Billie Davies Perspectives ~ A Gathering - A 3 month residency at the Art Klub in New Orleans.

BILLIE DAVIES Trio presents PERSPECTIVES ~ a Gathering

Billie Davies Perspectives ~ A Gathering 

Who: Billie Davies Trio

What: Billie Davies Perspectives ~ A Gathering

When: Every Sunday, 8:00pm-11:00pm

Starting: OCTOBER 21, 2018

Ending: JANUARY 13, 2019

Where: Art Klub, 1941 Arts St., New Orleans

Why: Billie Davies Perspectives ~ A Gathering is a once a week open to the public music exploration during her 3 month residency at the Art Klub, within the perspective of "fine art" - while at the same time it being an informal, happy-go-lucky, relaxing musical gathering full of love and peace.

How Much: $10 at the door. No one is ever turned away for lack of funds at Art Klub.

Billie Davies Perspectives ~ A Gathering

Every Sunday, from October 21 until January 13, join the BILLIE DAVIES Trio as they explore music within a perspective of "fine art". Each Sunday night will showcase Billie Davies on drums, Evan Oberla on piano, keys and trombone, Oliver Watkinson on bass and feature Iris P. on vocals. Invited guests will jump into the mix and play alongside the trio, keeping the evening informal, happy-go-lucky, relaxing and full of love and peace.

About the artist

The music of BILLIE DAVIES Trio, A Nu Experience and other quartet, quintet and sextet line-ups, moves on from the Jazz and Avant-garde jazz world beyond Jazz with it's own unique and truly improvisational style.

While living and playing in the South of France in 1984, Billie received a talent grant from Max Roach to study at Berklee College of Music. She made a permanent move to the US in December of 1986 for the sake of her explorations in Jazz. 

Her 2012 release of “all about Love” solidified her position as a professional jazz musician. This recording of standards and original music, charted #1 in CMJ Jazz College Radio Charts for ‘top jazz add’ in new albums and went on to stay in the top 20 for 4 weeks. Also well received in Canada, the album ended up in the Top 10 on three different !Earshot Jazz charts.

In October, 2013 Billie released “12 VOLT” which garnered national and international attention. CJ Bond, JAZZ MUSIC, wrote, “12 VOLT” features exclusively original compositions of Billie Davies, and adds the crucial tyne of 'composer/arranger' to her sterling artistic fork, augmenting fearless innovation. Jan Hocek of His Voice in Prague wrote:”Without hesitation - HIGH VOLTAGE avant-garde JAZZ - one of the most remarkable trio albums of the year!" In 2013 Billie Davies received the "Jazz Artist of the Year" Award by the 23rd Annual Los Angeles Music Awards.

In March of 2014 she moved to New Orleans where she has graced stages ever since and where she recorded her album "Hand In Hand In The Hand Of The Moon" in 2015. She received more national and international attention due to a player feature in Downbeat Magazine May 2016 edition, "BILLIE DAVIES '20 Years Stronger'".

"On Hollywood Boulevard", her CD released in 12/10/2016 became a January 2017 Editor's Pick on DownBeat.com. It also started solidifying the coming of a new Billie Davies Trio with Evan Oberla on piano, el. keys and trombone and Oliver Watkinson on bass while featuring the vocals of Iris P who brought the words written by Billie to the stage.

In December 2017 Billie Davies was nominated for "Best Contemporary Jazz Artist" in New Orleans by OffBeat Magazine.

September 2018 was the first officially released recording of the new Billie Davies Trio, Perspectives II, featuring Ari Kohn, woodwinds, Iris P, vocals and Allie Porter, vocals.

New Orleans Drummer Billie Davies Announces Her New Release, "Perspectives II" By Billie Davies Trio, For September 27, 2018

"New Orleans Drummer Billie Davies Announces Her New Release, "Perspectives II" By Billie Davies Trio, For September 27, 2018"

SOURCE: BILLIE DAVIES PR September 12, 2018 1,677 Views

"Freedom and expression. These are the things that matter most to Billie Davies, who has used the drums as a means to express herself freely for more than 40 years now." —Noe Cugny, Offbeat Magazine.

