Search - Walter Davis Jr. :: Davis Cup

Winning The "Davis Cup"

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 08/28/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Walter Davis' "Davis Cup" was first available on CD in the mid 90s as part of the Blue Note Connoisseur Series, but has been out of print domestically for nearly ten years. This session is from August 1959 and features Jackie McLean on alto sax, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Sam Jones on bass, Art Taylor on drums, and Davis on piano. This same rhythm trio cut Donald Byrd's Byrd in Hand (see my review) three months earlier, but they are definitely more inspired on this date. The standout tracks are the soulful "'Snake It," "Loodle-Lot," and the rhythmic "Rhumba Nhumba," but unfortunately what stands out the most is the poor sound quality. There was a lot of distortion on the previous incarnation of this recording, seemingly emanating from the drum mics, and it has been cleared up dramatically, but is still distracting. It is my main reason for awarding only four stars. Despite this, with this RVG series reissue now available, you too can win the "Davis Cup.""

Getting into championship form.

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 07/11/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a Walter Davis, Jr. fan, but I'm afraid this debut album under his name is a trifle overrated (at least by the All Music Guide). Walter reveals an original compositional mind but none of the brilliance that would characterize later masterpieces like "Backgammon," "Uranus," "Gipsy Folk Tales," "Jodi," and "Scorpio Rising." Few of these slight, very similar lines, despite moments of harmonic and melodic insight, hang together as complete wholes; in fact, Davis has trouble with turnarounds and continuity devices that would insure momentum being sustained to and through the concluding bar of the song. Too often, the song effectively "stops" at the end of the first chorus or the bridge, suggesting a premature closure and the necessity of a new beginning with the next chorus.



Donald Byrd's playing on this occasion is truly exceptional, providing much of the musical interest for what might otherwise have been an even less than ordinary session. Davis, by comparison to the two horns, sounds surprisingly tentative on much of his solo work. Should it come down to a choice, pick up "Scorpio Rising" ahead of this one. It's Davis' very last recording, made months before his death and demonstrating both his Bud Powell prowess and compositional originality better than this early venture."

Matchball, winner!

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 10/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally Davis Cup is here again, because it has been released in the last bunch of reissues by Blue Note. This time has been an incredible Jazz reissues season, we have to be honest. All these very precious gems were available only as Japanese expense editions so they are very welcome, mainly because they are fantastic albums of course. I'm talking about the 5 Lee Morgan's, Paul Chambers's Bass on Top, Duke Jordan's Flight to Jordan (!!!), Baby Face Willette's Face to Face, The Magnificient Thad Jones (!!!), and few more. So Blue Note did it big this time, we can't complain. Well, Davis Cup is a masterpiece that stays very well among these other masterpieces. It is fantastic, the line up is stellar, McLean, Byrd, Taylor, Chambers, Walter Davis and the music is exceptional. Melodic, various, light as a feather, emotional, with each soloist playing his best. Walter Davis is an hard bopper, he plays traditional hard bop with great attitude, enough chops to be interesting. The other guys are very well known so I'll not introduce them, but I'll say that they are very very inspired and fresh in their playing. The compositions are great fun and in the end the best part of the whole story. I particularly love the happy romps of this album, aka the first two tunes and the closing number. But there's also a fantastic ballad, "Sweetness" that alone, deserves your purchase. The whole program literally flies in front of you, leaving you with the will to listen the album again and again! The band is incredibly tight and supportive, ... they swing like kings! An exceptional Blue Note album that every jazz lover should own. Welcome back "Davis Cup"!"