Steve Davis Meets Hank Jones, Vol. 1 Steve Davis

• 1 Interface 05:28
• 2 Isn't it Romantic 04:19
• 3 Polka Dots and Moonbeams 06:00
• 4 Cry Me a River 05:32
• 5 But Beautiful 04:46
• 6 We'll Be Together Again 05:12
• Total Runtime 31:17

Info for Steve Davis Meets Hank Jones, Vol. 1

Steve Davis Meets Hank Jones, Vol. 1 features the legendary pianist in one of his final recordings on a poetic and interactive session with leader/trombonist Steve Davis and bassist Peter Washington.

In June 2008, pianist Hank Jones, trombonist Steve Davis, and bassist Peter Washington recorded this poetic, interactive, impeccably executed, never-before-released recital, titled "Steve Davis Meets Hank Jones" shortly after Jones had undergone quadruple bypass heart surgery at the end of 2006 and a month before he turned 90. Not only is it one of Jones’ final sessions, but it is one of the finest of his extraordinary career.

“It was one of the greatest musical experiences of my life,” says Davis of his sixth Smoke Sessions leader release. “Wherever I wanted to go, Hank was there – not in your way, but ready to support you, to take you somewhere. It was the essence of jazz – that thing that happens between us when we play and create and speak the language in real-time. My idea was that it would be like Hank and Peter playing duo at Bradley’s (the iconic Greenwich Village piano saloon where Jones played regularly until the early 1990s), with me sitting in, trying not to mess it up.”

The result has Davis improvising melodic variations with an enveloping, vocalized tone, phrasing long, logical lines with fluid propulsion, propelled by Washington’s elegant, unerringly kinetic flow. The music represents Jones’ genius perhaps more successfully than any other album he made during the final decade of his life. “Hank embodied the history of jazz,” Davis says. “It encompasses this decades-long span of jazz music, and somehow is distilled into this absolute direct concept. When you hear him play stride piano, the blues, the American Songbook, swing, bebop. You hear the French Impressionists, Chopin. You hear modern jazz, or perhaps what influenced pianists like Herbie Hancock or Bill Evans or McCoy Tyner, all the pianists we regard as the ones who’ve led us into the future. Hank is all of it.”

"All exquisite standard fare played with precision, class, and joy." - Jim Hynes, Glide Magazine

"Jones’ playing, steeped in the blues, provides a sturdy framework for Davis’ ultra-melodic lead work..." - Michael Toland, The Big Takeover

Steve Davis, trombone
Hank Jones, piano
Peter Washington, bass

Recorded on June 17, 2008 at JLP Studio, South Orange, New Jersey
Engineered by John Lee
Mixed and Mastered by Chris Allen
Produced by Paul Stache & Damon Smith

Steve Davis
is widely regarded one of today’s leading voices on the trombone. Davis first gained widespread recognition with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (‘90) composing the title track of Blakey’s last album, One For All (A&M). In the years since, Steve has worked with a broad range of jazz luminaries such as Jackie McLean, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Golson, Slide Hampton’s World of Trombones, Cecil Payne, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Cedar Walton, Harold Mabern, Larry Willis, Roy Hargrove, Willie Jones III, Joe Farnsworth, Eric Alexander & One For All. Davis has also been a steady member of big bands led by Jimmy Heath, Ron Carter, Christian McBride and John Lee & The Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars.

Steve has appeared on The Jimmy Fallon Show with Stevie Wonder and at The White House Tribute to Ray Charles (PBS). Davis plays on over 200 recordings, including 20 as a leader. His recent releases on Smoke Sessions include “Meets Hank Jones Vol.1 & 2”, featuring Steve in a trio setting recorded in 2008 with renowned bassist Peter Washington & legendary pianist Hank Jones and “We See”, which features Davis in a live setting along with a stellar lineup including Eddie Henderson, Ralph Moore, Renee Rosnes, Essiet Essiet and Lewis Nash. Additionally, Davis and pianist David Hazeltine are featured on the cooperatively-led CD “Primary Influences” (Cellar Live).These albums have all received extensive critical acclaim.

Steve’s original composition, “Optimism” appears on the McBride Big Band’s Grammy Award winning release Bringin’ It (2018). Davis also received a Grammy for playing on Chick Corea’s Spanish Heart Band release “Antidote” (2019). Davis collaborates with his wife, vocalist Abena Koomson-Davis on her debut “Where Is Love” (WJ3 Feb ’24) which also features his son, guitarist Tony Davis.

A long-time educator, Steve has guided generations of emerging musicians including a 31-year tenure at The Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute, University of Hartford, CT where he was honored as ’23 Alumni Of The Year.

Currently, Davis is Full Professor of Trombone at the Berklee College of Music and is Adjunct Professor of Trombone at Purchase College, SUNY.

This album contains no booklet.