University of Washington Jazz Studies presents a free show by the Kris Davis Trio— Grammy winning pianist/composer Kris Davis, bassist Robert Hurst, and drummer Johnathan Blake—performing in support of Davis’s new album "Run the Gauntlet,” out on Sept. 27 from Pyroclastic Records. Students from the Jazz Studies program open.
This performance is made possible with generous support from Seattle's Raynier Institute and Foundation.
Note: Davis also leads a workshop with UW Jazz Studies students at 2:30 pm, with a focus on her work establishing and running her record label Pyroclastic Records. Details here.
Project Details
"Run the Gauntlet” emerges as the latest album from Kris Davis, accompanied by the extraordinary talents of bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Johnathan Blake. Seamlessly melding composition with improvisation, this album stands as a testament to Davis’ singular voice within the jazz landscape.
The title, ‘Run the Gauntlet,’ serves as a metaphor for overcoming challenges to achieve one's goals. In this project, Davis pays homage to six trailblazing women pianists who have left an indelible mark on her journey as a pianist and composer: Geri Allen, Carla Bley, Renee Rosnes, Angelica Sanchez, Marilyn Crispell, and Sylvie Courvoisier. These remarkable women not only navigated the male-dominated field of jazz but also profoundly influenced Davis's development as a pianist and composer. By dedicating the album to these extraordinary women, Davis honors their resilience and groundbreaking contributions as leaders in the jazz community.
Biographies
Kris Davis
Kris Davis is a Grammy award-winning pianist and composer described by The New York Times as a beacon for “deciding where to hear jazz [in New York] on a given night.” Davis has released 24 recordings as a leader or co-leader and collaborated with artists such as Terri Lyne Carrington, Dave Holland, John Zorn, Craig Taborn, Ingrid Laubrock, Tyshawn Sorey and Esperanza Spalding. She was named a 2021 Doris Duke Artist alongside Wayne Shorter and Danilo Perez, Pianist of the Year by DownBeat magazine in 2022 and 2020, and Pianist and Composer of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2021. In 2019, Kris Davis’ “Diatom Ribbons” was named jazz album of the year by both the New York Times and the NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll. The album draws from the musical worlds of free improvisation, spoken word, electronica, mainstream jazz, R&B and rock. In September 2023, Davis released ‘Diatom Ribbons – Live at the Village Vanguard’ featuring Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, Julian Lage on guitar, Val Jeanty on turntables and electronics, and Trevor Dunn on bass. Davis is the Associate Program Director of Creative Development at the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice and the founder of Pyroclastic Records. Davis is a Steinway Artist.