Steve Davis
Steve Davis is widely regarded as one of today’s leading improvisers on the trombone. Born in Worcester, MA in 1967, he was raised in Binghamton, NY, and graduated in 1989 from The Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute at the University of Hartford, CT. It was under the guidance and recommendation of Jackie McLean that Davis landed his first major gig with Art Blakey in New York City in December 1989.
In 1992, Steve returned to Hartford to join McLean’s sextet and began teaching alongside his mentor at both the Hartt School and the Artist’s Collective, where he has resided ever since.
Davis’ latest record as a leader, his 17th, is For Real (2014, Posi-Tone). It features legendary Larry Willis on piano, veterans Nat Reeves on bass, Abraham Burton on tenor saxophone, and Billy Williams on drums. The album includes all original compositions. He has three previous releases with Posi-Tone: Outlook (2008), Images (2010), and Gettin’ It Done(2012).
An ever in-demand sideman, Davis has appeared on over 100 recordings and is a member of the supergroup One For All, which has released 16 records to date. In recent years, “Stevie-D” — a nickname given to him by the late Jackie McLean — has worked regularly with jazz icons including Benny Golson, Hank Jones, Larry Willis, Slide Hampton, The Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Star Big Band (featuring James Moody, Jimmy Heath, and Roy Hargrove), The Jimmy Heath Big Band, Cecil Payne, and Wynton Marsalis’ Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
Steve also maintains a long-time affiliation with the Artist’s Collective in Hartford, CT, and continues an active teaching career at the Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute, where he has been on faculty since 1991.
Steve Davis is widely regarded as one of today’s leading improvisers on the trombone. Born in Worcester, MA in 1967, he was raised in Binghamton, NY, and graduated in 1989 from The Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute at the University of Hartford, CT. It was under the guidance and recommendation of Jackie McLean that Davis landed his first major gig with Art Blakey in New York City in December 1989.
In 1992, Steve returned to Hartford to join McLean’s sextet and began teaching alongside his mentor at both the Hartt School and the Artist’s Collective, where he has resided ever since.
Davis’ latest record as a leader, his 17th, is For Real (2014, Posi-Tone). It features legendary Larry Willis on piano, veterans Nat Reeves on bass, Abraham Burton on tenor saxophone, and Billy Williams on drums. The album includes all original compositions. He has three previous releases with Posi-Tone: Outlook (2008), Images (2010), and Gettin’ It Done(2012).
An ever in-demand sideman, Davis has appeared on over 100 recordings and is a member of the supergroup One For All, which has released 16 records to date. In recent years, “Stevie-D” — a nickname given to him by the late Jackie McLean — has worked regularly with jazz icons including Benny Golson, Hank Jones, Larry Willis, Slide Hampton, The Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Star Big Band (featuring James Moody, Jimmy Heath, and Roy Hargrove), The Jimmy Heath Big Band, Cecil Payne, and Wynton Marsalis’ Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
Steve also maintains a long-time affiliation with the Artist’s Collective in Hartford, CT, and continues an active teaching career at the Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute, where he has been on faculty since 1991.