released February 12, 2019

[EN] Richard Davis (April 15, 1930 – September 6, 2023) was an American jazz bassist. Among his best-known contributions to the albums of others are Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch!, Andrew Hill's Point of Departure, and Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, of which critic Greil Marcus wrote (in The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll), "Richard Davis provided the greatest bass ever heard on a rock album."
30 – September 6, 2023) was an American jazz bassist. Among his best-known contributions to the albums of others are Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch!, Andrew Hill's Point of Departure, and Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, of which critic Greil Marcus wrote (in The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll), "Richard Davis provided the greatest bass ever heard on a rock album."

Born on April 15, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, Davis began his musical career with his brothers, singing bass in his family's vocal trio. He studied double bass in high school with his music theory teacher and band director, Walter Dyett. He was a member of Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (then known as the Youth Orchestra of Greater Chicago) and played in the orchestra's first performance at Chicago's Orchestra Hall on November 14, 1947. After high school, he studied double bass with Rudolf Fahsbender of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra while attending VanderCook College of Music.
After college, Davis performed in dance bands. The connections he made led him to pianist Don Shirley. In 1954, he and Shirley moved to New York City and performed together until 1956, when Davis began playing with the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra. In 1957, he became part of Sarah Vaughan's rhythm section, touring and recording with her until 1960.
During the 1960s, Davis was in demand in a variety of musical circles. He worked with many of the small jazz groups of the time, including those led by Eric Dolphy, Jaki Byard, Booker Ervin, Andrew Hill, Elvin Jones, and Cal Tjader. From 1966 to 1972, he was a member of The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. He has also played with Don Sebesky, Oliver Nelson, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson and Ahmad Jamal.
Davis recorded with pop and rock musicians in the 1970s, appearing on Laura Nyro's Smile, Van Morrison's Astral Weeks (for which Davis also served as de facto bandleader during the recording sessions), and Bruce Springsteen's Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. and Born to Run. During his career he performed classical music with conductors Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Leopold Stokowski, and Gunther Schuller.
After living in New York City for 23 years, he moved to Wisconsin in 1977 and became a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, teaching bass, jazz history, and improvisation. His former students include William Parker, David Ephross, Sandor Ostlund, Hans Sturm, Alex Kalfayan, Ryan Maxwell and Karl E. H. Seigfried.
Richard Davis died on September 6, 2023, after two years in hospice care. He was 93.

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Richard Davis (15 avril 1930 - 6 septembre 2023) était un contrebassiste de jazz américain. Parmi ses contributions les plus célèbres aux albums d'autres artistes figurent Out to Lunch! d'Eric Dolphy, Point of Departure d'Andrew Hill et Astral Weeks de Van Morrison, dont le critique Greil Marcus écrivit (dans The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll) : "Richard Davis a offert la meilleure basse jamais entendue sur un album de rock."

Né le 15 avril 1930 à Chicago, Illinois, Davis a commencé sa carrière musicale avec ses frères, chantant la basse dans le trio vocal familial. Il a étudié la contrebasse au lycée avec son professeur de théorie musicale et directeur de la fanfare, Walter Dyett. Il a été membre des Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (alors connu sous le nom de Youth Orchestra of Greater Chicago) et a joué lors de la première représentation de l'orchestre à l'Orchestra Hall de Chicago le 14 novembre 1947. Après le lycée, il a étudié la contrebasse avec Rudolf Fahsbender de l'Orchestre symphonique de Chicago tout en fréquentant le VanderCook College of Music.
Après ses études, Davis a joué dans des orchestres de danse. Les contacts qu'il a noués l'ont conduit au pianiste Don Shirley. En 1954, lui et Shirley ont déménagé à New York et ont joué ensemble jusqu'en 1956, année où Davis a commencé à jouer avec l'orchestre Sauter-Finegan. En 1957, il est devenu membre de la section rythmique de Sarah Vaughan, tournant et enregistrant avec elle jusqu'en 1960.
Pendant les années 1960, Davis était très demandé dans divers cercles musicaux. Il a travaillé avec de nombreux petits groupes de jazz de l'époque, dont ceux dirigés par Eric Dolphy, Jaki Byard, Booker Ervin, Andrew Hill, Elvin Jones et Cal Tjader. De 1966 à 1972, il a été membre du Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. Il a également joué avec Don Sebesky, Oliver Nelson, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson et Ahmad Jamal.
Davis a enregistré avec des musiciens pop et rock dans les années 1970, apparaissant sur Smile de Laura Nyro, Astral Weeks de Van Morrison (où Davis a également joué le rôle de fait de chef de groupe lors des sessions d'enregistrement) et Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. et Born to Run de Bruce Springsteen. Au cours de sa carrière, il a interprété de la musique classique avec les chefs d'orchestre Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Leopold Stokowski et Gunther Schuller.
Après avoir vécu à New York pendant 23 ans, il a déménagé dans le Wisconsin en 1977 et est devenu professeur à l'Université du Wisconsin–Madison, enseignant la contrebasse, l'histoire du jazz et l'improvisation. Parmi ses anciens élèves figurent William Parker, David Ephross, Sandor Ostlund, Hans Sturm, Alex Kalfayan, Ryan Maxwell et Karl E. H. Seigfried.
Richard Davis est décédé le 6 septembre 2023, après deux ans de soins palliatifs. Il avait 93 ans.