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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDAVERN, Kenny(b 7 January 1935, Long Island NY; d 12 December 2006) Clarinet, soprano sax. He worked with Clara Ward, Wild Bill Davison, Jackie Gleason, Ruby Braff, many others; with Bob Wilber in Soprano Summit (see Wilber's entry) after which he returned to clarinet, on which he has a woody tone, close to the human voice; he prefers to play without amplification, which is the antithesis of everything his and Wilber's kind of music stands for: chamber music is meant to blend its own intimacy. On his death there was an outpouring of tribute from friends and fans to Davern's unfailingly unique and musical improvisation. Davern's own albums include El Rado Scuffle: A Tribute To Jimmie Noone '82 on Kenneth with a Scandinavian band; The Very Thought Of You and Playing For Kicks on Jazzology; Never In A Million Years on Challenge was a duo with Dick Wellstood, live at the Vineyard Theatre. My Inspiration, One Hour Tonight and I'll See You In My Dreams were on Music Masters; Kenny Davern And The Rhythm Men '95 with Haggart, John Bunch, Bucky Pizzarelli, Tony DeNicola on drums, followed by a quintet with two guitars, Breezin' Along, both on Arbors. |