About Perspectives II“All of my music is improvisational... a conversation between musicians and musical instruments. A joint emotional expression inspired by a certain common feeling, thought or perspective in an instinctual, unpredictable, freely expressed improvisation exploring authentic feelings and inspirations that is being communicated to an audience, a listener, a community."—Billie Davies

Perspectives II is an all spontaneous, instinctive, intuitive improvisation inspired by 7 perspectives, words and seven chakra musical keys, expressed by a quartet of piano / keys / trombone, baritone sax / flute, bass, drums and vocals / spoken word by two female vocalists.

Perspectives that affect all human beings, regardless of race, nationality, culture, gender, creed, religion, politics, social status and personhood. Abstract Expressionist Improvisations Neither confused by the light Nor blinded by dogma, color or political correctness An ever evolving improvisation, a message to raise the awareness of life and living, love and loving from a deeply natural, instinctive perspective. A symphony to mother nature, to the tree of life and people. One big conversation where each artist responds to another artist’s call, where each and every action taken is in response to another, all being influenced by each other, all being one and one with mother nature.

A spontaneous expression through sound, through words and through movement, all expressing perspectives of Nature, Life, Happiness, Love, Freedom, Art and Rhythm.


Personnel

Billie Davies: drums
Evan Oberla: piano/keys/trombone
Oliver Watkinson: bass
Ari Kohn: woodwinds
Iris P: vocals
Allie Porter: vocals

Live recorded for sound and video at: Art Klub, New Orleans.


Tracks Listing

Nature (11:36)
Life (06:13)
Happiness (07:15)
Love (07:15)
Freedom (16:47)
Art (13:37)
Rhythm (14:45)

Release date: September 27, 2018.


About The Performers

Billie Davies
“Billie Davies is a very accomplished free-jazz drummer. Born in Belgium, she now lives in New Orleans, having spent much of her life living peripatetically. Previous reviewers have made much of the self-taught nature of her drumming. I defy any listener to distinguish her playing from someone ‘schooled’ in jazz drumming. There is a vitality and fluidity in the way that she plays the drum kit... her stories explain her drumming... ”- Chris Baber, Jazz Views (Jun 30, 2016)

Her 2012 release of All About Love solidified her position as a professional jazz musician. This recording of standards and original music, charted #1 in CMJ Jazz College Radio Charts for ‘top jazz add’ in new albums and went on to stay in the top 20 for 4 weeks. Also well received in Canada, the album ended up in the Top 10 on three different Earshot Jazz charts.
In October, 2013 Billie released 12 VOLT. CJ Bond, JAZZ MUSIC, wrote, “12 VOLT adds the crucial tyne of 'composer/arranger' to her sterling artistic fork, augmenting fearless innovation."
Jan Hocek of His Voice in Prague wrote: ”Without hesitation—HIGH VOLTAGE avant-garde JAZZ—one of the most remarkable trio albums of the year!"
In 2013 Billie Davies received the “Jazz Artist of the Year" Award by the 23rd Annual Los Angeles Music Awards.
In March of 2014 she moved to New Orleans where she recorded Hand In Hand In The Hand Of The Moon in 2015.
She received more national and international attention due to a player feature in Downbeat Magazine May 2016 edition, “BILLIE DAVIES 20 Years Stronger'".
On Hollywood Boulevard, released in 12/10/2016 became a January 2017 Editor's Pick on DownBeat.com.
December 2017 Billie Davies was nominated for “Best Contemporary Jazz Artist" in New Orleans by OffBeat Magazine.

Evan Oberla
“Music never stops, it only begins. All the music that ever was exists now. It is the musician's job to tune into the universe and become a vessel for the music of the moment." Evan Oberla Evan was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, playing piano and guitar at an early age. In 5th grade he picked up the trombone for the school band. In high school his musicality led him to participate in multiple jazz ensembles, including the acclaimed Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra. Evan graduated in June 2009 from Ohio State University with a degree in Jazz Studies performance. A diverse and active musician based out of New Orleans, LA, he can be found with acts such as EO & The Tasty Sapiens, Brass Lightning, Sexual Thunder, Allie Porter Band, Billie Davies, Miss Mojo, Mike Dillon & more. Evan has toured nationally with O.A.R., Allen Stone, and Elle King.

