{"title":"Walter Davis Jr.","description":"\u003cp\u003eBorn in Richmond, Virginia on 2 September 1932, Walter Davis Jr. became an exceptional hard bop and bebop pianist known for his commanding, percussive style and inventive compositions. Raised in East Orange, New Jersey in a musical family with a gospel-singing mother and father and uncles who played church and stride piano, Davis was a gifted classical pianist before hearing Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in the Billy Eckstine big band changed his life. In 1949, aged 17, he played his first gig with Bird at the Apollo, impressing Parker so much that he asked Davis's mother if he could take him on tour. Mentored by Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell, Davis moved to New York in the early 1950s, recording with Max Roach in 1953 and joining Dizzy Gillespie's band in 1956, touring the Middle East and South America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis debut album as leader, \u003cem\u003eDavis Cup\u003c\/em\u003e, was recorded on 2 August 1959 at Rudy Van Gelder's newly constructed Englewood Cliffs studio, the first album recorded there, featuring Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, Sam Jones, and Art Taylor on six Davis originals. That same year he joined Art Blakey \u0026amp; the Jazz Messengers, beginning a long relationship with Blakey who loved Davis's compositions and recorded many of them, including \"Uranus\", \"Backgammon\", \"Jodi\", \"Gypsy Folk Tales\", and \"Scorpio Rising\". In the 1960s Davis retired from music to work as a tailor, painter, and designer, marrying songwriter Mayme Watts, but returned in the late 1960s and 1970s, playing with Sonny Rollins and rejoining the Jazz Messengers in 1975. He contributed to the Clint Eastwood film \u003cem\u003eBird\u003c\/em\u003e (1988) soundtrack and had a role on CBS television's \u003cem\u003eFrank's Place\u003c\/em\u003e. Davis died in New York City on 2 June 1990, aged 57.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"walter-davis-jr-davis-cup-1989-japanese-blue-note-stereo-lp-limited-edition","title":"Walter Davis Jr. - Davis Cup (1989 Japanese Blue Note Stereo LP Limited Edition)","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"1061\" data-end=\"1214\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVinyl\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: NM\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSleeve\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: NM\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObi:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e None\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOur grading system explained \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/dpbg4u-d1.myshopify.com\/pages\/secondhand-grading-guide\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehere\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhoto is of the actual item.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWalter Davis Jr. - \u003cem\u003eDavis Cup\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVinyl LP - 1989 Japanese Blue Note LP Last Reissue Limited Edition Stereo with Insert\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePianist Walter Davis Jr.'s sole Blue Note session as leader captures the hard bop master leading an all-star quintet featuring trumpeter Donald Byrd, alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Taylor. Recorded on 2 August 1959 at Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood Cliffs studio and produced by Alfred Lion, the six Davis originals demonstrate his compositional gifts and his commanding piano style that made him a sought-after sideman for Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and other leading groups. Released in Japan on 8 November 1989 as the first in Blue Note's LP Last Reissue programme and manufactured by Toshiba EMI with Westrex 3D-II cutting, this limited edition stereo pressing includes Japanese insert.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavis' compositions showcase hard bop's full range, from the uptempo burners \"'Smake It\" and \"Loodle-Lot\" through the more contemplative \"Sweetness\" to the Latin-influenced \"Rhumba Nhumba\". The frontline pairing of Byrd and McLean represents complementary approaches: Byrd's warm, rounded trumpet tone meeting McLean's more angular, intense alto saxophone sound. Davis' piano work combines bebop fluency with blues feeling, his comping providing both harmonic support and rhythmic drive. The rhythm section of Jones and Taylor, both Blue Note mainstays, swings relentlessly while responding sensitively to the soloists' directions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVan Gelder's recording captures the quintet with characteristic clarity, the stereo format allowing spatial separation between the horns while maintaining ensemble cohesion. Despite this being Davis' only Blue Note date as leader (he would appear as sideman on many others), the session demonstrates why he was so valued by bandleaders: solid compositional craft, excellent piano technique, and the ability to both support and inspire fellow musicians.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Blue Note","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43200549224507,"sku":null,"price":100.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/IMG_6055.jpg?v=1770498561"}],"url":"https:\/\/lushliferecords.com.au\/collections\/walter-davis-jr.oembed","provider":"Lush Life Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}