The Glenn Davis Quartet

Introducing drummer Glenn Davis leading his exciting swinging quartet on the release of their debut CD “A Different View” on the Jazzed Media label. The cd features ten compositions by Davis and one by world class pianist Larry Porter.

Cleveland, Ohio is known as a working man’s town. Glenn Davis, academic background, masters degree and all, fits right into the Cleveland tradition. “I work all the time,” he says. “I’m a working drummer”. Davis attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, graduating with a Bachelor of Music Degree in 1979. At Berklee, Davis studied not only drums but also vibraharp, marimba, tympani, composition, harmony, and arranging. In Boston, Davis was in the major leagues of jazz education and a hotbed of jazz performance. Among those he worked with in the city were guitarist Mike Stern, bassist Santi Debriano, pianist Emil Viklicky, guitarist Jeff Richman, and trumpeter Tiger Okoshi. Moving to NYC in the ‘80s, Davis freelanced extensively and also played with The Benny Salzano Quintet, featuring Steve Turre. As a writer, Davis has contributed solo transcriptions of Max Roach and Philly Joe Jones to Modern Drummer magazine.

“A Different View” showcases talented writing combined with stellar playing making this album a stand out. As individuals, members of the quartet have performed with many notables including: Chet Baker, Shiela Jordan, Thad Jones, Archie Shepp, Mike Stern, Scott Hamilton, Ken Peplowsky, David “Fathead” Newman, Ernie Krivda, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, and many others. Like Davis, his sidemen in this debut recording are Clevelanders who have been immersed in music all of their adult lives. The quartet consists of Dave Sterner (saxophones), Dallas Coffey (bass), Larry Porter (Piano), and Glenn Davis (Drums). “We’re friends”, Davis says of his bandmates. “The camaraderie is a strong part of the quartet sound. This combination of musicians was meant to be, and I think that comes across in the performance”.

“Davis lets his splendid compositional skills and purposeful timekeeping speak for themselves… A sharp and synchronous quartet that makes listening a pleasure”.   Jack Bowers – AllAboutJazz.com

“Something else that comes across is Glenn Davis’s master of composition. He wrote all of the tunes but one. His musical maturity and the variety in his work put this impressive group of pieces miles ahead of the collections of stultifying originals that fill so many CDs.”   Doug Ramsey

After hearing this music, the veteran drummer Jamey Haddad offered an observation that characterizes the work of his peer and fellow Clevelander: “Glenn demonstrates the ease and comfort that a seasoned drummer can achieve while opening creative paths for his fellow players. The flow of his music never hints at a need to push beyond a harmonious vibe.”

Contact: www.glenndavismusic.com
CD available at www.jazzedmedia.com