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Western Michigan University's Keith Hall talks about jazz greats and talks with current practitioners of the art.0000017c-60f7-de77-ad7e-f3f73a350002

LHI Live: Jazz Pianist Xavier Davis

Keith Hall

Jazz Currents host Keith Hall talks to a longtime friend, jazz pianist Xavier Davis, a prominent performer, educator, arranger and producer in the world of jazz today.  In his WMUK visit, Davis plays a few requests from Hall, including his own modern standard, "The Message," and Thelonius Monk's "Pannonica." 

wknd_lhi_xavier_davis_2.mp3
Xavier Davis, in conversation and performance with Jazz Currents host Keith Hall. Part 2 of 2.

Davis was raised in a musical family in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As a student at Western Michigan University, Davis had to make a life-changing decision when he was asked to join singer Betty Carter's band, which was based in New York City. A few credits shy of his degree, he nevertheless took the plunge, with help from his then-band mate Keith Hall.

After a period of intense performing under the watchful eye of Carter, Davis went on to perform with dozens of top jazz players, including Tom Harrell, Regina Carter, Christian McBride, Abbey Lincoln, and Wynton Marsalis. Now an associate professor of jazz piano at Michigan State University, he tells Hall about his recent and upcoming recording projects.  

Cara Lieurance is the local host of NPR's All Things Considered on 1021 WMUK and covers local arts & culture on Let's Hear It on 89.9 Classical WMUK weekday mornings at 10 - 11 am.
As Chief Engineer for WMUK, Martin Klemm is kept busy by tending to a variety of issues - from computers to tower lights - he will never run out of things to fix. Before coming to WMUK in 2003, Martin worked in Los Angeles making records with some outstanding producers, but preferred to be close to his family here in west Michigan. He enjoys keeping a busy schedule balancing WMUK, loving on his friends' doggos, and remodeling his home in the Edison neighborhood (which never seems to end)
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