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Paul Davies
Born in Epsom, Surrey in 1953 Paul Davies starts to teach himself guitar at the age of fourteen. Previous to this he had played the drums and had sung in the school choir. He listens to practically all the groups of that era, Cream, Taste, Ten Years After, Jimi Hendrix etc. At the age of sixteen he discovers jazz musicians such as Wes Montgomery, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Grant Green through listening to the American Forces Network radio. At the same time he also listens to Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Bartok, Vaughan Williams as well as taking a keen interest in literature and art. At leaving school for university his interests develop to include the cinema (Bunuel, Truffaut), the English jazz and free jazz scene (John Surman, John Maclaughlin, Alan Skidmore, Dave Holland, Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Tony Oxley) and contempory music (Stockhausen, Berio, Steve Reich). Starts experimenting with repetetive music using an acoustic guitar and a tape machine a la Terry Riley. Lecturer George Brown allows him to use the Goldsmiths College electronic music studio, of which he takes full advantage. Lives in France.
Awards
The Paul Davies "Keep Playing Without Starving to Death Award"
Tags
John Cratchley
Chants Paul Davies
One of the joys of BC is the chance discovery of new and distinctive music...such a find is Paul Davies. If I say that this music is delightful I certainly do not mean to damn with faint praise. These short improvisations are promise crammed with thoughtful and clever ideas and they delight the senses. His tone and attack remind me strongly of Bill Frisell (but he is no copyist). I would really like to hear Paul stretch out on a long form piece but in the meantime I will content myself with playing this album again and again!
Improvisations Iprovisations with & without machines Paul Davies
