The Washington times., 1925-04-29
Davis Rise Attributed to
His Rare Combination Of
Musician and Business Genius

luAAO VI hSycE bdNIS. w H1IC d
skyrocketing brilliance has been
displayed in his rise in fourteen
years from an unknown violinist
in a hotel orchestra to the head
of the greatest musical oreani.
zation in the world, comprising
a chain Of ninety-four orchestras
with a $3,000,0O0 pay roll. his
success has been essentially
based on the bedrock Of good
business sense and worthwhile
service rendered.
Although rated as the wealth
lest musical magnate in the
world in his early thirties, Meyer
Davis is inclined to be modest
about his achievements. eff
I've gotten on" he said, tits
because I've had the good luck
to have a few grains of both
musical and horse sense in my
makeup. At the present time,
music, especially dance music,
is a great national commodiI
The many thousands of hotels.
,high-claSS restaurants and dance
resorts in the country all need
good music supplied on a de-
pendable business basis. l be-
lieve that while our organiza ton
has done it's part in supplying
this demand, the surface of the
proposition has been hardly
scratched as yet.
His Activities Broaden Rapidly.
'"The work is inspiring, too,
of course. Music means more
life and joy wherever it goes
and it is very pleasant to see
that the public wants more and
better music all the time.
Il believe that the trend is set
ting steadily away from the
more violent type of jazz into
the realm of melody. Syncopa-
ton is here to stay, but synco-
patton and melody can be had at
the same time. while the COW
bell sort Of jazz meant that
melody had to be sacrificed"
During the last few years the
Davis projects have been pyra-
miding so rapidly that it is hard
to keep track of them. Besides
controlling and building Ap his
huge chain of bands, he has also
Ventured into the amusement
and resort field with tremendous
success, operating exclusive re-
sorts in New York, Washington
and Palm Beach. In Washing.
ton his three resorts, the Cafe
lie Paradis, the Club Chantecler,
and the LIE Paradis Roof Garden.
are conceded to be the 'smartest
places Of their type in the Capt,
tai. The Venetian room, con
nected with the LIE Paradis Cafe,
is the most beautiful ROOM Of its
kind in the country and is de-
voted exclusively to private
parties. The Chateau LIE Paradis
is his very latest project and will
result in giving the Capital an
entirely new and luxurious type
| OF resort. Baltimoreans, too
probably will flock to the
chateau, since it is located di
rectly on the Baltimore Wash
ington boulevard.
The starting point of the Da-
Wis success was his faculty for
supplying pleasing dance music
for society functions and thus
building up a list of patrons
whose names read like pages
from the Social Register. He
is the favOrite musical director
with the real society folk of the
country and is in constant de-
mand for social functions
throughout the entire year. Ere.
quently his personal services
have been booked as far as two
years ahead.
Favored by Prince of Wales.
Despite the press of his ex-
ecutive duties, Mr.. Davis has
never permitted them to clash
with his enjoyment of both elias
steal and popular music Hence
he has always continued to play
at special affairs and gets as
much enjoyment from his work
as when he was fiddling in a
fhotel at SIS a week.
A group of Davis bands are
always to be found at the great
resorts favored by fashion, such
rs Havana, Palm Beach, Miami
md Bar Harbor. Besides the
bands which he furnishes in the
arge hotels at exclusive recrea-
,ional places, Mr.. Davis always
nas several bands at these re-
sorts to play for large society
functions. Thus every season
re sends several high-class com
oinations to Palm Beach TO en-
ertain at the Everglades, the
Tocoanut balls and other society
affairs arranged for the winter
season.
Davis music has always made
a tremendous appeal 10 visiting
foreign celebrities who have al.
ways been delighted with Davis
dance music. Most noted of these
was the Prince of Wales who
absolutely declined to have other
than Never Davis music durint,