Art Davis

A bassist of incredible technical command and versatility, Art Davis was a first-call session player who performed on landmark albums with John Coltrane (Africa/Brass, Olé), Max Roach, and Eric Dolphy. He was known for his huge, resonant tone and his pioneering use of the bow (arco) in an avant-garde context. His deep harmonic knowledge and ability to anchor complex music made him a key, if often unsung, figure of the 1960s post-bop and free jazz scenes.