“Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.”

Frank Zappa

Jeff Davis was born in Canada in 1981, and moved to Portugal in 1985.His musical training started early when he was only eleven years old in the Aveiro Music Conservatory. In the year of 1996 he went to school in Escola Profissional de Música de Espinho, where he studied with percussionists Miquel Bernat, Pedro Car-neiro Mário Teixeira, Joaquim Alves, and Paulo Oliveira. He finished music high school with the grade of 19 / 20 in 1999. Also during this time he performed many concerts, with the school’s percussion group and symphony orchestra with whom he also played Ney Rosario’s “Concerto para Marimba e Orquestra” touring Spain and playing this piece on the Spanish national radio.

He also participates in many master classes with teachers like Ricardo Fernandez (latin percussion), Kroumata Percussion Group (chamber music), Jesus Chapi (vibraphone), Emmanuel Sejourné (vibraphone) and Steve Schick (percussion). In the mid nineties he is admitted to “Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espectáculo” in the city of Oporto. During his attendance he studied with Miquel Bernat and Manuel Campos, played many concerts with the school’s percussion group and symphony orchestra as well as various chamber music settings. During this time he also becomes a member of Drum-ming Percussion Group. Also during this time he takes private lessons and starts a long relationship with Jazz. With Drumming Percussion Group he plays many tours all over the world and premieres many pieces written for the group by composers like: Mário Laginha, João Pedro Oliveira, Emmanuel Nunes, Emmanuel Sejourné, Carlos Azevedo, Jesús Torres and others.

In March of 2002 he wins a scholarship to attend the famous Berklee College of Mu-sic. In this year he also concludes his bachelor degree in classical percussion with the grade of 20 / 20. In January of 2003 he moves to Boston where he studies jazz vibes in Berklee College of Music, he graduates Summa Cum Laude in May of 2006. He is considered by his teachers to be the school’s top vibe player.During his stay at Berklee he wins many awards, such as Most Active Vibe Player Award and Dean of Curriculum award for academic excellence.

A little bit of history

Jeff Davis was also awarded by the IAJE (International Association for Jazz Educa-tion) for his Outstanding Musicianship.Also during this period he plays in many jazz festivals both as a sideman and a leader: JVC jazz festival, North See Jazz Festival, Festival de Jazz Do Valado dos Frades, Fes-tival de Jazz da Alta Estremadura, Festival de Jazz de Badajoz and more.

While in the US he had the opportunity to study and play with such musicians like: Hal Crook, Ed Saindon, Dave Samuels, Dave Liebman, Gary Burton, Joe Lovano, Phil Wilson, Terence Blanchard, Michel Camilo, Steve Swallow, Roswell Rudd, Alex Terrier and others.

In 2009 his first CD as a leader - “Haunted Gardens” - recorded with the Quartet (André Fernandes - guitar, Nelson Cascais - bass and Marcos Cavaleiro - drums) came out and got excellent reviews.

In the classical realm he is a part of: Vibes Marimba duo with Pedro Carneiro, Kinetix Duo with Fernando Ramos (Alto Sax), XL Trio with tuba player Sérgio Carolino and piano player Telmo Marques. Most of the music played by these groups is specially written for them. He appears as guest solo-ist with chamber music groups such as Drumming Percussion Group and Quad Quartet (sax quartet). He plays many solo vibraphone recitals throughout Portugal and Eu-rope, playing pieces that he commissioned from composers like: Filipe Vieira, Andreia Pinto-Correia, Nuno Costa, Óscar Graça, Paulo Perfeito to name a few.

Jeff Davis also works extensively as a classical composer having written pieces for projects like: Kinetix Duo, XL Trio, Drumming Percussion Group, Quad Quartet, Pedro Carneiro/Jeffery Davis Duo and Romeu Costa.

Jeff Davis Quartet Jeff Davis TrioJeff Davis RecitalErro de Sintax DuoLift OffPercussion trio with Pedro Carneiro and Alexandre FrazãoDavis Casagrande DuoTribute to Benny Goodman

Projects

Currently you may hear Jeff Davis on the following recordings:

Jazz Revelation Records - Rhetoric - Berklee 2006

Stop Requested - Alex Terrier - Calypso 2006

Haunted Gardens - Jeffery Davis Quartet - TOAP 2009

Xinti - Sara Tavares - Universal 2009

Depois de Alguma Coisa - Gonçalo Prazeres – 2010

Amoras e Framboesas - Maria João & Orquestra de Jazz Matosinhos - Universal 2011

Live @ Teatro Aveirense - Quad Quartet - To come out in 2012

Tribute to Benny Goodman - Paulo Gaspar Quintet - Numérica - To come out in 2012

The Music of Toru Takemitsu - Pedro Carneiro - To come out in 2012

For theRecord

Jeff Davis is also very active as a teacher. He is head of one of the Jazz Vibraphone Departments at Escola Superior de Música in Oporto, where students come from all over Europe to get their bachelor and masters degree in jazz vibes. He also teaches in the Professional Courses at the Conservatório de Música da Jobra in Albergaria. His book on Vibraphone Technique will be published in late 2012 or early 2013.

Teaching

Jeff Davis is the new member of the Musser Family. He is the first endorser through Suprovox, which will certainly open way for more specialized musicians in vibraphones, marimbas or other instruments of this famous American brand.

He is also endorser of Resta Jay, the French 1989 founded percussion company, which makes sticks for percussion instruments. Jeff has been working with Resta Jay on the development of an exclusive Resta Jay - Jeff Davis stick model.

Endorsements

ManagementMarta Catana | +351 966 165 891management.jeffdavis@gmail.com

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