Walter Davis Jr.

After retiring from music for a while to run his tailor shop, Davis returned in the 1960s, producing records and writing arrangements for a local New Jersey group.In 1958, he played with trumpeter Donald Byrd at Le Chat Qui Pêche in Paris and shortly after realized his dream of becoming pianist and composer-arranger for Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.He recorded with many other prominent jazz musicians, including Kenny Clarke, Sonny Criss, Jackie McLean, Pierre Michelot and Archie Shepp.Combining traditional harmonies with modal patterns and featuring numerous rhythmic shifts along with internal melodic motifs within operatic, aria-like sweeping melodies, Davis's compositions included "Scorpio Rising", "Backgammon", "Uranus", "Gypsy Folk Tales", "Jodi", and "Ronnie Is a Dynamite Lady".[5] With Art Blakey With Nick Brignola With Donald Byrd With Sonny Criss With Dameronia With Walt Dickerson With Teddy Edwards With Dizzy Gillespie With Slide Hampton With Etta Jones With Philly Joe Jones With Jackie McLean With Hank Mobley With Max Roach With Julian Priester With Sonny Rollins With Charlie Rouse With Art Taylor