4th April 2009 - 11th April 2009 - A collection of works by Peter BB Davis
Former choral scholar, and multi-instrumentalist Peter BB Davis trained classically in the flute and piano before adding drums, percussion and vibes to his instrumental repetoire.
On completing his foundation year at the Bauhaus influenced West Sussex College Of Art and Design he went on to become a Fine Art graduate of the painting school of the North East London Polytechnic (an amalgam of schools whose alumni included such as Ken Russell and Jack Smith) where he formed the innovative 'Sister Sun' (influenced by Miles Davis, Coltrane, Zappa, Roland Kirk, Sun Ra and specifically Tony Williams' Lifetime) an outfit whose tours included the legendary Ray Charles.
From being on the road he ventured into commercials and TV, work which included (amongst many others): Perrier (Alphabet campaign with Terence Donovan - Golden Lion Cannes) Faberge, Sprite, Crystal Lite, Nivea and Audi. Numerous idents and arrangements including Channel Four, Anglia, Meridian and Carlton and scoring for TV series and documentaries which, again amongst many others, have also included the 'The Third World War' (C4), 'The Lodge' (YTV), 'Wavelength' (YTV), 'Privates' (YTV), and the entire series of the BAFTA, RTS, award winning (and now cult) 'Press Gang' (Central TV).
Leading with his trademark (and unique) flute/beatvox he founded The Red Orchidstra with long time associate Dan Biro and its version of the Roy Budd theme from the seminal '71 Brit gangster movie 'Get Carter' is generally regarded as a groove classic becoming the most requested record - ever - on jazzfm.
He recently founded (with Biro) Hole In The Wall Productions a unique company environment incorporating his own record label, film company and guerilla design consultancy. Hole in The Wall's first release on its Blue Serene Focus label is the debut album of Davis's new band - Mysteries Of The Revolution - featuring Davis and Biro, along with guitarist Vincenzo Lamanga and bassist Matt Sowerby.
His solo piano work includes, amongst a body of work, 'Symphony Of The Spirits' and 'Etudes Paolina' whilst his solo flute tour-de-force the beatvox 'Miserere' and 'Big Buddha' continues to break the boundaries of flute playing (and voice delivery) stunning audiences everywhere. He has also contributed to LWT's 'South Bank Show' on Miles Davis and Weather Report and wrote and produced 'The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong' featuring Sir Kingsley Amis.
As director/playwright his first stage play 'Through The Grapevine' (the life of Marvin Gaye) received its world premiere at The Shaw Theatre.
He has in the past exhibited work across a range of galleries (and such as The RA Summer Exhibition) and is now embarking on a new phase of work and endeavour. Influenced by the New York School (especially Rauschenberg, Johns, Pollock, de Kooning, Gorky, Klein) and Russian Constructivism (Malevitch, Rodchenko) he also draws from Impressionism, Schwitters, Turner and Caravaggio as well as film imagery.
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