Dennis Davis

Dennis Davis (August 28, 1951 – April 6, 2016) was an American drummer and session musician best known for his work with David Bowie, playing on ten albums - including seven successive studio albums - during the singer's classic mid- and late- seventies period, and on many hit singles, starting with "Fame" (1975).
Early life and military service
Davis was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, and studied with drummers Max Roach and Elvin Jones before joining the Clark Terry Big Band in 1967. He joined the U.S. Navy and served on the USS Rowan (DD-782) from 1969 to 1970 during the Vietnam War. He was discharged from the U.S Navy in 1970 in San Diego, California. He was wounded during his military service, but was able to hone his skills when he performed as part of the US Navy's Drum and Bugle Corps.
Career
Davis met guitarist Carlos Alomar when they were both playing with Roy Ayers. Davis was hired by David Bowie in 1974 for two tracks on Young Americans. Alomar, Davis and George Murray formed the "D.A.M. Trio" rhythm section which performed on seven successive albums released by Bowie in the 1970s, all of which are regarded as amongst the artist's best. Davis also played on three live albums recorded during that period, two of which were released after Bowie's death. The snare sound used on Bowie's Low album is considered influential on many later records. It was the result of early pitch shifting technology coupled with Davis's sensitive touch as a performer. In the late seventies Davis also teamed up with Stevie Wonder and worked on four albums over the following decade. In the early 2000s, he played percussion on David Bowie's live tours, including the artist's last, A Reality Tour, in 2003. The drummer for that band was Sterling Campbell, who was previously a student of Davis.
Death, tributes and sons
Davis died on April 6, 2016, of cancer. His youngest son, Hikaru Davis, made a series of interview videos from 2016 to 2019 speaking with musicians who knew his father. When interviewed, Tony Visconti played Davis' drum and "thunderous" conga tracks from "Look Back in Anger", periodically exclaiming "great!", "amazing!", "that's killer!", and noting that Davis "plays so many things at once... and yet it doesn't sound busy". The accompanying review says that Davis is "that most perfect of drummers too: endlessly inventive, yet never gets in the way of the funk." T-Bone Motta, an older son, has been the drummer for Public Enemy since 2012.
Selective discography
With Roy Ayers
Red, Black and Green (1973)
Coffy (1973)
Virgo Red (1973)
A Tear to a Smile (1975)
Vibrations (1976)
Step in to our Life (1978)
You Send Me (1978) - "Can't You See Me"
No Stranger to Love (1979)
I'm the One for your Love Tonight (1987)
Wake Up (1989)
Double Trouble (1992)
Good Vibrations (1993)
The Essential Groove - Live (1994)
Naste′ (1995)
Mahogany Vibe (2004)
With George Benson
Good King Bad (1975) - "Shell of a Man"
Pacific Fire (1983)
With David Bowie
Young Americans (1975) - "Across the Universe", "Fame"
Station to Station (1976)
Low (1977)
"Heroes" (1977)
Stage (1978)
Lodger (1979)
Scary Monsters (1980)
Live Nassau Coliseum '76 (2017)
Welcome to the Blackout (Live London '78) (2018)
Live in Berlin [1978] L.P. (2018)
I'm Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74) (2020)
With Ronnie Foster
Cheshire Cat (1975)
Love Satellite (1978)
Delight (1979)
With Jermaine Jackson
Let's Get Serious (1980) – "Let's Get Serious," "Where Are You Now," "You're Supposed to Keep Your Love for Me"
With Garland Jeffreys
Guts for Love (1982)
With Iggy Pop
The Idiot (1977)
With Smokey Robinson
Where There's Smoke... (1979) - "I Love The Nearness Of You"
With Stevie Wonder
Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants (1979) – "A Seed's a Star/Tree Medley"
Hotter Than July (1980) – "Did I Hear You Say You Love Me," "As If You Read My Mind", "Master Blaster (Jammin')"
Original Musiquarium (1982) – "Do I Do"
Characters (Motown, 1987) – "Free" with Jephté Guillaume & The Tet Kale Orkestra
References
External links
Dennis Davis Website
1951 births
2016 deaths
African-American drummers
American session musicians
Musicians from Manhattan
American rock drummers
United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War
American funk drummers
Rhythm and blues drummers
Soul drummers
Stevie Wonder
Deaths from cancer in the United States
United States Navy sailors