Background
Davis was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he began studying the piano at the age of five, switched to tuba, and finally to bass while attending high school.
Davis was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he began studying the piano at the age of five, switched to tuba, and finally to bass while attending high school.
He studied at Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music but graduated from Hunter College
Davis earned a Doctor of Philosophy in clinical psychology from New York University in 1982.
As a busy New York session musician, he recorded with many popular artists and also worked in classical symphony orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Art Davis was a professor at Orange Coast College. Davis is also known for launching a legal case that led to the current system of blind auditions for orchestras.
He moved in 1986 to southern California, where he balanced his teaching and practicing of psychology with jazz performances.
Davis died on July 29, 2007, from a heart attack.
Discography As leader 1980: Reemergence (Interplay Records, with Hilton Ruiz, Greg Bandy) 1985: Life (Soul Note Records, with John Hicks, Idris Muhammad, Pharoah Sanders) 1995: A Time Remembered (Jazz Planet, Ravi Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Marvin Smith)As sideman With Joe Albany Bird Lives! (Storyville, 1979) With Gene Ammons Up Tight! (Prestige, 1961) Boss Soul! (Prestige, 1961) With Count Basie Back with Basie (Roulette, 1962) With Art Blakey A Jazz Message (Impulse!, 1963) With John Coltrane Africa/Brass (Impulse!, 1961) Olé Coltrane (Impulse!, 1961) Ascension (Impulse!, 1965) The John Coltrane Quartet Plays (Impulse!, 1965)With Curtis Fuller Cabin in the Sky (Impulse!, 1962) With Dizzy Gillespie Gillespiana (Verve, 1960) Carnegie Hall Concert (Verve, 1961) With Eddie Harris Bossa Nova (Vee-Jay, 1962) With Freddie Hubbard The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard (Impulse!, 1960) Ready for Freddie (Blue Note, 1961) With Elvin Jones Elvin! (Riverside, 1961-62) And Then Again (Atlantic, 1965) With Etta Jones Lonely and Blue (Prestige, 1962) With Clifford Jordan A Story Tale (Jazzland, 1961) - with Sonny Red With Roland Kirk We Free Kings (1961) With Abbey Lincoln Straight Ahead (Candid, 1961) With Booker Little Out Front (Candid, 1961) With Lee Morgan Expoobident (1960)With Tisziji Munoz Visiting This Planet (Anami Music, 1980's) Hearing Voices (Anami Music, 1980's) With Joe Newman Joe Newman Quintet at Count Basie's (Mercury, 1961) With Dizzy Reece Manhattan Project (1978) With Max Roach Max Roach + 4 at Newport (EmArcy, 1958) Deeds, Not Words (Riverside, 1958) Award-Winning Drummer (Time, 1958) The Many Sides of Max (Mercury, 1959) Percussion Bitter Sweet (Impulse!, 1961) It's Time (Impulse!, 1962) The Max Roach Trio featuring the Legendary Hasaan (Atlantic, 1964) With Hilton Ruiz The People's Music - Live at Jazz Unité, vol 1 (1981) Green Street - Live at Jazz Unité, vol 2 (1981) With Pharoah Sanders Rejoice (Theresa, 1981) With Lalo Schifrin Lalo = Brilliance (Roulette, 1962) With Shirley Scott For Members Only (Impulse!, 1963) With Clark Terry Clark Terry Plays the Jazz Version of All American (Moodsville, 1962) With McCoy Tyner Inception (1962) With Leo Wright Blues Shout (Atlantic, 1960).