Art Davis

Biography

Davis was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States, where he began studying the piano at the age of five, switched to tuba, and finally to bass while attending high school. He studied at Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music but graduated from Hunter College.

As a New York session musician, he recorded with many jazz and pop musicians and also in symphony orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic. He recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, and John Coltrane among other jazz musicians. Art Davis was a professor at Orange Coast College.

Davis is also known for starting a legal case that led to blind auditions for orchestras.

Davis earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from New York University in 1982. He moved in 1986 to southern California, where he balanced his teaching and practicing of psychology with jazz performances.

Davis died on July 29, 2007, following a heart attack. He was survived by two sons and a daughter.

Discography

As leader

Reemergence (Interplay, 1980) - with Hilton Ruiz, Greg Bandy

Life (Soul Note, 1985) - with John Hicks, Idris Muhammad, Pharoah Sanders

A Time Remembered (Jazz Planet, 1995) - with Ravi Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Marvin Smith

As sideman

With Gene Ammons

Up Tight! (Prestige, 1961)

Boss Soul! (Prestige, 1961)

With John Coltrane

Africa/Brass (Impulse!, 1961)

Olé Coltrane (Impulse!, 1961)

Ascension (Impulse!, 1965)

The John Coltrane Quartet Plays (Impulse!, 1965)

Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy (Impulse!, 2023) – rec. 1961

With Dizzy Gillespie

Gillespiana (Verve, 1960)

Carnegie Hall Concert (Verve, 1961)

With Freddie Hubbard

The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard (Impulse!, 1960)

Ready for Freddie (Blue Note, 1961)

With Elvin Jones

Elvin! (Riverside, 1962) – rec. 1961–1962

And Then Again (Atlantic, 1965)

With Tisziji Munoz

Visiting This Planet (Anami Music, 1980's)

Hearing Voices (Anami Music, 1980's)

With Max Roach

Max Roach + 4 at Newport (EmArcy, 1958)