Jackie Davis
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Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Jackie Davis | |
|---|---|
 Davis on the cover of his 1958 album Most Happy Hammond | |
| Background information | |
| Born | December 13, 1920 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | November 2, 1999 (aged 78) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, soul jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader |
| Instrument | Hammond organ |
| Years active | 1951–1980 |
| Labels | Capitol, Warner Bros., EMI |
| Website | - |
Benjamin Jackson Porter "Jackie" Davis[1][2] (December 13, 1920 – November 2, 1999) was an American soul jazz singer, organist and bandleader. He is notable for his contributions in bringing the Hammond organ to the forefront of jazz and pop, preceding the better-known Jimmy Smith by several years.[3]
Davis was born and grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and started playing piano at the age of ten, before studying music at Florida A&M. He experimented with jazz on the pipe organ, before switching to the Hammond. He was influenced by Wild Bill Davis and Bill Doggett, and after a spell backing Louis Jordan, he started fronting his own jazz groups.[4][5]
His solo career began in earnest after a residency at the Club Harlem in Philadelphia in 1951, and from there he began touring across the US, with the Hammond now being his trademark. He notably preceded Jimmy Smith in using the instrument in small jazz combos.[3] Regular touring led to a recording contract with Capitol, with whom he recorded several albums. His initial sessions were on a Model B, but by the time he recorded Hi-Fi Hammond Vol.2, he had upgraded to the classic B-3.[3]
In the 1960s, he signed to Warner Bros. Records, releasing Easy Does It as The Jackie Davis Quartet, following it up with Jackie Davis Plus Voices, which also featured the Sid Bass Chorus on backing vocals. For this album, Davis put more of an emphasis on his vocal skills, using the Hammond sparingly.[3]
He made a brief comeback in 1980, recording a self-titled album for EMI, and making a cameo appearance in the film Caddyshack as the country club valet Porterhouse. He kept Jacksonville as his homebase and died on November 2, 1999, following a stroke.[5]
