Billie Davies Trio with Steve Masakowski, "Improvisations", SideBar Nola

Billie Davies Trio (Davies, Oberla, Watkinson) with Steve Masakowski at SideBar Nola, March 29, 2019 at 9 PM.

Billie Davies Trio (Davies, Oberla, Watkinson) with Steve Masakowski at SideBar Nola, March 29, 2019 at 9 PM.

Billie Davies Trio (Davies, Oberla, Watkinson) will be playing with Steve Masakowski at SideBar NOLA in New Orleans on Friday March 29, 2019 at 9PM.

Energies coming together to create something that has never been created before and will never be created again. 

A spontaneous expression, a harmony achieved that speaks for the existence of a universal energy that moves us all, no matter what perspective.

Billie Davies is an American jazz drummer and composer best known for her free and avant-garde jazz compositions since the mid-1990s, and her improvisational drumming techniques. She is a very accomplished free-jazz drummer. Born in Belgium, she now lives in New Orleans, having spent much of her life living peripatetically. The music of Billie Davies Trio and her other line-ups, moves on from the Jazz and Avant-garde world beyond Jazz with it's own very unique and truly improvisational jam style reminding us sometimes of, as Jerome Wilson put it on AAJ, the spiritual jazz tradition, as exemplified by John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders. Billie Davies' work reminds you of many different things but in the end, it is its own original beast, as powerful as anything more well-known musicians have created. She has released five CD’s, of which three in New Orleans, she has been awarded “Best Jazz Artist” in Los Angeles in 2013 and was nominated “Best Contemporary Jazz Artist” in New Orleans in 2017.

Steve Masakowski has long been regarded as one of the finest jazz guitarists from New Orleans. His experience as a recording artist and jazz soloist is extensive.

His music has been featured in major publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Downbeat, Jazz Times, and many others. In addition, Masakowski was honored by National Public Radio with a feature biography which aired nationally on the Morning Edition radio program. Born and raised in New Orleans, Steve Masakowski has played guitar with most of the city’s greatest musicians including Alvin “Red” Tyler, Ellis Marsalis, Danny Barker, Earl Turbinton, and James Black. He has also performed with Grammy Award-winning artists Bobby McFerrin, Nicholas Payton, Allen Toussaint, Dianne Reeves and others at major festivals around the world. As a recording artist, he has released numerous CDs including two on the prestigious Blue Note Records label. He has been an active member of, and composer for the award winning New Orleans jazz group, Astral Project.

Evan Oberla - Piano/Keys/Synth & Trombone. “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 - & Upright Bass. 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.

#billiedavies #billiedaviestrio #stevemasakowski, #evanoberla, #oliverwatkinson, #sidebarnola, #neworleans, #usa

 Wishing all y'all a very happy, peaceful and full of love New Year 2019.  

Billie Davies Trio: Perspectives II By Jerome Wilson

Billie Davies Trio: Perspectives II
By JEROME WILSON
December 17, 2018

The spiritual jazz tradition, as exemplified by John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, has been having a resurgence over the past few years in places like Los Angeles and Great Britain. Now here is evidence that some musicians in New Orleans are going down that path as well. Billie Davies is a drummer from Belgium who now lives and works in the Big Easy and this recording, available only in download form, captures a live performance of her trio, plus added guests, creating over an hour of heady, uplifting music.

Most tracks build slowly. "Nature" starts with lonely flute trills by Ari Kohn and sparse electric piano notes from Evan Oberla that slowly coalesce into a wavy tropical rhythm. Craggy, harp-like piano and the soothing voices of Allie Porter and Iris P weave in and out of each other while Davies and bassist Oliver Watkinson maintain a light, rolling undercurrent that keeps the music buoyant. "Life" continues in the same manner with the vocalists talking and singing aphorisms like "Don't be afraid to be be who you are" and "Have no fear to live passionately" as Davies and the band cruise through mesmerizing grooves. "Happiness" changes the overall sound as Kohn switches to baritone sax and Oberla moves to trombone. Both start by moaning long notes over the bass and drums but eventually the four players become a crisp, punchy ensemble that works its way into a lurching Caribbean groove.

The tracks "Love" and "Freedom" bring synthesizers into play. The first is a shorter breeze of springy synthesizer sounds embellished by flute and the rhythm section while the vocalists gently sing about love while on "Freedom" buzzy synth sounds are tossed around with baritone, drums and bass in a turbulent, rock-flavored stew. These two tracks, in particular, resemble some of Sun Ra's more scaled down recordings where Pat Patrick's baritone sax and June Tyson's voice dueled with Ra's keyboard eruptions.

"Art" starts out with a free improv trio of flute, synthesizer and drums. Then electric piano and bass come in to build melody, Porter and Iris P dialog about art and the music morphs into a spell of swinging cool jazz led by flute and trombone as the women spin out poetry like they were in a Beat-era coffeehouse. Finally "Rhythm" is just what it says, a careening synth and baritone avalanche that quickly turns into a rolling, up-tempo jam that nods in the directions of hip hop and dub. Oberla swoops and burns on the electric keyboards, Watkinson walks furiously and Davies leads from the back, constantly switching the tempo and feel with little seeming effort.

This music never stays in one place for long, progressing naturally through straight jazz, jazz-rock, free jazz and other sub-genres, with the voices of Allie and Iris P dramatically shouting or sensually cooing as the mood dictates. This is a loose, free-flowing concoction not quite like anything else out there. Like the best forward-thinking music, Billie Davies' work reminds you of many different things but in the end, it is its own original beast, as powerful as anything more well-known musicians have created this year.


Track Listing: Nature; Life; Happiness; Love; Freedom; Art; Rhythm.

Personnel: Billie Davies: drums; Evan Oberla: piano, keyboards, trombone; Oliver Watkinson: bass; Ari Kohn: woodwinds; Iris P, Alie Porter: vocals.

Title: Perspectives II | Year Released: 2018 

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.

BILLIE DAVIES trio, "PERSPECTIVES II", now available on BandCamp.