“My Journey – Ivory Towers, A True Story: A Conversation with B.K. Davis" at the Davenport Public Library Eastern Avenue Branch -- October 2 (photo by Phil Pool of Omni Photography).
Monday, October 2, 6:30 p.m.
Davenport Public Library Eastern Avenue Branch, 6000 Eastern Avenue, Davenport IA
In a special evening featuring the First African-American Steinway International Recording Artist from the state of Iowa, the Davenport Public Library program My Journey: Ivory Towers, A True Story": A Conversation with B. K. Davis will be held at the Eastern Avenue branch on October 2, with the author/musician sharing tales from his new autobiography, his experiences within the music business, and his path toward sharing his unique story.
Born and raised in Davenport, Davis is an all-embracing, global, Latin-jazz and soul artist whose music includes songs in Spanish and Arabic, and although he's hesitant to label it too much, the pianist's music director offered the phrase “a joyful expression of Latin-inspired jazz and R&B.” Davis comes from a truly musical household. His father Bishop Ezekiel Davis recruited him as a teen to serve as musical director for the seven churches he oversaw, while his mother Rose Davis, an accomplished vocalist, attended to his vocal and instrumental training. Davis is a multi-instrumentalist who plays more than a dozen instruments besides the piano, including guitar, organ, and drums. Jazz, R&B, gospel, soul, and pop are the genres that propelled Davis to travels around the world, and his artistry enticed promoters in Europe, Japan, North America, and on the high seas to book him for concert engagements.
The Steinway International Artist designation is an honor bestowed on pianists with an impressive body of work, and Davis' Steinway peers include legends such as Elton John, Billy Joel, Harry Connick, Jr., and Herbie Hancock. Davis has been composing and performing music for 40 years. Beyond his tour engagements and albums, Davis has written theme music and jingles for the Boy Scouts of America and an Indianapolis 500 race, and has also directed choirs throughout the Midwest and West Coast. Davis has played or toured with artists including B.B. King, Billy Preston, Gerald Albright, Michael “Patches” Stewart, and the late soul legend Johnnie Taylor, and he also co-wrote original music with rock and roll legend Little Richard, as well as the R&B duo McFadden and Whitehead. Davis' most recent album Invisible Secret, meanwhile, delivers what One Nation News deemed "lush, Latin inflected works that reflect jazz through a prism of salsa."
My Journey – Ivory Towers, A True Story: A Conversation with B.K. Davis will be presented at the Davenport Public Library's Eastern Avenue Branch on October 2, and after Davis' 6:30 p.m. program, the musician and author will have his autobiography and CDs for sale. Participation in the event is free, and more information is available by calling (563)326-7832 and visiting DavenportLibrary.com.
