Richard Davis
is an international performing musician and Professor of Bass (European Classical and Jazz), Jazz History and combo improvisation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Chicago born, he came to the UW-Madison in 1977 after spending 23 years in New York City establishing himself as one of the world’s premier bass players. Downbeat International Critics Poll named him Best Bassist from 1967-74. He has recorded a dozen albums as a leader and 3000 recordings/jingles as a sideman. Some of his performance/recording credits include Sarah Vaughan, Eric Dolphy, Don Sebesky, Oliver Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Miles Davis Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Band, Dexter Gordon, Ahmad Jamal and a host of other notables.

Mr. Davis is equally at home in the world of euro classical music, having played under the batons of George Szell, Leopold Stokowski, Igor Stravinsky, Pierre Boulez, Gunther Schuller, and Leonard Bernstein. His great versatility as a bassist keeps him in constant demand for worldwide concert appearances. For nearly fifty years he has drawn enthusiastic audiences in Japan, Europe, Russia, South America, Puerto Rico, Cuba, The West Indies, Hong Kong , Israel and United States. His most recent CD release (May 2000) , The Bassists: Homage to Diversity (King Records) was recorded in Japan. This CD was inspired by experiences related to diversity dialogue. His second CD with King records So In Love was assembled with the idea of embracing the oneness of humankind.

In 1993, he founded the Richard Davis Foundation for Young Bassists, Inc. which annually brings in 17 masterful bass instructors/performers to teach young bassists ages 3-18.

Prof. Davis has received honorary doctorate degrees in Musical Arts and Humane Letters, and the Hilldale Award for distinguished teaching from former Chancellor Donna Shalala. In 2000 he received the Manfred E. Swarsensky Humanitarian Award from the Rotary Club Of Madison. International Peace Award Tokyo Japan, U of WI/Madison Mentors Award. In 2001 he received the Governor’s (Wisconsin) Arts Award. In the year 2002 he received the Urban League Whitney M. Young Award, N.A.A.C.P. W.E.B.DuBois Advocates award and many other community based awards. In the year 2007 Reverend Richard Davis was ordained by the Universal Ministries (non-denominational).

In 2008, Richard Davis received the MAMA (Madison Area Music Award Michael St. John Lifetime Achievement Award, Human Rights Award (Rev.James C. Wright), “FIGS” 2008 First Interest Group Students (Freshman Year), the TRIO award/first in family to go to College/Awarded by Caroline McCormack. In 2009 he received the Exceptional Service Award University of Wisconsin-Madison 2009 (Gary Sandefur, Dean), and the Spencer Tracy Award for Distinction in the Performing Arts (Wisconsin Historical Society).

Richard Davis has been a faculty member at UW Madison for 25 years. In 1998 he self elected to form Retention Action Project (R.A.P.) That body of people collaborate withVice Chancellor Paul W. Barrows office and Seema Kapani (Equity and Diversity Resourse Center). on student affairs whose main goal is to educate all students toward multicultural competency. He has facilitated many open dialogs (video viewing) on racial/class issues in his home, colleges, municipal agencies etc.