Oliver Watkinson
Born in Brunswick Maine, Oliver began studying music at the age of five. He attended college in Boston at the New England Conservatory, where he had the opportunity to study upright jazz bass and perform with greats such as Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Jason Moran, Cecil McBee, and many more. In 2014, Oliver moved to New Orleans and began performing with BILLIE DAVIES in 2015, Gandhi Castle, Laelume, and various street bands. He has taught and performed all over the United States, as well as Central America and Canada.

Ari Kohn
Born in Portland, OR he now lives in New Orleans and is a jazz studies graduate from Tulane University. Ari is fast becoming one of the important younger musicians in New Orleans. He is a very creative and dedicated reeds/woodwind player that can be found playing with Brass Lightning, Miss Mojo, Allen Stone, Elle King, Sexual Thunder!, Doombalaya, Noruz, and more. He is a BOOST Music Teacher at New Orleans College Prep Charter Schools. He played and performed with the Billie Davies Ensemble horn section in 2015 and with Billie Davies & The Bad Boyzzzz horn section in 2015/16. He joined BILLIE DAVIES in January of 2018 for the “PERSPECTIVES I & II” project.

Iris P
Born in 1985, in New Orleans, Catherine Poree' aka IRIS P, discovered her talent when she received her very first instrument, a violin, at the age of 6. From there she went on to perform in orchestra concerts and a host of plays, but most of all enjoyed singing with her mother, the late Marilyn J. Etienne, also known as LADY GOSPEL. In 2010 IRIS P started her mission to “save the world" by performing her original songs written from her extravagant poetry debuting a plethora of songs from her Underground EP “I Got Issues". IRIS P shows style like no-other with Jazz Melodies when she played “Billie Holiday" in “Dryades Street Divas Review" in the summer of 2014, held at Ashe's Cultural Center. She won “Nola’s Hottest Female Vocalist In October of 2014" at the Nola Hip Hop Awards, and headlined in the Foundation Room at the New Orleans House of Blues. She joined BILLIE DAVIES for the recording of “On Hollywood Boulevard” in 2016.

Allie Porter
Hails from Crofton, MD and is a singer and songwriter now living in New Orleans with honest pipes and a heart of gold bringing you the music of your past, present and future. She has been influenced by Grace Slick, Joni Mitchell, Irma Thomas, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Beyonce and Janis Joplin. She can be seen performing in New Orleans with The Allie Porter Band, The Holy Trinity Trio and more. She joined BILLIE DAVIES in January of 2018 for the “PERSPECTIVES I & II” project.

Dancers in Video: Artivism Dance Theatre featuring Elle C Jones and Briana Alston
Artivism Dance Theatre is a collective dedicated to bringing awareness of social issues to a wide range of audiences through dance theatre. Artivism aims to generate discussion amongst its audiences and open a dialogue around these important issues. We prioritize communication of social message over esoteric performance, often using multimedia techniques in our work. We believe that art, and specifically movement, can communicate perspective and experience across gaps in culture, language, and tradition that might otherwise remain unbreachable.

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BILLIE DAVIES trio (Davies - Oberla - Watkinson) announcing their new project "PERSPECTIVES"

BILLIE DAVIES trio
(Davies - Oberla - Watkinson)

announcing their new project
"PERSPECTIVES"

View de 2nd evolution from the Full Blood Moon concert on January 31, 2017 below...
BILLIE DAVIES trio "PERSPECTIVES I" Live @ The New Orleans Jazz Museum

(-: #billiedaviestrio, #bloodmoon, #fullbloodmoon, #fullmoon :-)

“PERSPECTIVES I” by Billie Davies

music
Billie Davies - drums, Evan Oberla - piano, Oliver Watkinson - bass.
Ari Kohn - reeds (2nd and 3rd evolution)

spoken word
Allie Porter - vocals (2nd and 3rd evolution)
Iris P - vocals (3rd evolution)

dance
Artivism Dance Group - dance improvisation (3rd evolution)


“PERSPECTIVES” is an all spontaneous improvisation, with a trio of piano, bass and drums (which might change into a quartet or quintet through the 3 evolutions), spoken word by female vocalist(s) in the 2nd and 3rd evolution and 3 dancers (female: referring to mother earth) in the 3rd evolution of the project.

