LARRY DAVIS

Sat., May 17.  LARRY DAVIS.  A performer whose unassuming nature belies the depth of his talent, Mr. Davis inherited his musical sense from his tap-dancing, bass-playing, part-time janitor father, who tragically died when Davis was a child, leaving him to be raised by his hard-working mother and his half-Cherokee Indian grandmother, herself a gifted storyteller.  Pursuing dance as a young man, he found no outlet for this during his hitch with the Air Force, but auditioned for a slot as a singer, subsequently spending many nights in the early 60’s singing pop and jazz in Air Force Officers’ Clubs.  However, his college degree was in graphic arts—and upon showing his portfolio to executives at ABC Studios in Los Angeles in 1964, he was hired immediately, remaining there for 43 years, ultimately retiring at the age of 69—at which time he returned to singing for the first time since the Air Force.  Initially performing only at piano bars and open mikes, he was recruited to guest in others’ shows, and eventually produced two of his own CD’s: Close Your Eyes and Larry Davis, Too.  His voice is pitch-perfect with just the right amount of humanizing rasp to sex it up, and he delivers a lyric with those impeccable choices in phrasing and rhythm that seem to be conferred only through maturity.  We have followed, and have been fans of, Mr. Davis for several years, but his Gardenia shows have left us running out of superlatives.