MAXWELL DAVIS
Genres: Pop, Art Song, Folk, Big Band, RnB, Jump Blues • United States

Maxwell was born and educated in Kansas.  At the age of 17, he joined the Gene Coy band and travelled extensively throughout the mid- and northwest parts of the country.  In 1937, he moved to Los Angeles, joining the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra.  Davis worked as a freelance arranger and musician for many companies, including Black & White, Specialty, 4 Star, Aladdin, Modern, Crown, Kent, Capitol, Imperial and Miltone, where he accompanied vocalists such as Jo Evans, Helen Humes, Kay Thomas, T-Bone Walker and Ernie Andrews.    In 1948, he contracted with Aladdin Records in Beverly Hills where he recorded with musicians/ singers such as Amos Milburn, Peppermint Harris, Charles Brown, Floyd  Dixon and Calvin Boze.  During this period, his wife, Adelia, described a special arrangement Maxwell made with Louis Jordan, famous band director, who had lost all of his band arrangements in a fire. read more...