International jazz vocalist Deborah Davis to perform at WC
International jazz vocalist Deborah Davis will perform a free concert at Weatherford
College’s Alkek Fine Arts Center at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 6.
A native of Dallas, Davis now lives in New York City where she has cultivated her own fusion of Texas blues, gospel and soul for the past three decades. Critics proclaim her as a gifted singer and consummate performer who has captivated audiences worldwide.
Davis has performed with legendary jazz greats Ray Brown, Lionel Hampton, and Clark Terry, had the rare opportunity to substitute for Abbey Lincoln and worked on a commercial with Ella Fitzgerald.
She has lit up the stages of well-established New York jazz clubs and concert halls, including the Blue Note, Birdland, Village Vanguard, Smoke and Jazz Standard. She has sung for dignitaries at the United Nations, performed for President Bill Clinton and shared her talents in more than 30 countries.
Her list of credits also includes performances with The Shirelles, jam sessions with Bon Jovi and Billy Joel, and opening acts for Diana Ross, Celine Dion, Alicia Keys, Alanis Morisette, and many more.
Davis grew up singing in her church choir and discovered a love of jazz thanks to her high school choir director, Robert Sanders. She earned a Bachelor of Music Education in vocal studies from North Texas University and an Associate of Arts in recording engineering at Cedar Valley College.
Davis is accompanied by some of the top musicians in the New York scene on her Jazz Road Tour Across Texas. The tour is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mellon Foundation and the Dorris Duke Foundation.
She will also teach a workshop to WC jazz students and others on Thursday afternoon before continuing her local tour with performances in Richardson, Dallas, Austin, and Mesquite. For information on the workshop or private lessons with her band members, contact Fredrick Sanders at fsanders@wc.edu.