Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Steinway Artist BK Davis to perform opening night

Steinway International Artist BK Davis
Sarasota musician BK Davis will perform live classical music for opening night at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair. He is part of the Steinway International Artists roster that also includes Elton John, Billy Joel, Harry Connick, Jr., and Herbie Hancock. Davis has been performing for four decades, since he was a teen.

With his group, the BK Davis Trio, Davis is a frequent headliner at The Fox Jazz Club in Tampa. He returned earlier this year from a national Steinway concert tour that took him to venues in the East, South and Midwest, including his hometown of Davenport, Iowa.

Davis grew up in a music family. His father, a church bishop, pressed him into service as a teenager to serve as musical director for seven churches he oversaw. His mother, an accomplished vocalist, taught him to sing and play. Davis also plays guitar, organ, drums, and a dozen other instruments.

At 13, he composed his first song. At 14, he directed a 150-member church choir performing his song on national television. He wrote theme music for the Boy Scouts of America and for an Indianapolis 500 race, and for numerous television commercials. He co-wrote music with Little Richard and played in bands for B.B. King and Billy Preston. Though known as a jazz artist, Davis is accomplished in classical music, gospel and Latin genres as well. 

At home, Davis composes on a gold-trimmed ivory Steinway Concert Grand, a gift from his wife Rasheen for his devotion to her as she underwent chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer in 2011. She wrote of her experiences in her new book The Chemo Room, which will be available at the book fair. A former corporate executive, Rasheen Davis is now her husband's manager.

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