Daryl Davis

Biography

Daryl Davis earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Howard University, where he was a member of their famed Howard University Choir and renowned Jazz Vocal Ensemble. In addition to being a vocalist, guitarist, composer and keyboard extraordinaire, Daryl is a professional actor and author.

In 1985, 72 year-old Pinetop Perkins, one of the founding fathers of Boogie Woogie and considered to be one of the greatest Blues and Boogie pianists, selected 27 year-old Daryl Davis to succeed him in the piano and vocal slot of the Muddy Waters Legendary Blues Band.
Johnnie Johnson, Chuck Berry's original pianist, has praised Daryl's ability to master with authenticity, a style that was popular 30 years before he was born!

As a performer, Daryl Davis has worked with countless greats such as Elvis Presley's Jordanaires, The Coasters and he is a long-standing, regular player, in Chuck Berry's current band. He was the featured pianist on Cephas & Wiggins' 1992 Grammy Award winning album, Flip Flop and Fly.

As a composer, in addition to his own hits Boogie Man and Broadminded and many other originals, Daryl scored the music to the popular children's story, Abigail.

After having been with so many others helping them to do their thing in nightclubs, concert halls, festivals, recording, films, radio and television, from the United States to Europe, don't miss seeing Daryl Davis with his group doing his own thing!

Following the Channel Four programme on Daryl and his music, he is now booking to tour Europe, promoting his new release 'American Roots'. close

Reviews

Album: American Roots

Rippling the keys on a pile-driving boogie(Living Blues)

Daryl Davis sounds like an interesting guy - born in Chicago in 1958, he has a bachelor's degree in music from Howard University in Washington, D.C. (which has become his home), and is the author of a book about interacting with the Ku Klux Klan. More to the point, he is a singer and keyboard player with an affinity as the title indicates for American roots music. read more

More specifically, Davis is into '50's rock'n'roll, his influences obvious from the booklet photos depicting him alongside half a dozen of his heroes: Chuck Berry, Johnnie Johnson, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, and Pinetop Perkins. He kicks off the all-original play list by pounding and rippling the keys on a pile-driving boogie and offers a different twist on the same theme on Let Me Boogie With Your Woogie. The tempo stays up for We All Owe A Debt (to Chuck Berry) and the Little Richard - doo wop hybrid Karen Lee, as well as for the country-tinged One Foot In The Graveyard (and "one hand on the nurse"), and Broadminded, with help from Bob Margolin's guitar and Ron Holloway's raucous tenor sax. No one-trick pony, Davis explores rock'n'roll's blues roots on Double D Blues, an After Hours-like tribute to Johnson, and the closer, an updated interpretation of Pinetop Boogie. More modern blues sounds are heard on the horn-driven, up tempo, Leave Me Alone and the downbeat I'm Coming Back, going back to the country, with Phil Wiggins joining the band on harp, is drawn from the title Key To The Highway, family of melodies and Romp In The Swamp, with the leader doubling on accordion, is a zydeco-style burner with just a touch of New Orleans second line rhythm.

Throughout, Davis' piano work impresses with its willing combination of technique and abandon, and his vocals are strong and assured, making American Roots noteworthy debut black rock and roll lives!

Find this one and do yourself a favour!(Blues Art Studio)

It is not surprising to find Daryl Davis pushing a solo career. The Maryland musician has developed his keyboards skills utilizing mentors like Johnnie Johnson, Pinetop Perkins, Fats Domino, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. His hot boogie-woogie and rock and roll piano work was also academically grounded by his education in music at Howard University, and further employ in country and bluegrass bands. He has also integrated interests in Professor Longhair, Dr. John, Oscar Peterson, B.B./Albert/and Freddie King, Clifton Chenier and other blues personalities. read more

With a mixed bag of piano pieces that reflect rock, boogie-woogie, barrelhouse, doo-wop, and sometimes zydeco melodies, Davis shows why he became a popular backing player behind Chuck Berry, The Coasters, Bo Diddley, and Elvis Presley's Jordanaires. He was picked by Pinetop Perkins to take over the piano and vocal slot he (Pinetop) was vacating in the Muddy Water's Legendary Blues Band in 1985.

Davis has written all twelve of the cuts on the disc, and the cross-genre jumping tunes will keep a hearty shake going. These are exemplary compositions often featuring his seeming effortless piano work, great guitars, and powerful support behind. With a group of over twenty various backing musicians to choose from, Davis plays a big band sound in small ensembles. Special guests Bob Margolin, Phil Wiggins and saxist Ron Holloway (Dizzy Gillespie band) enliven the biscuit as well.

Opening with rippin' ivory work on his theme song, "I'm A Boogie Man", Davis heads right into the thrilling and horn-accented "Leave Me Alone". Rock and roll right into "We All Owe A Debt" and continue the romp with "Let Me Boogie With Your Woogie". Spice ... Like Wiggin's harmonica on "Going Back To The Country", Davis' accordion lines on "Romp In The Swamp", and Margolin's broadaxe swingin' on "Broadminded" make this a flavour-filled collection of piano-based tunes.

To the end, this platter has dynamite music including even jazz-inflected instrumentals like "Double 'D' Blues" and the deeply blue "I'm Coming Back". Rock, boogie, blues, and barrelhouse fun throughout. You won't want to sit down after putting this on ... bet on it!

Find this one and do yourself a favour!