Bands/Artist
Name:- BILLIE DAVIES
Album Name: 12 VOLT
Website Address:
http://www.billiedavies.com
Music Style: Jazz
Influences: Ornette Coleman
Billie Davies was born on the coast of Belgium, Europe. Her grand-father, Maurice Clybouw, was the first influence in her life to introduce her to the drums when Billie was about three years old. She has had a love relationship with rhythm and drums ever since.
A lifelong natural musician, she is a gifted, cultured, intelligent, and passionate European born and raised American citizen, she embraces and mixes both Contemporary cultures.
At age 11
Billie wrote and directed her first play, which included teachers and
students. At age 13, Billie’s first stage performance was with the
Youth Opera, a rendition of “Romeo and Juliet” fashioned Billie
as Romeo. Also, at 13, Billie was awarded at the Royal Academy of
Fine Art, which was her first fine art award for mixed media, awarded
for: “Love and Peace”. As she continued to develop her love of
the arts some of the highlights were, at age 14, her first
performance as a drummer, playing John Lennon’s “Power to the
People.”
At age 17, at the Royal Theater of Bruges, she directed and choreographed a group of 5 performers and co-performed in “Sunshiny Days,” which was inspired by writer Johnny Nash’s song “I Can See Clearly Now” and the music of Gladys Knight and the Pips. The audience demanded an encore. This inspiration confirmed Billie was on the right path.
At age 17, at the Royal Theater of Bruges, she directed and choreographed a group of 5 performers and co-performed in “Sunshiny Days,” which was inspired by writer Johnny Nash’s song “I Can See Clearly Now” and the music of Gladys Knight and the Pips. The audience demanded an encore. This inspiration confirmed Billie was on the right path.
As an early adult at 21, Billie became a solo singer for 1 year with the Royal Army Choir of Belgium. The high point of that adventure was singing at the Antwerp Opera with a complete symphonic orchestra. With DJing becoming such a huge part of our culture at age 23, Billie started presenting professionally in the entertainment industry in the Private Night Club sector as a DJ in Germany, Cologne. That set the stage for a successful 6 year DJ career in Belgium, and she became one of the top DJs in demand in Private Night Clubs and Disco Clubs. These experiences further enriched her love of rhythms and beats, cementing her desire to pursue drumming.
At a crossroads in her musical career, Billie ended up receiving a grant from Max Roach to come study at Berklee College of Music, this was after he heard one of her tapes she laid down with a bass player in Montpellier, France. Billie was however having too much fun in the South of France, living the life of a gypsy jazz musician and therefore decided not to take the offer. In his words, Billie quotes: “Hearing from your tape, you could learn more fundamental drumming techniques, but I also hear the natural drummer, so my advice is for you not to worry too much about your technical skill, you will develop your own, I can definitely hear that, but just in case that you might want to study in a good program, please accept my invitation in the form of a talent grant to come study at the Berklee College of Music, all you need to worry about is finding a place to live and some money to survive.”.
At age
25 is when Billie made the transition to become a professional
musician. Some of her deepest rooted influences stem from classical,
gypsy, manouche, blues, jazz, free jazz and soul/funk. As a player
she feels that Al Foster, Billy Higgins, Billy Cobham, Jack De
Johnette, Ed Thigpen, and Peter Erskine have been her biggest
influences. Becoming completely immersed into the jazz, free jazz and
avant-garde world, which is second nature for her stylistically,
three years later, she was a professional drummer, and the rest is
history... She performed throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, France,
Italy, Northern Africa, Spain, Portugal and Greece for the next 7
years. She knew her love of drumming had become her life.
A move to the United States at age 32 gave her an opportunity to record 2 albums, "Cobra Basemento" and "Dreams" with Saul Kaye on Guitar and Mike Goodwin on Bass, as well as becoming a US Citizen. Billie slowly but decisively pursued her talents as a matured jazz musician. In 2009, she made Los Angeles, California her home base and in 2011, in Hollywood, she began writing for her new album "all about Love" and started the process of choosing musicians to develop her sound for the album. In June 2012 she independently released "all about Love" with Tom Bone Ralls on Trombone and Oliver Steinberg on Bass. In August of 2012 she began writing all original material for her album "12 VOLT" and began her search for the right musicians. In April 2013 Billie Davies recorded "12 VOLT" with Daniel Coffeng on Guitar and Adam Levy on Bass. It was published in September 2013 and released October 10, 2013.
A move to the United States at age 32 gave her an opportunity to record 2 albums, "Cobra Basemento" and "Dreams" with Saul Kaye on Guitar and Mike Goodwin on Bass, as well as becoming a US Citizen. Billie slowly but decisively pursued her talents as a matured jazz musician. In 2009, she made Los Angeles, California her home base and in 2011, in Hollywood, she began writing for her new album "all about Love" and started the process of choosing musicians to develop her sound for the album. In June 2012 she independently released "all about Love" with Tom Bone Ralls on Trombone and Oliver Steinberg on Bass. In August of 2012 she began writing all original material for her album "12 VOLT" and began her search for the right musicians. In April 2013 Billie Davies recorded "12 VOLT" with Daniel Coffeng on Guitar and Adam Levy on Bass. It was published in September 2013 and released October 10, 2013.
She received a nomination for "Jazz Artist of the Year" by the Los Angeles Music Awards on September 26, 2013.
