LIVE at Piedmont Piano Company
Jamie Davis
Sings the Music of the Great Baritones
Grammy Award winner with The Count Basie Orchestra and internationally renowned vocalist Jamie Davis will seduce you with his deep, velvety voice as he sings the music of the great jazz baritones, like Johnny Hartman, and much more. With a repertoire from Cole Porter to Stevie Wonder to Mingus, Jamie has the flexibility, sophistication, and effortless delivery to stand with any of the greats. His All-Star Band includes Grammy Award Winning pianist Glen Pearson, bassist Chris Amberger, drummer Leon Joyce, Jr., and tenor saxophonist Richard Howell. Don't miss this fabulous show!
$25 General Admission
We are offering a limited number of tickets to attend this performance in person. Advance purchase is recommended. Masking is encouraged but no longer required.
JAMIE DAVIS
Grammy Award winning vocalist JAMIE DAVIS holds a position amongst the pantheon of great male vocalists with a compelling full baritone voice and a passion for his craft that leaves his audiences uplifted and feelin' good...really good.
Jamie's musical education began in the choir of his father's Pentecostal Church in Mansfield, Ohio. His unique bass-baritone voice brought life to liturgical music sung in Latin. During his time in the U.S. Army he sang not only memorable show tunes, but also a wide range of swing jazz and blues for the Special Services elite group.
After studying under the renowned New York coach Edward Boatner, he moved to San Francisco securing opportunities to perform with Milt Jackson, Eddie Henderson, Melba Moore and Pharoah Saunders. The year 2000 brought exhilarating performances with the Count Basie Orchestra. On that experience Davis reflects, "Having all that sound behind you is just amazing. You've got to ride the current".
He's been described as a fine wine which has stood the test of time, constantly innovating jazz classics, 'rolling out' the blues and performing with one foot in the past and the other in today.
GLEN PEARSON
Dr. Pearson is a Grammy Award winning pianist with the Count Basie Orchestra for the album "Basie Swings The Blues", and a revered educator heading up the Music Department of at College of Alameda, where he instructs in piano, jazz theory and music appreciation. He also led the Boys Choir of Harlem in NYC for 11 years.
When not on tour with The Basie Orchestra, Glen is a first call with vocalists and small ensembles here in the Bay Area and beyond.
RICHARD HOWELL
A Multi-instrumentalist, sax man Richard Howell has explored a vast spectrum of music. His powerful, sensually melodic saxophone playing has been heard with artists as diverse and definitive as Etta James, Chaka Khan, Della Reese, Charlie Haden, Ledisi, Taj Mahal and many others. He's performed in such famous venues as The Tonight Show, Lincoln Center, Montreaux & Monterey Jazz Festivals and many more.
CHRIS AMBERGER
A fixture in the jazz community for over 40 years, Chris is a jazz bassist whose passion, diversity and command of his instrument make him a favorite among musicians and his audiences.
His education took him from Merritt College in Oakland to Boston's prestigious Berklee School of Music on a full scholarship, while touring with Tom Dorsey, Hasty Pudding Theatre and The Richie Havens Show. After graduation he traveled the world with the likes off Cal Tjader, Rosemary Clooney, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and the George Shearing Trio, to name a few. Wherever he plays, he brings an amazing level of skill, enthusiasm and musicality.
LEON JOYCE, JR.
A native of Meriden, Connecticut, Leon began playing as a child, toured Connecticut & Massachusetts performing in the Broadway musical "Hair" with the Greater Hartford Community College Theater Group while still in High School. Upon joining the Marine Corp, he served as a field band musician and subsequently was promoted to Drum Major. He served for over 20 years.
A short list of top artists he's played or toured with includes Ramsey Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Smokey Robinson, Monte Alexander and many others, and he has appeared at Festivals and venues all over the world.