| Daniel D. (Symphony) |
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| Daniel is taking the violin to another level. He encourages young and old as he plays with passion on his violin. |
May 28, 2007, That gifted violinist
Posted by: janet in News
This post is courtesy of Cait, who emailed SpoletoToday asking about the talented violinist
at the Piccolo Spoleto reggae block party. Turns out Daniel Davis, the 18-year-old violin
player extraordinaire, is a soon-to-be graduate of School of the Arts. He and his equally
talented little sister, Faith, have a Website for those who want more info.
Davis will be touring the country with T-Bone this summer, says his mom, Lillie Davis, whom
I spoke with this afternoon. She says there’s no explaining the talent other than God-given
and that she and husband Reggie are just learning as they go with their artistic offspring.
(She doesn’t seem to be putting the pressure on her kids to buy her a vacation home that I
am putting on mine.)
“He just loves what he’s doing” she said of her son, who has yet to make definite college
plans, and not from lack of offers. Check out the site above for more opportunities to hear
the Davis siblings.
This just in: Daniel Davis can be heard again at the Sister City Jazz Block Party Saturday,
June 2, 7-11 at the Customhouse for FREE!
SPOLETO TODAY
SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
Daniel Davis
Hip-Hop Fiddle: Humble young phenom Daniel Davis
poised for stardom BY STRATTON LAWRENCE
Daniel Davis left crowds speechless at last spring's
Reggae Block Party Stratton Lawrence ALSO IN
FEATURES, MOJA, The Big Read
Within moments of Daniel Davis taking the stage at
last spring's Reggae Block Party at the Custom House,
a few thousand jaws collectively hit the ground. Seconds
later, every person on the street was dancing, swaying,
or grinning ear to ear. The headliner, international reggae superstar Pato
Banton, became an afterthought. The emcee himself was speechless,
repeating "18 years old!" after the violinist left the stage.
The 2007 graduate of Charleston's School of the Arts first picked up the fiddle
about six years ago. If he's twice as good as he is now, he'll be playing
Carnegie Hall at 24. By 30, children from Tokyo to Rio de Janeiro will know his
name.
Mandolins, guitars, keyboards, and an upright bass adorn the walls of the Davis
family living room. Proficient on several instruments, Daniel doesn't limit
himself to a style. He occasionally sits in with a country artist, plays classical
compositions with ease, and holds his own in jazz combos. The boy breathes
music.
For his solo performances, Davis layers beats and melodies on his computer,
even adding in spoken word tracks like Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream"
speech. "I find a hook to play on the violin in the beginning, and the rest is
improvisation," says Davis. "I like to blend my style into jazz and hip-hop, finding
something that people can relate to."
At the core of Davis' playing is a sincere passion for the music. He regularly
gives lessons to friends and peers, even lending instruments out of their home.
"There's so much more motivation when a young person is showing another
young person techniques, because they can relate to one another," says Davis.
"Every opportunity to play with someone offers new enlightenment and a chance
to learn. I love performing and I love playing — period."
Daniel Davis will open for Najee 7:30 p.m. on Sat. Sept. 29 at the Cistern. 66
George St. (843) 722-2764. Admission is $20. Check www.mojafestival.com
and www.najeeonline.com for more. He will also play Porgy's Other Place Sun.
Sept. 30. 137 Calhoun St. (843) 722-0023.
CHARLESTON CITY PAPER
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Daniel at Moja, opens for Najee
Daniel Davis, a violinist and a 2007 graduate of Charleston's School of Arts,
began the concert. Just 18, his jeans and sneakers gave away his age but not
his skill.
He applied a classical touch to modern dance songs, including Sean
Kingston's No. 1 hit, "Beautiful Girls," carefully layering the sounds from his
instrument onto the track.
One of his songs even sampled Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech,
perfect for the festival.
The kid's a real treat. The joy Davis finds in performing is evident.
The instrumental band Soulfood Jazz followed Davis. Fronted by Dwayne
Johnson, Soulfood Jazz capably tackled hits from Alicia Keys and Luther
Vandross. Clearly, the crowd favored Vandross, and it was a fitting tribute to the
late legend
CHARLESTON.NET MOJA
Friday, November 9, 2007
Big Read success
Over 160 people attended The Big Read finale on Oct. 14 at Emanuel AME
Church in Charleston. This month-long event, sponsored by the Charleston
County Public Library, concluded with an outstanding program titled "Their Eyes
Were Watching God: A Celebration of Praise in the Southern Folk Tradition."
Cynthia Graham Hurd, manager of the John L. Dart Library, a branch of the
Charleston County Public Library, organized and presented an array of talented
Charlestonians, including Jean German Oritz, The Mighty Echoes of
Charleston, and Daniel Davis and Richard Andre Blakeney. Acting as master of
ceremonies was Raphael James, a news anchor at WCSC-TV. Of the four Big
Read events I attended, I was most impressed by the turnout for the
extraordinary event that showcased a young and gifted violinist, Daniel Davis,
who undoubtedly has a great career as a musician ahead of him. I commend
the Charleston County Public Library, and particularly Cynthia Hurd for bringing
the community together for a celebration of the life of Zora Neal Hurston.
MARLENE GRANT
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Sophia Rodriguez/
The Post and Courier Daniel Davis played the
violin with clips of Martin Luther King's 'I have
Dream' speech and a bass beat in the background
as the pageant judges made their final decisions.
Charleston Airlift Dispatch
October 5, 2007
CAFB talent show
Daniel Davis, 19, son of Chief Master Sgt.
Reginald Davis, performs a violin rendition
of "Beautiful Girls" at the 2007 Family and
Teen Talent Contest. (U.S. Air Force photo/
Tech. Sgt. Paul Kilgallon)
CHARLESTON AFB PICS
| Daniel's Articles |
| Did you miss this event? It was awesome. Stay tuned for upcoming Performances. |
| Daniel Davis left crowds speechless at last spring's Reggae Block Party |
