Double Bass | 1930-2023

Born in Chicago, Illinois on 15 April 1930, Richard Davis became one of the most recorded and versatile bassists in history, appearing on over 3,000 recordings spanning jazz, classical, rock, and pop before his death in Madison, Wisconsin on 6 September 2023, aged 93. Raised by Robert and Elmora Johnson, he studied double bass under legendary educator Walter Dyett who insisted he master both classical and jazz. He attended VanderCook College of Music whilst playing orchestras and jazz combos at night, working with Sun Ra and Ahmad Jamal before moving to New York City in 1954 with pianist Don Shirley.

Davis toured with Sarah Vaughan from 1957 to 1960 before becoming one of the 1960s' most in-demand bassists, recording over 20 groundbreaking albums in 1964 alone including Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch!, Andrew Hill's Point of Departure, and Tony Williams' Life Time. His 1967 co-led Heavy Sounds with Elvin Jones showcased his extended "Summertime" solo. Producer Lewis Merenstein enlisted Davis to musically direct Van Morrison's 1968 Astral Weeks, calling him "the soul of the record". A founding member of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra from 1966 to 1972, he won DownBeat's Best Bassist poll eight consecutive years. Equally at home in classical music, he performed under Leonard Bernstein, Igor Stravinsky, and Leopold Stokowski. In 1977, he joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison, founding the Richard Davis Foundation for Young Bassists in 1993 and becoming a 2014 NEA Jazz Master.