas have explored people and events from African-American history. In a 1986 interview with writer Samuel R. Delany and historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Davis provides a detailed account on his influences and motivations for writing '' X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X.'' In 1997 his opera ''Amistad'', with a libretto by his cousin Thulani Davis, premiered at the Chicago Lyric Opera. Its ambition was recognized but the production received mixed reviews. It was accepted for a production in 2008 at Spoleto Festival USA. It underwent a major revision and the production was highly praised. ''Opera Today'' said that the revised ''Amistad'' was "much leaner, more focused and dramatically far more effective than the original. And in so doing they he Davisescreated not only a masterpiece of American opera, but further a work that — against a contemporary horizon darkened by undercurrents of racism — resonates today far beyond Memminger and Spoleto USA.""Revised ''Amistad'' makes its mark" ''Opera Today'', May 2008, Accessed June 25, 2019
Davis has also explored Native American history in his work. His opera ''
Wakonda's Dream
''Wakonda's Dream'' is an English-language opera composed by American Anthony Davis with a libretto by Yusef Komunyakaa. It premiered March 7, 2007 at Omaha, Nebraska's Orpheum. It is about a contemporary Ponca family and the spiritual journey o ...
'' (2007), with a libretto by Yusef Komunyakaa, is a tale of a contemporary Native AmericanPonca family in Nebraska and the history that affects them.
His opera, ''Lilith'', ( libretto by Allan Havis) had its world premiere at the Conrad Prebys Music Center at UCSD on December 4, 2009. The story is about the demon figure of Jewish mythology who was sometimes said to be biblical
Adam
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
's first wife. It is set in a modern era.
He began working on the music for the opera '' The Central Park Five'' in 2014. An early version, titled ''Five'', was performed in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat, seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County and the second largest city within the New Yo ...
in 2016 by the Trilogy Company. The librettist for both the early and final versions was playwright Richard Wesley. ''The Central Park Five'' premiered on June 15, 2019 in a production by the Long Beach Opera Company in
San Pedro, California
San Pedro ( ; Spanish: "St. Peter") is a neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles, California. Formerly a separate city, it consolidated with Los Angeles in 1909. The Port of Los Angeles, a major international seaport, is partially located wi ...
. In 2020 the work won him the Pulitzer Prize for Music. He is the third UCSD professor in the university's 60-year history to win a Pulitzer. He commented, "it’s also very exciting for me that you can create political work that has an impact and speak to issues in our society. I’ve done my career creating political works, and I never thought I would ever get a Pulitzer." He learned that he had won the prize while in a Zoom meeting with music faculty colleagues, so they all heard the phone call; one of them later commented "Best Zoombomb ever!"
In 2022, the
Detroit Opera Detroit Opera is the principal opera company in Michigan, USA. The company is based in Detroit, where it performs in the Detroit Opera House. Prior to February 28, 2022, the company was named the Michigan Opera Theatre.
Each year it presents an ...
Robert O'Hara
Robert O'Hara (born 1970) is an American playwright and director. He has written ''Insurrection: Holding History'' and ''Bootycandy''. ''Insurrection'' is a time traveling play exploring racial and sexual identity. ''Bootycandy'' is a series of ...
, with plans to travel to Chicago, Seattle, and the
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...
in New York City in Fall 2023.
Works
Orchestral
*''Wayang V'' (Piano Concerto, 1984)
*''Maps'' (Violin Concerto, 1988)
(These two works were released on Gramavision 18-8807-1, a 12" long playing record, with Davis as soloist in the piano concerto and dedicatee Shem Guibbory as soloist in the violin concerto. In each, the
William McGlaughlin
William McGlaughlin (born October 3, 1943) is an American composer, conductor, music educator, and Peabody Award-winning classical music radio host. He is the host and music director of the public radio programs '' Exploring Music'' and '' S ...
led the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra.)
*''You Have the Right to Remain Silent'' (Clarinet Concerto, 2007)
*''Amistad Symphony'' (2009)
Wakonda's Dream
''Wakonda's Dream'' is an English-language opera composed by American Anthony Davis with a libretto by Yusef Komunyakaa. It premiered March 7, 2007 at Omaha, Nebraska's Orpheum. It is about a contemporary Ponca family and the spiritual journey o ...
'' (2007), with libretto by Yusef Komunyakaa, about a contemporary Ponca family in Nebraska, and the spiritual journey of their son
* ''Lilith'' (2009), with libretto by Allan Havis, explores a figure from Jewish mythology, sometimes said to be Adam's first wife, set in modern times
* ''Lear on the 2nd Floor'' (2012), with libretto by Allan Havis, shifts the story of
King Lear
''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare.
It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...
to feature a woman neuroscience researcher who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, and her relationships with her three daughters and her late husband Mortimer, the Fool.
* '' The Central Park Five'' (2019), with libretto by Richard Wesley. It premiered on June 15, 2019 by the Long Beach Opera Company in California.
Hidden Voices
''Hidden Voices'' is an album by the Anthony Davis/James Newton Quartet recorded in 1979 for the India Navigation label.Fitzgerald, M. & Ziegler, F.India Navigation Records List accessed November 2, 2015
Reception
Allmusic awarded the album 3 s ...
