Jackie Davis

Jackie Davis
Davis on the cover of his 1958 album
Most Happy Hammond
Background information
Born (1920-12-13)December 13, 1920
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Died November 2, 1999(1999-11-02) (aged 78)
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Genres Jazz, soul jazz
Occupation(s) Musician, bandleader
Instruments Hammond organ
Years active 1951–1980
Labels Capitol, Warner Bros., EMI
Associated acts Louis Jordan
Website jackiedavis.info

Jackie Davis (December 13, 1920 – November 2, 1999) was an American soul jazz singer, organist and bandleader. He is notable for his contributions in bringing the Hammond organ to the forefront of jazz and pop, preceding the better-known Jimmy Smith by several years.[1]

Life and career

Davis was born and grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and started playing piano at the age of ten, before studying music at Florida A&M. He experimented with jazz on the pipe organ, before switching to the Hammond. He was influenced by Wild Bill Davis and Bill Doggett, and after a spell backing Louis Jordan, he started fronting his own jazz groups.[2][3]

His solo career began in earnest after a residency at the Club Harlem in Philadelphia in 1951, and from there he began touring across the US, with the Hammond now being his trademark. He notably preceded Jimmy Smith in using the instrument in small jazz combos.[1] Regular touring led to a recording contract with Capitol, with whom he recorded several albums. His initial sessions were on a Model B, but by the time he recorded Hi-Fi Hammond Vol.2, he had upgraded to the classic B-3.[1]

In the 1960s, he signed to Warner Bros. Records, releasing Easy Does It as The Jackie Davis Quartet, following it up with Jackie Davis Plus Voices, which also featured the Sid Bass Chorus on backing vocals. For this album, Davis put more of an emphasis on his vocal skills, using the Hammond sparingly.[1]

He made a brief comeback in 1980, recording a self-titled album for EMI, and making a cameo appearance in the film Caddyshack as the country club valet Porterhouse. He kept Jacksonville as his homebase and died on November 2, 1999 following a stroke.[3]

Legacy

While Davis is remembered mostly as a jazz organist, he was capable of a wide variety of styles, though he himself preferred to focus on jazz. In 1963, in an interview for the Hammond Times, he thought "the term 'jazz' is vastly overworked and misused ... Basically, jazz is a style of making music."[1] He felt that the Hammond gave him the versatility he needed to emulate the sound of a big band in a small group. Author and Hammond enthusiast Scott Faragher feels that Davis' recorded output has been overlooked because it sounds dated, but stresses his importance in giving the Hammond recognition in the jazz and pop world should not be underestimated.[1]

Shirley Scott stated her playing was influenced by Davis, claiming he knew "everything about the Hammond organ" and was impressed with his ability to manipulate the instrument.[4]

Discography

Studio albums

YearTitleLabelFormatNotes
1952The Jackie Davis TrioTrend TL-1010LP
1956Hi-Fi HammondCapitol T-686LP
1956OrganisticsKapp KL-1030LP
1957Chasing ShadowsCapitol T-815LP
1958Jumpin' JackieCapitol T-974LP
1958Most Happy HammondCapitol T-1046LP
1959Hammond Gone Cha-ChaCapitol T-1338LP
1959Jackie Davis Meets the TrombonesCapitol T-1180LP
1960Tiger on the HammondCapitol T-1419LP
1960Hi-Fi Hammond Vol 2Capitol T-1517LP
1962Big Beat HammondCapitol T-1686LP
1963Easy Does ItWarner Brothers W-1492LP
1963Jackie Davis Plus VoicesWarner Brothers W-1515LPwith Sid Bass Chorus
1968The Sacred Side of Jackie DavisBrunswick BL-754143LP
Jackie Davis Plays The Park PlazaRCA PC/PCS-1061LP
Jackie Davis Entertains!Columbia EL-112LP
1980Jackie DavisEMI 1A 054-26474LP
2007Jackie Davis (reissue)Fonos LP-9410CD

Compilations

YearTitleLabelFormatNotes
1970The Best of Jackie DavisCapitol 5C 054.80309LP
1996Mambo Fever - Ultra-Lounge Vol 2Capitol CDP 7243 8 32564 2 6CD
1996Organs in Orbit - Ultra-Lounge Vol 11Capitol CDP 7243 8 37597 2 9CD
2001The Story of Jazz - Jackie DavisEMI 724357621526CD
2008Jumping Hi-Fi HammondJasmine JASCD 472CD

As sideman

Rel.PerformerTitleLabelFormatNotes
1955Dinah WashingtonAfter Hours with Miss DEmarcy MG 36028LP, CD
1958Louis JordanMan We're Wailin'Mercury MG 20331LP
1978Ella FitzgeraldLady TimePablo 2310 825LP, CD

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Faragher, Scott (2011). The Hammond Organ : An introduction to the instrument and the players who made it famous. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 235–237. ISBN 978-1-4584-0287-5.
  2. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Jackie Davis – Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine (editors). All Music Guide to Jazz: The Definitive Guide to Jazz Music. Backbeat Books. p. 305. ISBN 978-0-87930-717-2.
  4. ↑ Enstice, Wayne (2004). Jazzwomen: Conversations with Twenty-one Musicians, Volume 1. Indiana University Press. p. 291. ISBN 978-0-253-34436-6.
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