Steve Davis (trombonist)

Steve Davis (born Worcester, Massachusetts, April 14, 1967) is an American jazz trombonist.

Davis was raised in Binghamton, New York, where he grew up with jazz music being played in the household(father's record collection, grandparents played). The Binghamton scene included many talented musicians including mentors Doug Beardsley and Al Hamme as well as peers Kris Jensen, Tony Kadleck, Tom Dempsey, Dena DeRose, John Hollenbeck and many others. Now divorced, he was married to the pianist Mary Di Paola-Davis many years. Their eldest son, Tony Davis, is a jazz guitarist.

He studied jazz under Dr. Jackie McLean at The Hartt School of the University of Hartford in Connecticut. While in school, Davis also gained valuable experience sitting-in and gigging on the Hartford jazz scene with Hartt professors Hotep Galeta and Nat Reeves, and with Don DePalma, Larry DiNatale and others at The 880 Club. Saxophonist Jackie McLean, founder of Hartt's African-American music program, recommended Steve to Art Blakey, whose Jazz Messengers he joined at Sweet Basil in New York City in December 1989. After Blakey's death, Davis joined the Hartt faculty in 1991 (where he continues to teach today) and taught at The Artist's Collective in Hartford.

Davis gained further international recognition playing in his mentor McLean's sextet (1992–97) and in Chick Corea's Origin (1997–2001). Davis has been a member of the acclaimed, New York-based cooperative sextet One for All since its inception in 1996. Along with Davis, the band features Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi, David Hazeltine, John Webber and Joe Farnsworth. Davis also currently plays with Larry Willis's Quintet, The Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Star Big Band/Septet, leads The Steve Davis Quintet (featuring saxophonist Mike DiRubbo) and is a fixture on the New York and Hartford jazz scenes.

Davis has played and recorded with a long list of jazz greats including Freddie Hubbard and The New Jazz Composers Octet, Benny Golson's New Jazztet, Hank Jones, Cecil Payne, Horace Silver, Cedar Walton, Harold Mabern, Larry Willis, Eddie Henderson, Roy Hargrove, Avishai Cohen, Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and Michael Weiss.

As leader

• The Moon Knows w/ Explorers (Brownstone, 1994)
• The Jaunt (Criss Cross, 1995)
• Dig Deep (Criss Cross, 1996)
• Crossfire (Criss Cross, 1997)
• New Terrain w/ Explorers (Ind, 1997)
• Vibe Up (Criss Cross, 1998)
• Portrait in Sound (Stretch/Concord, 2000)
• Systems Blue (Criss Cross, 2001)
• Meant to Be (Criss Cross, 2003)
• Update (Criss Cross, 2006)
• Alone Together (Mapleshade, 2007)
• Outlook (Posi-Tone, 2008)
• Eloquence (JLP, 2009)
• Live at Small's (Smalls Live, 2010)
• Images (Posi-Tone, 2010)
• Mistaken Identity (Audio & Video Labs/MCG Jazz, 2011)
• Gettin' It Done (Posi-Tone, 2012)
• Say When (Smoke Sessions, 2015)

As sideman

With Art Blakey

• Chippin' In (Timeless, 1990)
• One for All (A&M, 1990)

With Jackie McLean

• Rhythm of the Earth (1992, Birdology)
• Fire & Love (1997, Toshiba EMI/Blue Note)

With Others

• Mode for Mabes w/ Eric Alexander (1997, Delmark)
• Beautiful Friendship w/ Joe Farnsworth (1998, Criss Cross)
• Osteology w/ Conrad Herwig (1998, Criss Cross)
• Adama w/ Avishai Cohen (1998, Stretch/Concord)
• Change w/ Chick Corea & Origin (1999, Stretch/Concord)
• Brand New world w/ Jimmy Greene (1999, BMG)
• Soul Journey w/ Michael Weiss (2003, Sinatra)
• Good-Hearted People w/ David Hazeltine (2002, Criss Cross)
• One 4-J w/ Steve Turre (2002, Telarc)
• Spirit of the Horn w/ Slide Hampton's World of Trombones (2002, MCG Jazz)
• American Song w/ Andy Bey (2004, Savoy)
• Dizzy's Business w/ Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Star Big Band (2005, MCG)
• Turn Up the Heath w/ Jimmy Heath Big Band (2006, Planet Arts)
• Blue Fable w/ Larry Willis (2007, HighNote)
• On the Real Side w/ Freddie Hubbard & New Jazz Composers Octet (2008, Hip Bop)
• New Time, New 'Tet w/ Benny Golson (2008, Concord Jazz)
• Return of the Lineup w/ One for All (2009, Sharp Nine)
• I'm BeBoppin' Too w/ Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, (2009, Half Note)