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Artist
Jesse Davis
12+ albums
jazzsaxophoneclassic rockUSAmelodic
about
There are two known artists of the name Jesse Davis. Jesse Edwin Davis was an American guitarist. He was well regarded as a session artist. Born in Norman, Oklahoma, Davis began his musical career in Oklahoma City. His father, Jesse Ed Davis II, was Kiowa and Cherokee while his mother's side was Kiowa. He graduated from Northeast High School in 1962. Davis began his musical career in the late 1950s playing in Oklahoma City and surrounding cities with John Ware, John Selk, Jerry Fisher (later Blood, Sweat & Tears vocalist) Mike Boyle, Chris Frederickson, drummer Bill Maxwell and others. By the mid 1960's, Davis had quit the University of Oklahoma and went touring with Conway Twitty. Davis eventually moved to California, where, through his friendship with Levon Helm, he became friendly with Leon Russell. He became a session player before joining Taj Mahal and playing guitar and piano on his first three albums. Davis played slide, lead, rhythm, country, and even jazz during his three year stint, also making an appearance with the band in the The Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus. Davis went on to work closely with John Lennon in the future featuring as guitarist on a few of his albums. The period backing Taj Mahal was the closest Davis came to being in a band full time, and after Taj Mahal's 1969 album Giant Step, Davis performed session work for artists as diverse as David Cassidy, Albert King and Willie Nelson. In 1971, Davis produced and played on Gene Clark's second
