Kenny Davis

Kenny is a native of Chicago, Illinois. Kenny's career began with listening to such great R&B artists such as: Earth Wind & Fire, Brothers Johnson and The Temptations, just to name a few. First being self taught, he then studied music theory with David Holder Sr. He then went on to Northeastern Illinois University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education.

Upon entering Northeastern University, he discovered jazz music and he quickly became part of the Chicago jazz scene, playing with Von Freedman, Ari Brown and Fred Anderson. Later, he went on to study classical bass with Warren Benfield of the Davis was the bassist of The Tonight Show Band from September, 1999 thru March, 2002. Chicago Symphony, and had a number of lessons with Jeffrey Bradetich. Some of his jazz influences are Ray Brown, Paul Chambers and Ron Carter. In addition, he also was influenced by the following electric bass musicians: Jaco Pastorius and Verdin White.

He moved to New York in 1986, where he played with Out of the Blue (OTB), and then quickly adapted to the New York scene. While there, he also made a living by doing sessions and jingles. In New York, he began appearing with such artists as: Freddie Hubbard, Cassandra Wilson, Abbey Lincoln, Diane Reeves and Art Farmer, while studying music with Ron Carter.

One of the highlights of his career was being a music arranger for a song on the Grammy Award winning CD by artist Cassandra Wilson, "Blue Light Till Dawn". Throughout the 90's, Davis toured with such notable jazz artists as Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves and Art Farmer. In 1999, Kenny Davis got the call from Kevin Eubanks, then band leader/music director of The Tonight Show Band. Davis was the bassist of The Tonight Show Band from September, 1999 thru March, 2002.

In June, 2002, Kenny Davis moved back to New York and he is again touring, recording and teaching. In May 2006 he recieved his Masters in Music (MA) from Rutgers University. Kenny was the bass teacher at the University of Connecticut (UCONN) from 2003 thru 2009. Also, in May 2006 Kenny received his Master of Music (MA) from Rutgers University. In 2009 Kenny released his first CD as a leader, Kenny Davis on Daken Records.

Don Braden: Earth Wind and Wonder, Vol. 2

Read "Earth Wind and Wonder, Vol. 2" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
June 20, 2023

As on the first recording of this two-volume series, acclaimed tenor saxophonist Don Braden pays tribute to a couple of his coming-of-age idols, singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder and the genre-defying group Earth, Wind and Fire. Braden has chosen four of Wonder's compositions and three associated with EW&F to accompany a pair of his splendid original themes. Braden plays tenor saxophone most of the way, flute and alto flute, respectively on Wonder's “Bird of Beauty" and “Creepin.'" Needless to ...

Liner Notes

Conrad Herwig: A Voice Through the Door

by C. Andrew Hovan
May 5, 2023

In the challenging economic and political climate of present day, it seems that much time is spent on matters of only fleeting importance. Furthermore, it seems that our culture has experienced a paradigm shift that places more emphasis on immediacy and instant fulfillment and less on rumination and appreciation of more profound matters. On the one hand come the duties and obligations that embody day to day survival, but there is also a need for balance. It is this current ...

Album Review

Jay Hoggard: Raise Your Spirit Consciousness

Read "Raise Your Spirit Consciousness" reviewed by La-Faithia White

by La-Faithia White
February 12, 2023

American jazz vibraphonist and composer Jay Hoggard is raising the spiritual consciousness with songs such as “Holy Spirit Consciousness," “Peace To You My Children," “Worship God in Spirit" and “Truth and Love" on Raise Your Spirit Consciousness Raise Your Spirit Consciousness has eight original compositions from Hoggard as well as recreations of original classics by Wayne Shorter, Duke Ellington, Stevie Wonder, and Thad Jones. Hoggard has played with Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, and Tito Puente, other vibraphonists throughout ...

423

Album Review

Kenny Davis: Kenny Davis

Read "Kenny Davis" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
February 9, 2010

He's had an illustrious career since moving to New York in the mid-1980s and hitching a gig with drummer Ralph Peterson Jr. and contemporary mainstreamers Out of the Blue (OTB), but he's waited until now to release an album under his own name. An impressive résumé includes work with M-Base collective saxophonist Steve Coleman's Five Elements; performing--and, on one song, arranging--credits on singer Cassandra Wilson's Grammy Award-winning Blue Light 'Til Dawn (Blue Note, 1993); and subsequent work with artists ranging ...

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Performance / Tour