Saturday FINALE Concert

Steve Davis “Stevie-D” nickname given to him by the late Jackie McLean

Born in Worcester, MA in 1967, Davis was raised in Binghamton, NY and graduated in 1989 from Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute. It was with McLean’s guidance and recommendation that Davis landed his first major performance with Art Blakey in NYC. In 98’ Steve winning the TDWR (Rising Star) Trombone Category and later named consecutively as Trombonist of the Year by The JJA – (2010-2013). 
Widely regarded as one of today’s leading voices on the trombone. His lyrical, hard-swinging style first gained him broad recognition. Steve has released 20 albums including: Think Ahead (2017), Say When (2015), For Real & Gettin’ It Done (2014) featuring his longtime musical colleagues Larry Willis and Nat Reeves along with drummer Billy Williams, saxophonists Abraham Burton (For Real), Mike DiRubbo and trumpeter Josh Bruneau (Gettin’ It Done), in addition to over 100 recordings with names including: Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard, Horace Silver, Cedar Walton, Hank Jones. In 2018 his original composition “Optimism” was included in Christian McBride’s Grammy Award winning album “Bringin’ it”. Steve Davis’ latest release with his sextet “Correlations” (label: Smoke Sessions Records) Steve features Joshua Bruneau, trumpet; Wayne Escoffery, tenor saxophone; Xavier Davis, piano; Dexron Dougles, bass; Johnathan Barber, drums; Caro Baptista, percussion on “Batista Revenge”.

He leads his groups All-Star quartet Larry Willis (Alone Together/Mapleshade 2006) and his exciting, Outlook Quintet featuring rising stars Mike DiRubbo (alto sax), David Bryant (piano), Dezron Douglas (bass) and Eric McPherson (drums) regularly performing at Smoke and Smalls Jazz Club (NYC); The Greater Hartford Jazz Festival, Baltimore’s Eubie Blake Center, The Richmond Jazz Society, Hartford Jazz Society.

Steve performs internationally with Dizzy Gillespie’s All-Stars, Jimmy Heath, Ron Carter. Chick Corea & My Spanish Heart Band, Origin, he has appeared at The Jimmy Fallon with Steve Wonder, at the White House Tribute to Ray Charles (PBS) and records with the collective unit One For All (Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi, David Hazeltine, John Webber and Joe Farnsworth), Larry Willis, Harold Malberen.Widely regarded as one of today’s leading voices on the trombone. His lyrical, hard-swinging style first gained him broad recognition.

Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, based in Brooklyn, NY, Latin Grammy Award-winning percussionist and composer Samuel Torres thrives at the intersection of Afro-Latin rhythms, Latin jazz, and contemporary classical music. “…intelligent, sophisticated and explosive." – JazzTimes Magazine 

Torres has performed, arranged, produced and/or recorded with the “who’s who” of the jazz, Latin pop and the classical world, including such luminaries as Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D’Rivera, Yo-Yo Ma, Chick Corea, Alejandro Sanz, Ricky Martin, Richard Bona, Lila Downs, Angelique Kidjo, Marc Anthony, Rubén Blades, Cecile McLorin Salvant, and his country’s own international superstar, Shakira. He has been featured as a composer and soloist with classical orchestras such as Berlin Symphoniker, City of London Sinfonia, Cuban National Symphony, The Bogotá Philharmonic, Medellín Philharmonic, and The Cali Philharmonic.

In 2019 Torres won the Latin Grammy Award for the Best Classical Record with his album 'Regreso' a concerto for congas and symphony orchestra. He is a three-time recipient of the New Jazz Works Grant by Chamber Music America and received 2nd place at the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition in 2000.

https://www.samueltorres.com/