A Box of Toys

Episode 171 – The Considerable Legacy of Richard Davis

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Richard Davis Bassist
Richard Davis with his upright bass.

This episode covers the legacy of legendary bassist Richard Davis as a sideman for Roland Kirk, Jaki Byard, Andrew Hill, Gabor Szabo, Van Morrison, Janis Ian, Eric Dolphy, George Benson, Sonny Stitt, Phoebe Snow, Paul Simon and Sarah Vaughn.

Renowned bassist Richard Davis passed away in September of 2023.  This show will review only a tiny fraction of Richard Davis’ considerable legacy.

Rather than doing this chronologically, I am going to jump around and pick off related tracks, and we are starting with a track called Rip Rig and Panic by Roshand Roland Kirk- a track that a British Band who has appeared on ABOT was named after.  Second in the set is a cover from the Jaki Byard record called Memories of You, written by Eubie Blake.  Continuing in that strain of less than legendary jazz pianists, we have Andrew Hill, who amazed us enough to put him on the show a while back, we will be playing you a tune called Spectrum, before we return to hit you with another hour and a half of incredible music featuring the basswork of Richard Davis, here on ABOT.

Playlist

Artist Song Album Label
Roland Kirk Quartet Rip, Rig And Panic Rip Rig And Panic / Now Please Don't You Cry Beautiful Edith Verve Reissues
Jaki Byard Memories Of You Pre-Rahsaan [2-fer] Prestige
Andrew Hill Spectrum Point Of Departure (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) Blue Note Records
Roland Kirk Quartet From Bechet, Byas, And Fats Rip Rig And Panic / Now Please Don't You Cry Beautiful Edith Verve Reissues
Gary McFarland Nature Boy Music For Plants Verve Reissues
Gary McFarland Simpatico Simpatico Verve Reissues
Van Morrison Astral Weeks Astral Weeks Rhino/Warner Bros.
Santana Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile) Ultimate Santana Sony Music Media
Janis Ian At Seventeen Between the Lines Columbia
Eric Dolphy Hat And Beard (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) 1999 - Remaster Out To Lunch (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) down in town with sound
George Benson Shape Of Things To Come The Shape Of Things To Come A&M JAZZ
Van Morrison Ballerina Only Playing only playing
Paul Simon Something so Right There Goes Rhymin' Simon Legacy Recordings
Jungle Back On 74 Back On 74 Caiola Records