Eddy Davis has passed away. Since the 80s, he has been the leader of Woody Allen’s jazz band, and a prominent musician in his own right. He played on Monday nights, leading the Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band, for decades with Allen. He toured the world, with and without Allen, and was known as the Manhattan Minstrel.
Allen is known for his long collaborations. And Eddy Davis is one of the longest collaborations. Davis grew up in Indiana and moved to Chicago in the 60s, pursuing music and playing in Dixieland bands. Allen was a stand up who performed in Chicago and Allen sometimes would go see jazz and even sit in. That’s how the two first met.
Davis worked with many bands, playing jazz and sometimes comedy. He was always around showbiz, and toured all around the world, from Japan to Europe and more. And in 1985, he first started playing with Allen at his Monday night residency at Michael’s Pub in New York. And that was that.
Davis can be seen most prominently in Wild Man Blues, the 1997 tour film about Allen, Davis and the band on tour in Europe. He can be heard on the soundtrack to Radio Days, he wrote a song for Celebrity and can be seen as a band member in Sweet And Lowdown. He won a Grammy for his work on Midnight In Paris, and is in the Banjo Museum Hall Of Fame.
But mostly, he’s on Allen’s left, banjo in lap, with a big smile, playing music. For decades they held the residency, first and Michael’s Pub and then at the Café Carlyle. Over the years people from Benny Goodman to Jeff Goldblum and so many more have sat in. Hundreds of celebrities have seen Eddy play. And the band has tread the boards at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London, and played around the world.
The coronavirus had already stopped the Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band from performing at Café Carlyle, with no clear sign of when live music will be allowed to return. When it does, there’ll be no Eddy Davis, which is terrible. Yet, he loved music and got to live a life doing what he loved.
We are incredibly sad, and our thoughts are with his family, his friends and all those who worked with him and loved him.
Here are some messages from his band mates and others.
Rest In Peace Eddy Ray Davis. One of my closest friends and the greatest influence on my musical life who died yesterday. pic.twitter.com/2VFLheNkJq
— Conal Fowkes (@conalfowkes) April 8, 2020
https://twitter.com/CafeCarlyle/status/1247909552265269250
Here’s the whole band performing the title track to Wild Man Blues. Eddy on banjo.
https://youtu.be/ruNFlVcviK8
9 Comments
Thank you for this beautiful tribute. I must admit that when I went to Café Carlyle 8 years ago (will be exactly that tomorrow) I wanted to hear Woody Allen. When the band started their first song I was extatic because Woody Allen was there, sitting in front of me. One hour later I had eyes mostly for Eddy Davis, beaming with joy, while Woody was playing mostly with eyes wide shut :). I shall watch Wild Man Blues today.
Thanks again!
Nooooooooooooooooooo! So sad!
Very saddened by the death of Eddy Davis. I came to Brussels last summer to attend this extraordinary concert on June 22. An unforgettable moment. I admit that beyond this very sad announcement, I am also a little scared for Woody … Does anyone have information about his state of health, do we know if he did a Covid test or not ?
When I think of Eddy, I think of how kind and generous he was to me. He was a friend, a hero, and so much more to me. I will miss him greatly.
Thanks for the nice write up. Eddy was my uncle. I didn’t know him very well. I’m sure there are hundreds of people that knew him better. It’s very nice and inspiring to see how many people he affected.
Hi Joe. He brought joy to a lot of people. He had fans all over the world. All the best to your wider family, at this terrible time.
Man this is a real bummer. Eddy Davis RIP.
For those of you who would like to hear an interview with Eddy Davis, where he tells the whole story, you’re invited: https://bit.ly/EddyDavisInterview
I GREW UP ON ROSEMONT ST. IN LAFAYETTTE, INDIANA AND WENT TO GRADE AND HIGH SCHOOL WITH EDDY DAVIS, AND REMEMBER HIM WITH MANY WARM MEMORIES AND THE MUSICK HE MADE IN THE BAND AND ORCHESTRA AT JEFF HIGH SCHOOL….WE WILL MISS HIM VERY MUCH – RIP …. EDDY – ……………….. CECIL H. FUNKHOUSER