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Wild Bill Davis
Wild Bill Davis was the top cat among organists prior to the rise of Jimmy Smith in 1956. He could be credited for taking the instrument from the swing era into the R&B infected jazz of the early ‘50’s, and was a pioneer in the organ trio format. He could swing like crazy, grind out dirty blues, or could play in a laid back easy listening style. He originally played guitar and wrote arrangements for Milt Larkin's legendary band during 1939-42. Davis also played piano with Louis Jordan's Tympany Five (1945- 49) before switching to organ in 1950 and heading his own influential organ/guitar/drums trios. Together with guitarist Floyd Smith and drummer Chris Columbus, Davis set the framework for the jazz organ combo sound. In addition to working with his own groups in the 1960s, Davis made several albums with his friend Johnny Hodges, leading to tours during 1969-71 with Duke Ellington. He was featured organist on “Blue for New Orleans,” from “New Orleans Suite.” In the '70s he recorded for Black & Blue with a variety of swing all-stars, including a stellar dates with tenor man Buddy Tate, bluesman Memphis Slim, and played with Lionel Hampton, appearing at festivals through the early '90s. He held an enduring tenure at Atlantic City’s Little Belmont club, where he played every summer from the ‘50’s to the ‘90’s. He died in 1995 during convalescence following a road accident.
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Wild Bill Davis: The Everest Years
![Read "The Everest Years" reviewed by David Rickert](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/old/styles/wbdavis2005.jpg)
by David Rickert
Will Bill Davis was the pioneer of the organ in jazz, but got left bobbing in the wake after gentlemen like Jimmy Smith and Baby Face Willette hit the scene. However, while hanging around in the margins, Davis continued to plug on, demonstrating that he could hang with the best of them. The Everest Years collects four different sessions that he led for the label, and while the results are somewhat uneven, the end result is a pleasant organ-filled jaunt.
read moreWild Bill Davis: The Everest Years
![Read "The Everest Years" reviewed by Norman Weinstein](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/old/styles/wbdavis2005.jpg)
by Norman Weinstein
This CD is an extraordinary sampling of the antics of Wild Bill Davis on the Hammond B-3 organ, as collected from five albums on the Everest label. With all of the renewed interest in jazz organ lately--Tori Amos listening to vintage Jimmy Smith sessions, etc.--this is a timely reissue. With due respect to Jimmy Smith, Davis might be the more tasteful and entertaining organist of the two. He seems less prone to the cliches that have sometimes littered Smith's looser ...
read moreVideos: Wild Bill Davis + Duke
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Earlier this week, I posted on the tasty genius of organ pioneer Wild Bill Davis. Here are two videos featuring Davis, both with Duke Ellington. On one, he joins the band on Satin Doll. On the other, you get to hear what April in Paris might have sounded like had he made it to the 1955 Count Basie recording session for Verve: Here's Davis's first recording of Ellington-Strayhorn's Satin Doll in 1959 backed bywith George Clarke (ts) Bill Jennings (g) ...
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Wild Bill Davis & Johnny Hodges
![Wild Bill Davis & Johnny Hodges](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/a9d9733fa359fd7532343ad79070d045.jpg)
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Before Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Big John Patton, Jimmy McGriff, Brother Jack McDuff, Groove Holmes and all the other organists you know, there was Wild Bill Davis. Born in Missouri, Davis started his recording career in 1945 as organist and arranger for Louis Jordan and His Tympani Five, one of the leading pioneers of rhythm and blues. When Davis left Jordan in 1951, he led a trio and began recording for Okeh. Perhaps his best known recording today is April ...
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Lockjaw Davis + Wild Bill Davis
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Tenor saxophonist Eddie Lockjaw" Davis (above) and organist Wild Bill Davis recorded together intermittently in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. Their first session together was in 1959 on Arnett Cobb's Blow, Arnett, Blow for Prestige. Then, they were together on Sonny Stitt's The Matadors Meet The Bull: Stitt for Roulette in 1966. Finally, there was a series of recordings in France in 1976 for the Black & White label. The first was a live date in the town of Chateauneuf ...
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Wild Bill Davis: April in Paris
![Wild Bill Davis: April in Paris](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/6d96962336dec26e142749b47de84e5e.jpg)
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Count Basie's most famous and best-selling recording is April in Paris. Captured at New York's Fine Sound studios in July 1955, the song was arranged by organist Wild Bill Davis. Here's a passage from Chris Albertson's superb liner notes that accompany the Mosaic box, The Complete Clef/Verve Count Basie Fifties Studio Recordings: Organist Wild Bill Davis wrote this arrangement, giving it a decided organ feel and making other departures that its composer surely welcomed... The touch that makes this arrangement such ...
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