Deborah Davis / Deborah Davis & A Few Good Men

Deborah Davis / Deborah Davis & A Few Good Men
New York City (Manhattan) & Brooklyn, NY
Grant amount: $15,000

About the Artist

Deborah Davis is no stranger to the Japanese jazz audience. She made her very first international touring debut in Japan during the late 1980‘s. Understudying for a 1960‘s musical BeeHive she jumped at the opportunity to come to Tokyo and check out the jazz scene. With her first tour being sponsored by Kyodo Tokyo was well looked after, as she was introduced to the city and the jazz scene. Deborah later returned annually touring throughout Japan performing in Tokyo’s top Jazz Clubs including the Blue Note, as well as Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Yokohama, and the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival. Deborah is a naturally gifted singer and consummate performer that has captivates audiences in 35+ countries. A true jazz singer fused with gospel roots, her home town Texas blues, a whole lot of soul , natural flowing charm, and a flawless stage presence; Deborah Davis draws you into her show. A native of Dallas Texas, Deborah’s musical development lead her to move to New York City, where she has carved out a niche for herself on the U.S. East Coast, and International jazz scenes. Deborah’s distinct style of phrasing, extraordinary singing ability and professionalism has earned her invitations to perform with legendary jazz greats, Ray Brown, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, and a rare opportunity to substitute for Abbey Lincoln, Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakely, Lou Donaldson and Harold Mayburn have all shared their stages with Deborah inviting her to sing.

Deborah has lead her own bands featuring many of New York’s younger jazz lion’s such as Benny Green, Cyrus Chestnut, Gerald Clayton, Christian McBride, Peter Washington, Russell Malone, Greg Hutchinson, Brian Blade, Evan Sherman, and too many others to name. Deborah has lit up the stages of well established NEW YORK jazz clubs, concert halls and festivals including Blue Note, Birdland, Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil, Smalls, Mezzrow, Smoke, Jazz Standard, Iridium, Rainbow Room, and the former Tavern on Green and Windows of the World. She has sung for dignitaries at the United Nations & U.S. Embassy affairs including a performance for President Bill Clinton. Deborah is a former US Jazz Ambassador chosen by the U.S. State Department and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, to represent the U.S. touring Latin America fostering good will and presenting jazz awareness. Deborah performs in Japan, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Iceland, Paris, Monaco, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Dubai, Jamaica, Russia, Kazakhstan Dagestan, Croatia, Check Republic, and Belarus,etc. The world is her playground as she continues gaining international recognition during extensive tours annually. She has performed with The Shirelles, jammed with Bon Jovi and Billy Joel, and opened for Diana Ross, Celine Dion, Santana, Chicago, Eric Clapton, Z.Z. Top, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, Macy Gray, Alanis Morissette, and more.

Deborah established Deborah Davis Music Design, LLC ; booking, contracting and performing for many New York’s elite social functions & corporate events, as well as contracting singers for international jazz clubs and hotels. She formed her own label Got My Own Records to produce her first three CD’s. Deborah adds to her list of life accomplishments a 26.2mile fundraising marathon for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She completed the marathon in Dublin, Ireland, but now produces and performs annual benefit concerts at The Blue Note Jazz Club NYC raising funds for the cause. She also provides entertainment for City Meals on Wheels annual fundraiser. When not touring Deborah enjoys substitute teaching for special needs children, creating abstract arts and crafts, jewelry making, writing poetry, museums, vegetarian cooking, Bikram yoga, workouts, and taking long walks with no particular destination in mind. She graduated UNT, Denton TX with a degree in Music Education and subsequently earned a Recording Engineering Degree from Cedar Valley College in Dallas, TX.