WILD BILL DAVIS - The Wild Bill Davis Collection 1951-60
Acrobat Records ADDCD3373
Wild Bill Davis (Hammond organ); various personnel
Released on the Acrobat labelthe Wild Bill Davis Collection features 46 tracks by pioneering Hammond Organist Wild Bill Davis over the period 1951 to 1960 and is an obvious buy for anyone wishing to hear the development of the instruments use in jazz over that period and which paved the way for various more progressive jazz flavours.
Born William Strethan Davis but generally known as Wild Bill, he should not be confused with trumpeter Wild Bill Davison. Lets simply call him WBD for the rest of this review.
WBD started his career by arranging charts for Earl Hines in the early 1940s, before joining Louis Jordan’s Tympani Five as pianist and arranger from 1945 to 1948. He then switched to Hammond Organ with Louis Jordan in 1950. In 1951, WBD formed a trio performing at top venues such as Birdland and Atlantic City and paving the way for better known jazz organists such as Bill Doggett and Jimmy Smith.
It’s impossible to to list all 46 tracks in this brief review but I’m sure you would enjoy such great tracks as April in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue, Lullaby of Birdland, Night Train and of course Organ Grinders Swing.
On this collection WBD is supported by musicians such as bassist Milt Hinton, drummers Christopher Columbus and Jo Jones, guitarist Floyd Smith and saxist Maurice Simon.
This is an album I just wish I could have heard decades ago as it really paints a great musical picture of a mould breaking musician Wild Bill Davis.
Reviewed by Cyril Pelluet
Acrobat Records ADDCD3373
Wild Bill Davis (Hammond organ); various personnel
Released on the Acrobat labelthe Wild Bill Davis Collection features 46 tracks by pioneering Hammond Organist Wild Bill Davis over the period 1951 to 1960 and is an obvious buy for anyone wishing to hear the development of the instruments use in jazz over that period and which paved the way for various more progressive jazz flavours.
Born William Strethan Davis but generally known as Wild Bill, he should not be confused with trumpeter Wild Bill Davison. Lets simply call him WBD for the rest of this review.
WBD started his career by arranging charts for Earl Hines in the early 1940s, before joining Louis Jordan’s Tympani Five as pianist and arranger from 1945 to 1948. He then switched to Hammond Organ with Louis Jordan in 1950. In 1951, WBD formed a trio performing at top venues such as Birdland and Atlantic City and paving the way for better known jazz organists such as Bill Doggett and Jimmy Smith.
It’s impossible to to list all 46 tracks in this brief review but I’m sure you would enjoy such great tracks as April in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue, Lullaby of Birdland, Night Train and of course Organ Grinders Swing.
On this collection WBD is supported by musicians such as bassist Milt Hinton, drummers Christopher Columbus and Jo Jones, guitarist Floyd Smith and saxist Maurice Simon.
This is an album I just wish I could have heard decades ago as it really paints a great musical picture of a mould breaking musician Wild Bill Davis.
Reviewed by Cyril Pelluet
