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Wild Bill Davis
Bill (*1918) got his first piano lessons from his father. Very early,
the music of Fats Waller and Art Tatum influenced the young Bill, and
after musical studies at Tuskegee Institute and Wiley College, Bill
moved to Chicagio, where he worked as a pianist for Louis Jordan from
1945 to 1949.
It was in 1950 that Bill discovered the Hammond organ as his instrument. 1951, he formed his own organ trio (organ/guitar/drums). In the 60's, Davis toured together with Johnny Hodges and made several recordings with him. Between 1969 and 1971, Bill played in the band of Duke Ellington. In the following years, Wild Bill played mainly as a soloist. Recordings in Europe led him together with Buddy Tate, Slam Stewart and Illinois Jacquet. Later, he worked with Lionel Hampton (1978-1980). In the 80's and early 90's, Bill appeared at several festivals. He died on 17 august 1995. |
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At Birdland COL 471427-2 recorded live at the Birdland 1955 in New York/USA |
Wild Bill Davis, organ Floyd Smith, guitar Chris Columbus, drums |
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Frank Morgan GNPS 9041 recorded 1955 in USA |
Frank Morgan, alto sax Wild Bill Davis, organ Wardell Grey, tenor sax Conte Candoli, trumpet Howard Roberts, guitar Carl Perkins, piano Leroy Vinnegar, bass Lawrence Marable, drums Machito's Rhtyhm Section |
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Go Power!!! Prestige 7151 recorded january 1959 in Hackensack, NJ/USA |
Arnett Cobb, tenor sax Eddie Lockjaw Davis, tenor sax Strethen (Wild Bill) Davis, organ George Duvivier, bass Arthur Edgehill, drums |
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One More Time Coral 9208 recorded may 1962 in USA |
Wild Bill Davis, organ Paul Gonsalves, tenor sax Calvin Newborne, guitar Les Spann, flute Grady tate, drums Janet Putnam, harp |
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These Are The Blues Verve 829536-2 recorded october 1963 in New York/USA |
Ella Fitzgerald, vocals Wild Bill Davis, Hammond Organ B3 Roy Eldridge, trumpet Ray Brown, bass Herb Ellis, guitar Gus Johnson, drums |
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Blue Pyramid Verve V-6 8635 recorded 1965 in ?? |
Johnny Hodges, alto sax Wild Bill Davis, organ Lawrence Brown, trombone Jimmy Hamilton, clarinet Billy Butler, guitar Bob Bushnell, bass Herbie Lovell, drums Joe Marshall, drums Johnny Hodges jr, drums Jimmy Jones, piano |
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Con Soul And Sax RCA LSP-3393 recorded january 1965 in New York/USA |
Johnny Hodges, alto sax Wild Bill Davis, organ Dickie Thompson, guitar Mundell Lowe, guitar Milton Hinton, bass Osie Johnson, drums George Duvivier, bass |
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Live At Count Basie's RCA LPM-3578 recorded live 1966 in New York/USA |
Wild Bill Davis, organ James "Dickie" Thomson, guitar Freddie Waits, drums |
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In Atlantic City RCA LSP-3706 recorded oct/nov 1966 in Atlantic City/USA |
Johnny Hodges, alto sax Wild Bill Davis, organ Lawrence Brown, trombone Bob Brown, tenor sax, flute Dickie Thompson, guitar Bobby Durham, drums |
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The Duke Ellington Small Bands Fantasy F-9640 recorded jan 1970 in Las Vegas/USA and june 1970 in New York/USA |
Duke Ellington, piano Wild Bill Davis, organ Willie Cook, trumpet Lawrence Brown, trombone Paul Gonsalves, tenor sax Victor Gaskin, bass Paul Kondziela, bass Rufus Jones, drums Norris Turney, flute Joe Benjamin, bass |
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New Orleans Suite Atlantic SD 1580 recorded april 1970 in New York/USA |
Duke Ellington, piano Cootie Williams, trumpet Money Johnson, trumpet, flugelhorn Mercer Ellington, trumpet, flugelhorn Al Rubin, trumpet, flugelhorn Fred Stone, trumpet, flugelhorn Booty Wood, trombone Julian Priester, trombone Dave Taylor, bass trombone Russell Procope, alto sax, clarinet Johnny Hodges, alto sax Norris Turney, alto sax, clarinet, flute Harold Ashby, tenor sax, clarinet Paul Gonsalves, tenor sax Harry Carney, baritone sax, clarinet, bass clarinet Joe Benjamin, bass Rufus Jones, drums Wild Bill Davis, organ |
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The Intimate Ellington Pablo 2310-787 recorded june 1970 in USA |
