Renowned trombonist and composer Michael Davis will be a guest artist-in-residence at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.
SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music will welcome guest artist Michael Davis for an upcoming residency, during which the trombonist and composer will work with students and perform in concert.
Davis, who made his name touring with the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra and Buddy Rich (among many others), will be an artist-in-residence at The Crane School of Music from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. He will work with students in the trombone studio, the jazz program and in the Crane Institute for Music Business and Entrepreneurship.
On Wednesday, Oct. 31, Davis will be a guest soloist with the Crane Trombone Ensemble, which is set to present his original work, “Purple Mountains,” during a joint concert with the Crane Trumpet Ensemble. Davis will also conduct his piece, “Southwest Territory,” during the performance, which will be offered at 7:30 p.m. in the Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall.
On Friday, Nov. 2, Davis will be a guest artist during the Crane Jazz Ensemble concert at 7:30 p.m., also in Hosmer Hall. The ensemble will perform selections from Davis’ recently released Hip-Bone Big Band recording.
Both concerts are free, and the public is invited to attend.
These concerts will be broadcast live on the Crane School of Music YouTube channel at the performance time. To view the program and see other upcoming streaming performances, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/Crane/streaming.
About the guest artist:
Trombonist/composer Michael Davis has enjoyed a diverse and acclaimed career over the past 35 years. Widely known as the trombonist for five world tours with the Rolling Stones, he toured and recorded extensively with Frank Sinatra, has released 11 albums as a solo artist, composed more than 150 works, authored a dozen books for brass players of all levels and appeared on over 500 albums, television theme recordings and motion picture soundtracks. He is the founder, creator and president of Hip-Bone Music Inc. In 2011, the S.E. Shires Company released the Michael Davis signature model trombone and followed that in 2015 with the release of the Michael Davis+ trombone.
Born to a musical family in San Francisco, Davis’ early musical studies included the piano, drums, tuba, baritone horn and electric bass. Settling
on the trombone in high school, he quickly found his stride and received principal chairs in many all-state honor groups. He went on to study at the Eastman School of Music.
In 1983, Davis received the break he had hoped for when the Buddy Rich Band called and asked him to sign on. His two-year stint with the band forged musical and personal friendships that continue to this day and presented him with “the best graduate degree anyone could possibly hope for.” His freelance career in New York City began in earnest in 1986, and before long he was one of the top trombonists around.
As testimony to his versatility and wide regard, the list of jazz and pop luminaries he has worked with includes: James Taylor, Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Aerosmith, Tony Bennett, Jay Z, Sarah Vaughan, Sting, Beck, Branford Marsalis, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, Bob Mintzer, Paul Simon, David Sanborn, Terence Blanchard and scores of others.
In the field of music education, Davis has served as a guest artist and clinician around the world, while also authoring a number of highly esteemed instructional books and arrangements for musicians of all ages and abilities. A recipient of multiple awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, he maintains his own jazz groups and projects through Hip-Bone Music. He has documented his efforts on 11 solo albums, including his latest, the critically and popularly acclaimed “Hip-Bone Big Band,” featuring a star studded line-up of New York and LA luminaries performing Davis’ distinctive compositions and arrangements.
Currently, Davis continues his busy schedule as an in-demand New York freelance musician, with a steady diet of Broadway shows, studio recording work and live concerts. He travels extensively as a solo artist, performing with professional, college and high school bands around the world, while also continuing to build his publishing company into one of the preeminent purveyors of the highest quality music for brass.
Davis’ residency at The Crane School of Music is supported by the Crane Jazz Program, the Crane Student Association, the Office of the Dean and the S.E. Shires Company.
About The Crane School of Music:
Founded in 1886, SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music has a long legacy of excellence in music education and performance. Life at Crane includes an incredible array of more than 300 recitals, lectures and concerts presented by faculty, students and guests each year. The Crane School of Music is the State University of New York’s only All-Steinway institution. For more information, please visit www.potsdam.edu/crane.
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