Ron Davis (jazz musician)
| Ron Davis | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin |  Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupations | Musician Composer |
| Instruments | piano |
| Website | www.rondavismusic.com |
Ron Davis is a pianist and composer based in Toronto, Canada. Davis' performances and musical creations have earned critical acclaim in Canada and abroad, including comparisons to jazz greats like Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum.[1] Davis has released seven full-length albums to date. His most recent, "My Mother's Father's Song," is his first all trio recording. A celebrated 1930's Polish song about Davis' maternal grandfather lends its title to the album.
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[edit] Career and Musical Influences
Davis’ roots are firmly planted in stride and swing, though he's retained a clean and straightforward playing style. He studied at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto before playing piano professionally in the 1970s, and studied with the late Darwyn Aitken, a student of classical great David Saperton and jazz legend Oscar Peterson. These early influences are still reflected in the style and tone of Davis’ musical creations.
Davis and his collaborators have performed all over the world, including Asia which he has toured four times. A jazz pianist in the solo tradition, he has also been featured as the opening act for jazz legend Dave Holland and his quintet. SymphRonica superimposes his unique brand of jazz on the traditional symphonic landscape.
As a composer, Davis released Rhythmaron: The Music of Ron Davis in 2008, a deluxe compendium of 23 original tunes. Davis' written word compositions include Pianobabbler, his irreverent, urbane blog of musical musings.
Davis has also led ongoing jazz series: Ron Davis and Friends and Gate 403 Jam Session. Playing Along to Surpass is Davis' hand on and ears on workshop, where he teaches how to translate jazz performance techniques into business success.
Outside of music, Davis was an Assistant Professor in the French Department at the University of Toronto from 1993 to 1998, and also practiced law until 2002, before focusing mainly on musicianship and composing. He’s published and edited numerous articles and books on music, linguistics and law.
[edit] Critical Acclaim
Davis has garnered critical acclaim for his work, both in Canada and abroad. Davis was named by CBC's Dreamstream as one of the "best undiscovered jazz acts" in the Canada, and was chosen as one of 10 pianists in radio JazzFM's "Flying Fingers" piano gala. His music has also invited comparisons with the great jazz pianist Art Tatum.
| “ | Ron Davis, who in my mind, just might be the best Jazz pianist in Canada right now. | ” |
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—Joe Montague, Publisher and Senior Editor of Riveting Riffs Magazine [2] |
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| “ | Toronto’s ... Ron Davis Trio has been one of Canada’s hottest acts in both bop and pop circles for many years, and it’s obvious why. Offering the daring stabs of Monk and the lushly evocative swoops of Art Tatum, pianist Davis’s bold runs crackle with confidence, and his flawless upright-and-drums backup illuminates every note! | ” |
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—Editor's Review, CNET, Download.com[1] |
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Davis' 2005 CD Shimmering Rhythm received praise from music critics and fans alike:
| “ | The term tour de force has often been used to describe a lot of things that aren’t, but Shimmering Rhythm qualifies for the honor ten times over... Shimmering Rhythm is delightfully varied, expertly composed and performed, and retains a universal appeal without selling itself or the listener short. This is the kind of album that, for any number of reasons, could easily slip past the international jazz scene’s peripheral vision - which would be a shame, because it has the potential to win converts while entertaining veteran listeners. | ” |
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—E. J. Ianelli, All About Jazz[3] |
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[edit] Discography
| Album cover | Album information |
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| My Mother's Father's Song (2010)
"Digging deep into a family's history and heritage can reveal a goldmine of inspirational nuggets." - Alain Londes, allaboutjazz.com. |
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| The Bestseller (2008)
"Splendid new recording... killer playing" - Errol Nazareth on 'The Bestseller' |
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| Subarashii Live (2007)
"Overall rating: awesome!" WholeNote Magazine |
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| Shimmering Rhythm (2005)
Jazz meets classical meets klezmer meets pop, and back to jazz again |
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| Mungle Music (2004)
One reviewer said, "... turns up the heat for Mungle Music without sacrificing the pure tone and harmonic clarity of his keyboards." |
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| So Much (2003)'
Nominated Jazz Album of the Year in the Canadian Music Week Independent Awards |
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| SoloDuo Trio (2002)
A collection, as the title says, of solo pieces, duos and trios, featuring San Murata on violin, Pat Wheeler on sax, and some vocals by Lori Cullen |
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b "Editor's Review". CNET, Download.com. 2005. http://music.download.com/rondavistrio/3600-8510-100597142.html?tag=quickurl. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
- ^ http://www.rivetingriffs.com/
- ^ "Independent Exposure Part I". All About Jazz. 2005. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=18999. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
