Melvin Lee Davis | |
|---|---|
| Born | Orange County, California, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, jazz, funk, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, music director |
| Instrument(s) | Bass guitar, keyboards, piano |
| Labels | P-Vine |
| Website | www |
Melvin Lee Davis is an American bass player, vocalist, keyboard player, producer, TV composer and engineer based in Orange County, California. He is the music director for Grammy-award winning artist Chaka Khan and has recorded with The Pointer Sisters, Lee Ritenour, Bryan Ferry, Patti Austin and Gladys Knight & the Pips. He co-wrote "Soul Train's a-Comin", the theme song for the television show Soul Train.[1] His albums, Tomorrow's Yesterday and Nature's Serenade were released through The Orchard; LTV: Love, Truth & Victory was released through P-Vine Records.
Born and raised in Orange County, Melvin Lee Davis played the violin at age four and the saxophone at age six; he took up guitar while he was in high school. He was discovered by a saxophone player in Buddy Miles's jazz band who was dating his sister while Davis was playing at a club. Miles flew Davis to New York City to audition and hired him on the spot.[1]
Davis played in New York City clubs and met Soul Train producer Don Cornelius through a mutual friend, Ron Kersey. According to Davis, Davis made many of his contacts in R&B through Cornelius. "...if you were a black musician in the business of making R&B and soul music and wanted to get on television, you had to go through Don Cornelius," he said.[1][2]
His association with Cornelius lead him to co-write the Soul Train theme, "Soul Train's A-Comin'". Davis has worked for Grammy award winning singer Chaka Khan as a session and touring bassist in addition to music director. He's also worked with Lee Ritenour, Patti Austin, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Pointer Sisters, and Bryan Ferry.[2][3]
With Lee Ritenour
With George Benson
With Patti Austin
With others