Duke Ellington, piano Wild Bill Davis, organ Cootie Williams, trumpet Mercer Ellington, trumpet Fred Stone, trumpet Cat Anderson, trumpet Booty Wood, trombone Julian Priester, trombone Chuck Connors, trombone Paul Gonsalves, tenor sax Harold Ashby, tenor sax Harry Carney, baritone sax Joe Benjamin, bass Rufus Jones, drums |
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Impulsions Black & Blue 33037 recorded live may 1972 in Paris/France |
Wild Bill Davis, organ Floyd Smith, guitar Chris Colombo, drums |
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Key Bone Classic Jazz 103 recorded july 1972 in Vallauris/France |
Al Grey, trombone Wild Bill Davis, organ Floyd Smith, guitar Chris Colombo, drums |
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Illinois Jacquet with Wild Bill Davis Classic Jazz 117 recorded january 1973 in Vallauris/France |
Illinois Jacquet, tenor sax Wild Bill Davis, organ Al Bartes, drums |
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Floyd's Guitar Blues Black & Blue recorded july 1972 in Vallauris/France |
Floys Smith, guitar Wild Bill Davis, organ Chris Colombo, drums |
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Midnight Slows, Vol. 2 Black & Blue 33045 recorded ??? |
Wild Bill Davis, organ Buddy Tate, tenor sax Floyd Smith, guitar Chris Colombo, drums |
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Live in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vol. 1 Black & Blue 33303 recorded january 1976 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape/France |
Eddie Lockjaw Davis, tenor sax Wild Bill Davis, organ Billy Butler, guitar Oliver Jackson, drums |
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Live in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vol. 2 Black & Blue 33308 recorded january 1976 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape/France |
Eddie Lockjaw Davis, tenor sax Wild Bill Davis, organ Billy Butler, guitar Oliver Jackson, drums |
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Jaws Strikes Again Black & Blue recorded january 1976 in France |
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, tenor sax Wild Bill Davis, organ Billiy Butler, guitar Oliver Jackson, drums |
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Live from the Caveau de la Huchette, Paris LaserLight 17156 recorded live 1977 in Paris/France |
Wild Bill Davis, Hammond organ Dany Doriz, vibes Stéphane Guerault, tenor sax Dave Pochonet, drums Kenny Clarke, drums Maurice Martin, drums |
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Swing System 'D', Vol. 1 Disques DOM JZ 7901 recorded live march 1978 in Limoges/France |
Wild Bill Davis, organ Dany Doriz, vibes Michel Denis, drums |
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Swing System 'D', Vol. 2 Disques DOM JZ 7902 recorded live march 1978 in Limoges/France |
Wild Bill Davis, organ Dany Doriz, vibes Michel Denis, drums |
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Live At The Muzeval Timeless SJP 120 recorded live at the Muzeval may 1978 in Emmen/The Netherlands |
Lionel Hampton, vibes Wild Bill Davis, organ, piano Joe Newman, trumpet Victor Paz, trumpet Paul Moen, tenor sax Eddie Chamblee, alto sax Milly Mackel, guitar Barry Smith, bass Frankie Dunlop, drums |
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Hamp In Haarlem Timeless SJP 133 recorded live at the Concertgebouw may 1979 in Haarlem/The Netherlands |
Lionel Hampton, vibes Wild Bill Davis, organ, piano Joe Newman, trumpet Wallace Davenport, trumpet Paul Moen, tenor sax Steve Slagle, alto sax Paul Jeffrey, bariton sax Curtis Fuller, trombone Gary Mazzaroppi, bass Richie Pratt, drums |
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Outrageous Timeless SJP 163 recorded febr 1980, oct 1980 in USA, sept 1981 in Japan |
Lionel Hampton, vibes Lionel Hamptons Big Band Wild Bill Davis, organ |
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The Zurich Concert Jazz Connaisseur JCCD 8701-2 recorded november 1986 in Zürich/Switzerland |
Wild Bill Davis, Hammond organ, fender rhodes, vocals Clifford Scott, tenor sax, alto sax, flute Dickie Thompson, guitar, vocals Clyde Lucas, drums |
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Greatest Organ Solos Ever! Jazz Connaisseur JCCD 8702-2 recorded november 1986 live at Swiss Radio Zürich/Switzerland |
Wild Bill Davis, Hammond organ, vocals |
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70th/30th Anniversary Live Concert die Mühle A 850581 recorded 1988 at Kulturgelände Nonntal, Salzburg/Austria |
Wild Bill Davis, Hammond Organ B3 TC Pfeiler, Hammond Organ B3 Rudi Renger, guitar Michael Honzak, drums |
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