True improvisational music of an Abstract Expressionist nature

An improvisation that will evolve through 3 evolutions, through repetition, minimal rehearsal and major performance and that will bring a message to raise the awareness of Life and living, Love and loving, in a deeply natural, subconsciously conscious perspective, so people start to listen to their heart again, to feel their soul again, without dogma, without fear, wholly responsible for every action taken, and in doing so feel truly happy and fulfilled again.

The musicians will express through sound, the vocalist(s) through words, the dancers through movement, all influenced by 7 perspectives.

An ode to the tree of life and people. One big conversation where each artist responds to another artist’s call, where each and every action taken is in response to another, all being influenced by each other, all being one and one with mother nature. 

tracks

1. Nature (Be Connected Wholly With Nature, With Yourself)

2. Life (Live As If Life Were New And Original)

3. Happiness (The Most Powerful Energy We Have Is Love)

4. Love (The Most Powerful Energy We Have Is Love)

5. Individualism (Express Everything That Is Alive Within You)

6. Art (Open Yourself To Universal Creative Energy)

7. Rhythm (Accept That Life Is Good)

"I feel that nothing we did, and everything we have done, in the past, relates or evolves into being what “PERSPECTIVES" could be because I see it as a spontaneous in the moment expression, without any pre-conceived ideas, without any music written down ... as if we started playing our instrument for the first time, as if this is the first time music gets played. A blank canvas, each and every time, so to speak."

LOUD AND CLEAR

It is my roots, answering, calling, and continuing the Mission of liberating the notes to be free and the sounds to be re-invented, re-explored, so that others will hear and see and feel the ROOTS.

So that others may IDENTIFY with it. As I Do.

So that this extremely FREE, Heart Beating, Soul Searching, Mind Bending form of FINE ART through the medium of MUSIC... be still here

after I am gone...

UNCONSTRAINED by color, race, gender, dogma, politics, fashion and trends and money.

LOUD AND CLEAR (Billie Davies)

"All of my music is improvisational... a conversation between musicians and musical instruments. A joint emotional expression inspired by a certain common feeling, thought or perspective in an instinctual, unpredictable, freely expressed improvisation exploring authentic feelings and inspirations that is being communicated to an audience, a listener, a community." - Billie Davies

video info
L to R: Evan Oberla - piano, Ari Kohn - reeds, Oliver Watkinson - upright bass, Allie Porter - spoken word, Billie Davies - drums.
Sound & Video recording: Joe Stolarick at The New Orleans Jazz Museum, Music At The Mint.
Sound Mix and Post Production: Mike Davies, Billie Davies
Logistics: Mike Davies
Photography: Mike Davies

Billie Davies
~ A Jazz Musician ~

Email: Billie@BillieDavies.com
Website: http://www.BillieDaviesJazz.com
Press Kit: https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/billiedavies
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Davies

BILLIE DAVIES trio "PERSPECTIVES" Live @ The New Orleans Jazz Museum January 31, 2017.

View de 2nd evolution from the Full Blood Moon concert on January 31, 2017 below...

BILLIE DAVIES trio "PERSPECTIVES" Live @ The New Orleans Jazz Museum

(-: #billiedaviestrio, #bloodmoon, #fullbloodmoon, #fullmoon :-)

video info
L to R: Evan Oberla - piano, Ari Kohn - reeds, Oliver Watkinson - upright bass, Allie Porter - spoken word, Billie Davies - drums.
Sound & Video recording: Joe Stolarick at The New Orleans Jazz Museum, Music At The Mint.
Sound Mix and Post Production: Mike Davies, Billie Davies
Logistics: Mike Davies
Photography: Mike Davies