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Steve Davis: Correlations
Steve Davis
tromboneb.1967
Art Blakey
drums1919 - 1990
As far back as 2000 this writer was singing the praises of Davis' singular efforts as a composer, noting that "his writing finds him in the position of first place in regards to talent deserving of wider recognition." Now eighteen years on, I still stand by that statement and further add that it's his originals that once again shine brightly on this, Davis' third date as a leader for Smoke Sessions. Serving not merely as a launching pad for a string of solos, Steve's charts possess all the charm of the most memorable jazz standards while covering a good deal of stylistic ground.
Helping breathe life into his dynamic compositions are several musicians spawned from the healthy jazz community in Hartford. Trumpeter
Joshua Bruneau
trumpet
Wayne Escoffery
saxophone, tenorb.1975
Dezron Douglas
bass
Jonathan Barber
drums
Xavier Davis
pianoThe sextet format is certainly nothing new to Davis, who has been a denizen of the hard bop collective One For All since its inception. "I didn't necessarily write or choose all of the music with this exact instrumentation in mind. It was more about considering the individual players and each of their musical personalities & creative voices," Davis states. "Although we all have played together and have been good friends over the years, we had never played all together with this lineup before. The group chemistry is fantastic, which results in a potent momentum and freshness to the music. It feels like we can go anywhere we want to and only need more opportunities to perform together."
The jaunty Latin groove of "Embarcadero" makes the most of the three-horn lineup in its voicings, not unlike those Davis' has utilized with One For All. "I composed this one in 2001 while teaching at the Stanford Jazz Workshop in California," Steve says. "It's named after the waterfront thoroughfare in San Francisco. At the time, I had attended a San Francisco Giants game with my good friend
Joe Farnsworth
drumsb.1968
Another Davis original with a coy title, "Subtlety" boasts a melody that is underpinned by a repeated piano and bass riff. It then breaks out into a swinging release that provides a yin to the opening yang. "I suppose there's something about the harmonic structure of the piece and a certain nuance that inspired the horn voicings, overall feel, and title," explains Davis. Escoffery's upper register cries are just one of many highlights from his memorable solo. Not unlike Steve's longtime comrade
Jim Rotondi
trumpet1962 - 2024
A bristling number of bacchanalian proportions, "Bautista's Revenge" gets to the nitty gritty of the samba groove. The tune's sparkling melody is further augmented by a piano vamp and fanfare which serve as a tag between solos. "My seventeen-year-old daughter Angie actually named this tune," Davis says. "Josh and I are huge Red Sox fans. I had been playing the tune on the piano for Josh one day while Angie was around. Afterwards, she had heard me recount to him a story about going to a game at Fenway in the early 2000's between Boston and Baltimore."
As Steve tells it, a hitter for Baltimore named Tony Bautista had to endure the taunts of a rowdy Red Sox fan throughout the game. After hitting a grand slam in the top of the eighth inning making the score 12 to 0 Orioles, Bautista passed the heckler on his way back to the dugout. "He rubs under his eyes as if wiping tears away in mock 'boo hoo' fashion, hence Angie's brilliant idea for a title," Davis states proudly. Riding out the closing vamp and Xavier's rollicking piano, percussionist
Cyro Baptista
percussionb.1950
Indicative of his knack for penning pieces that vary in mood and structure, "Song for My Love" finds Barber hitting backbeats on two and four and Davis fleshing out the contrasting horn lines in colorful fashion. The end results are akin to some of Stevie Wonder's jazzier numbers, and that in itself is offered as the sincerest form of flattery. Davis actually wrote the piece for his wife Abena Koomson-Davis while in Slovakia. "After sound check for a concert, I found a beautiful Bosendorfer grand piano backstage and wrote the tune while waiting for dinner before the gig," explains Davis. "My good friend Jim Rotondi and I were on a lengthy tour of Europe in 2017 and I was missing my lovely wife. This one is a love song dedicated to her."
A descending riff with shifting harmonic underpinning, "Newbie" speaks in optimistic tones. "My daughter Angie strikes again with a title on that one," Davis declares. "I was playing this ditty on the piano one day wondering if it might actually have the makings of a tune. Just then, my daughter sits down on the piano bench next to me and says, 'Hey Dad, so is that a newbie? I like it!' That inspired me to finish the piece and, of course, I had to call it Newbie."
Rounding out the selection of Davis originals, "Can't Complain" is a no frills swinger that sports an opening motif not unlike that of Hank Mobley's iconic "This I Dig of You." "It's got a 'happy-go-lucky' feeling to it, but is deceptively challenging to play," Davis clarifies. Possessing a more profound backstory, the dedicatory "Blues for Owen" is for the late Hartford Courant jazz writer Owen McNally. "He was a first-rate journalist and an absolute scholar of jazz music. Deeply respected throughout the Connecticut jazz community for his consistent work and quiet dedication, McNally championed the local music scene over many decades. We will miss him and dedicate this blues to his memory and to his family."
The remaining numbers, while not written by Davis, have special significance to the trombonist. The oft-performed "Peace" is one of
Horace Silver
piano1928 - 2014
Rumbling piano and thundering toms usher in the sagacious
George Cables
pianob.1944
The lovely waltz "A Child is Born" is a master class from Davis in the art of finessing a ballad. His perfect intonation and burnished tone are certainly part and parcel of his emotional connection with the subject of the
Thad Jones
trumpet1923 - 1986
McCoy Tyner
piano1938 - 2020
Far from being a one-off affair, Davis' new multi-generational sextet is sure to serve him well in his composing endeavors, along with inspiring his own musical statements. "Many deep connections exist within this band," explains Davis as he contemplates his next move. "These are longtime, genuine friendships marked by shared experiences learning from and playing with jazz masters such as
Jackie McLean
saxophone, alto1932 - 2006
Freddie Hubbard
trumpet1938 - 2008
Larry Willis
piano1942 - 2019
Curtis Fuller
trombone1934 - 2021
Tom Harrell
trumpetb.1946
Al Foster
drums1944 - 2025
Louis Hayes
drumsb.1937
Liner Notes copyright ? 2025 C. Andrew Hovan.
Correlations can be purchased here.
Contact C. Andrew Hovan at All About Jazz.
An avid audiophile and music collector, Chris Hovan is a Cleveland-based writer / photographer / musician.
Track Listing
Embarcadero; Subtlety; Bautista's Revenge; Song For My Love; Newbie; Peace; Can't Complain; Think On Me; Blues For Owen; A Child Is Born; Inner Glimpse.
Personnel
Steve Davis
tromboneJoshua Bruneau
trumpet
Wayne Escoffery
saxophone, tenor
Xavier Davis
piano
Dezron Douglas
bass
Jonathan Barber
drumsAlbum information
Title: Correlations | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Smoke Sessions Records
Tags
Liner Notes
C. Andrew Hovan
The Thang
Sharp Nine Records
Anthony Wonsey
Steve Davis
Art Blakey
Joshua Bruneau
Wayne Escoffery
Dezron Douglas
Jonathan Barber
Xavier Davis
Joe Farnsworth
Jim Rotondi
Cyro Baptista
Hank Mobley
Horace Silver
George Cables
Thad Jones
McCoy Tyner
Jackie McLean
Freddie Hubbard
Larry Willis
Curtis Fuller
Tom Harrell
Al Foster
Louis Hayes
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