HANDS.
Melvin Davis, recording artist, vocalist, keyboard player and organist extraordinaire, has understood the power of his hands to transport the sound of instruments from his imagination to a concert hall or nightclub full of eager twitching bodies for all of his life, dating back to childhood. This was when Melvin’s ears, residing in the multi-cultural city of Paterson, NJ, just 20 miles west of New York, dined on the sounds of musical greats like Dizzy Gillespie, Peggy Lee, John Coltrane, Jimmy McGriff, Alvin Valentine and so many more. He played his first piano recital at 9, and at 15, when cats his age were learning how to charm young ladies, Davis was sneaking into local night clubs, hoping to charm the Hammond B3.
The Hammond’s big band grooves, thanks to masters and club mentors such as George Benson, Larry Young, Jr., Brother Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff and Dr. Lonnie Smith, worked their way into Davis’ DNA. Eventually his hands were walking and talking good music. But 24 years ago, Davis lost the ability to play with his hands. Caught in the motorized belt of a fast-moving container-making machine where he worked to supplement his music income, a finger was ripped from his left hand, which was also split diagonally.
Eight painful years and seven grueling operations was what it took for Davis to rehabilitate that hand and those fingers before he could play again. Even his brain underwent reconstruction. It had to adjust to Davis now playing bass with his left, chords and melodies with his right; the opposite way he learned and opposite the way most musicians play.
But figuring prominently in his rehabilitation was the Hammond B-3 organ. Davis had tried renewing his skills on the piano, but he couldn’t put enough pressure on the keys to make a difference. A musically astute uncle, who owned an old Hammond, urged Davis to pounce on that organ until he could make it sing. And it worked. Life returned to Davis’ fingers and hands and life rebounded through his music.
Legendary jazz guitarist George Benson introduced Davis to the remarkably talented entertainer, Lonnie Youngblood, a bandleader and outstanding saxophonist. Youngblood hired Davis, and for more than 15 years, those hands have gotten enough steady work to put Davis, his keyboard, and organ consistently in rare musical company.
Davis has since traveled the world, including England, Italy, and Japan, inspiring audiences with his magical, melody-making hands. During the 1998 and 1999 Newark Jazz Festival organ jams, Davis headlined with Benson, Charles Earland, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Joey DeFrancesco, Rhoda Scott and Seleno Clark with a guest appearance by Youngblood.
Benson applied his student’s ideas and keyboard tracks to his Grammy-nominated hit “Got To Be There,” from the album “Love Remembers.” Davis also performs on Benson’s hit album, “Standing Together.”
Davis also teamed up with Benson on his 2004 CD entitled: “Irreplaceable” and enjoys accompanying Ronny Jordan during his notable engagements in New York, Philadelphia, Texas, Japan, England, France, Spain and so on…
Davis has recorded four CDs. “MDRC” was the first, and “Mel Lennium,” was the second. The executive producers of Davis’ second CD are Tom & Julia Papa.
On his third CD released May, 2005, “mel davis revealed,” Davis gives back to the Hammond B3, an instrument that restored his musical life and greatest love. The more than proficient player breaks new ground by taking the Hammond B3 (mostly heard in big band and swing circles) into uncharted urban territory, with his smooth rendition of Janet Jackson's hip-hop dance groove, "That's The Way Love Goes." He continues the pioneering journey with Ronny Jordan, the Grammy nominated jazz guitarist, on the Sade classic "Smooth Operator." He tears up old musical scripts, as well, by funkifying the Hammond on “Real Mother For Ya,” the CD’s first cut.
Amazingly, Davis’ talent and God-given gifts do not end with playing and singing. The musician also writes melody, including the sounds of several musical instruments, lyrics, and serves as an arranger. Ultimately, he brings to the recording studio that same mesmerizing aura that he releases while live on stage.
Mel's latest CD has a little something for everyone to enjoy, the soft sweet melody of Lovely; Davis' vocal arrangement, originial music and lyrics of I Know That You Are the Only One, and Sometimes I Will Have Time.Hundreds will enjoy Mel's redition of It Was a Very Good Year; thousands will enjoy the entire CD.
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