'' (India Navigation) - with James Newton
*1980: ''
Lady of the Mirrors
''Lady of the Mirrors'' is a solo album by pianist and composer Anthony Davis recorded in 1980 for the India Navigation
India Navigation was an American record company and independent record label that specialized in avant-garde jazz in the 197 ...
MPS
MPS, M.P.S., MPs, or mps may refer to:
Science and technology
* Mucopolysaccharidosis, genetic lysosomal storage disorder
* Mononuclear phagocyte system, cells in mammalian biology
* Myofascial pain syndrome
* Metallopanstimulin
* Potassium perox ...
) - with Jay Hoggard
*1981: ''Epistēmē'' ( Gramavision)
*1982: ''I've Known Rivers'' (Gramavision)
*1982: ''Variations in Dream-Time'' (India Navigation)
*1983: ''Hemispheres'' (Gramavision)
*1984: ''Middle Passage'' (Gramavision)
*1985: ''Return from Space (Wonder Nonfiction)'' (Gramavision)
*1986: ''Undine'' (Gramavision)
*1988: ''Ghost Factory'' (Gramavision)
*1990: ''Trio, Vol. 2'' (Gramavision)
*1989: ''Trio, Vol. 1'' (
Rhino
A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...
)
*1993: ''Lost Moon Sisters/In Dora Ohrenstein's Urban Diva''
*1992: ''X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X'' (Gramavision)
*2001: ''Tania'' (
Koch
Koch may refer to:
People
* Koch (surname), people with this surname
* Koch dynasty, a dynasty in Assam and Bengal, north east India
* Koch family
* Koch people (or Koche), an ethnic group originally from the ancient Koch kingdom in north east ...
)
*2008: ''Amistad'' (
New World
The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...
Soul Note
Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz.
History
Black S ...
Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of ...
Antilles
The Antilles (; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Antiy; es, Antillas; french: Antilles; nl, Antillen; ht, Antiy; pap, Antias; Jamaican Patois: ''Antiliiz'') is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mex ...
, 1982)
With
Marion Brown
Marion Brown (September 8, 1931 – October 18, 2010) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, writer, visual artist, and ethnomusicologist. He was a member of the avant-garde jazz scene in New York City during the 1960s, playing alongs ...
Impulse!
Impulse! Records (occasionally styled as "¡mpulse! Records" and "¡!") is an American jazz record company and label established by Creed Taylor in 1960. John Coltrane was among Impulse!'s earliest signings. Thanks to consistent sales and positiv ...
, 1975)
With
Chico Freeman
Chico Freeman (born Earl Lavon Freeman Jr.; July 17, 1949) is a modern jazz tenor saxophonist and trumpeter and son of jazz saxophonist Von Freeman. He began recording as lead musician in 1976 with ''Morning Prayer'', won the New York Jazz Awar ...
George E. Lewis
George Emanuel Lewis (born July 14, 1952) is an American composer, performer, and scholar of experimental music. He has been a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians ( AACM) since 1971, when he joined the organization ...
Hue and Cry
In common law, a hue and cry is a process by which bystanders are summoned to assist in the apprehension of a criminal who has been witnessed in the act of committing a crime.
History
By the Statute of Winchester of 1285, 13 Edw. I statute 2. ...
'' (Enja, 1992)
With David Murray
* '' Ming'' (Black Saint, 1980)
* ''
Home
A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it ...
'' (Black Saint, 1982)
* ''
David Murray Quintet
''David Murray Quintet'' (subtitled ''with Ray Anderson & Anthony Davis'') is an album by David Murray, recorded in 1994 and released on the Japanese DIW label in 1996. It features performances by Murray, trombonist Ray Anderson, pianist Anthony ...
Wadada Leo Smith
Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (born December 18, 1941) is an American trumpeter and composer, working primarily in the fields of avant-garde jazz and free improvisation. He was one of three finalists for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Music for '' Ten Fr ...
Song of Humanity
''Song of Humanity'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith with the ensemble New Dalta Akhri, which was recorded live at The Gallery, New Haven, and released in 1977 on his own Kabell label. The album was reissued in 2004 as part ...
'' (Kabell, 1977) also released on ''Kabell Years: 1971–1979'' (Tzadik, 2004)
* '' Reflectativity'' (Tzadik, 2000)
* '' Golden Quartet'' (Tzadik, 2000)
* ''
The Year of the Elephant
''The Year of the Elephant'' is the twenty-fifth studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith which was recorded in 2002 and released on Pi Recordings. It was the second recording by his Golden Quartet featuring pianist Anthony Davis, b ...
Cuneiform
Cuneiform is a logo- syllabic script that was used to write several languages of the Ancient Middle East. The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of the Common Era. It is named for the characteristic wedg ...
, 2012)
* ''
America's National Parks
''America's National Parks'' is a two-disc studio album by American jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith.
Background
Smith was given a copy of the Ken Burns documentary '' The National Parks: America's Best Idea'' and wanted to go beyond the concept ...
'' (
Cuneiform
Cuneiform is a logo- syllabic script that was used to write several languages of the Ancient Middle East. The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of the Common Era. It is named for the characteristic wedg ...