A revered jazz musician, Mr. Davis also played on two of the all-time classic albums in the rock canon – Born to Run and Astral Weeks (as well as guesting on Bruce Springsteen's debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.).
Van Morrison's Astral Weeks album is rightly regarded as a classic by any measure. Mojo Magazine named it the second greatest album of all time, The Times the third greatest, and Rolling Stone, the nineteenth.
But what is routinely little recognized, though, is how responsible Mr. Davis was for the record's singular sound. With no rehearsal, instructions or charts, and Van Morrison isolated in a booth apart from the hired New York City jazz players – allegedly never once even introducing himself to the musicians – Davis was left to serve as de facto bandleader. The entire album was recorded in just three live sessions (one of which wasn't used at all), and done almost entirely in single takes.
If one listens closely, Mr. Davis' bass is the first instrument heard on the album and the last. His playing literally propels and leads the band through most songs. This orchestral element is the key ingredient in the music's alchemy that transcends standard folk-rock, singer-songwriter fare and has helped render the album so timeless.
