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KING DAVID

KING swings and sings,originally,passionately,powerfully, with a band of all-stars that is big,bold,brassy,& classy!

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THIS IS WHAT THEY”RE SAYING ABOUT- “SINGING SENSATION” KING DAVID AND THE TALK OF THE TOWN! AND THEIR NEW CD Mr. Success/Chicago”

KING DAVID HAS THE PASSION OF A ROOMFUL OF CROONERS! MY GOD! THIS CAT SWINGS LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW! -Jon Norton Music Director, WGLT-FM, Normal,Il News, Blues and All That Jazz



KING DAVID'S LOVE FOR THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK SHINES THROUGH: SWINGIN VOCALS, TERRIFIC ARRANGEMENTS-IT ALL ADDS UP TO A FIRST-RATE LISTENING EXPERIENCE! ...KEEPING THE SINATRA TRADITION ALIVE, IN STYLE! -Tom Santopietro Author of the bestselling book, SINATRA IN HOLLYWOOD



THE ALBUM ITSELF PLAYS LIKE A LIVE DATE, WITH HIGH EXCITEMENT AND SUPERB MUSICIANSHIP ON THE PART OF A GREAT BAND OF NIGHTCLUB JAZZ-ACES! KING'S VOCALS SOAR, FLOW, INTERWEAVE AND OFTEN TOP-OUT KILLER HORN BLASTS! - Dr. Ken Rabac, Afternoon Jazz Host,WUCF-FM,Orlando,Fl writer, JazzSational Magazine



START WITH A POWERFUL BIG BAND, FEATURING TALENTED MUSICIANS, ADD SOME SWINGIN CHARTS TO THE BANDS REPERTOIRE, TOP IT OF WITH A VERSATILE SINGER WITH PIZZAZZ! VOILA! YOU HAVE KING DAVID AND THE TALK OF THE TOWN!

-Arturo Gomez Music Director, Afternoon Jazz Host, Jazz 89 KUVO-FM, Denver, CO

WHEN YOU LISTEN TO KING DAVID AND THE TALK OF THE TOWN, YOU ARE REMINDED THAT GREAT MUSIC CAN STILL BE PRODUCED! KING DAVID HAS A GREAT VOICE THAT SOUNDS LIKE LEGENDS OF YESTERYEAR, BUT IT'S A NEW, LIVING LEGEND HERE TODAY!...GREAT MUSIC FROM A GREAT ARTIST WHO REALLY KNOWS HOW TO SWING!

-Chella Morningset Host, WSHA 88.9 FM, Raleigh, NC

”King David certainly honors musical greats in this inspiring collection. But he does something else just as magical. He displays his own truth-seeking voice with great verve, enlivening each selection with a tenderness, a beauty, that takes you back into the sweet smoke of history and song. It is quite an achievement.”

-Wil Haygood Author of “In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr.”; Staff Writer, Style Section, The Washington Post

DANGEROUS SWING

- Within the first fifteen seconds of the first song it dawns on you that you're listening to a very good song by a very good band; by forty-five seconds, you realize that you are listening to a great band, a great track, and a great singer; and by 1:45 you're saying to yourself this is a fantastic track! If every song is this exciting, fresh, swinging, and formidable, then this is going to be a monumental record! By the end of the CD your notions are confirmed and you say to yourself WOW! That was incredible!I've just heard something truly outstanding. And you'd be ever so right because this record is on par with some of the greatest swing albums of all time¦ Ella's “Ella Swings Brightly”, Sinatra's “Swing Along With Me”, Sarah Vaughn's ˜The Explosive Side of Sarah Vaughn”, and Sammy Davis, Jr. and Buddy Rich's “Sounds of '66”.

-The band and the band's sound is the ultimate working in swing today. Authentic, while continuously breaking new ground. There playing is on the same level as ( dare I say it? ) the great Count Basie Band. KING DAVID and the Talk of the Town! are SWINGINGLY ROMANTIC, ENERGETIC, HIP, FRESH, BIG, BOLD, BRASSY, CLASSY, SOPHISTICATED, and ELEGANT! King calls it “The Sound of Chicago”. It is as mammoth and vibrant as the “City of Broad Shoulders” itself ! The rhythm section is as powerful as any heard in jazz, rock, metal or funk, yet intellectually more demanding ( than those of the other genres ) because of the complexity and comprehensiveness of the musical arrangements. The horn section is virtuosic, whether playing ensemble or solo, because each of these players is a major star and premier jazz educator in their own right. And all have played with the biggest names in jazz and pop. This band cooks on every number, up-tempo, mid-tempo, or ballad. This juggernaut is relentless in their approach, and even in their subtleties their is an implied power which is discernable. If a band can be compared to the engine of a car then The Talk of the Town is ˜hittin” on all cylinders. And if you compare them to a precious stone, then each facet shines with a brilliance of precise execution which is flawless.

-The record is jazzy and it “rocks”; which is not a contradiction in terms. Some may say that the don't want there jazz to rock. However the greatest standard albums and standard singers ˜rocked”(meaning they played and sang with energy and verve ). Ella ˜rocked”, Sinatra ˜rocked”, Torme. Sammy and Sarah Vaughn ˜rocked”, while still being immersed in the jazz tradition! When you listen to certain records by Sinatra or Bobby Darin they have a swagger and an edge to them that was cool, while concomitantly possessing an element of danger! As if to say these cats are cool but you better not mess with them! This CD is compelling, for it compels you to listen and marvel, and to listen again! You want to listen to see how good these guys are gonna be and the answer is very good! Maybe great.

-The songs which were selected for the CD are not your usual standard fare (pun intended ), songs which are not done everyday. They are a heady and eclectic mix which are sung and played extraordinarily. King sings them magnificently and powerfully. You can hear the influences and echoes of the greats Sammy, Sinatra, Bennett, Torme, Darin, Rosselli, Greco, even a little Elvis and Jackie Wilson with certain inflections and phrasing. He's learned his lessons well, has synthesized them, and infused them with his own inimitable style. The songs are sung with passion, honesty and sincerity of performance rarely found in performers today!

-King David has an extremely powerful three octave range which he uses deftly to communicate every nuance of a composition. His singing is jazzy and swinging, the delivery is polished and sophisticated He goes beyond the classification of big band singer and truly traverses the realm of, and truly is a pop singer( remember the genre is called ˜popular standards”) His voice is Broadway strong, jazz club swinging, creatively fresh, yet commercially accessible and fun ! Each time you listen you'll hear new things from the band and from King. The solos are played deftly, seamlessly fitting perfectly within each composition, while simultaneously pushing the compositional story forward through exposition and improvisation; melodically creative, emphatically dramatic! King gets the maximum out of his range, whether with a subtle whisper, the unexpected high note ,or the laying back on just one word to get the maximum meaning out of a phrase. His intonation is perfect. The ensemble playing swings profoundly; original, conversational, witty and buoyant!

-The arranger, Jim Martin, is unquestionably one of the finest young jazz arrangers in the business today. He is talented, gifted and able to articulate and transcribe what many arrangers dream and hear but can never really get down on paper. He too has synthesized great influences into his own style, Quincy Jones, Billy May, Benny Carter, George Rhodes, Morty Stevens, and Marty Paich. Jim has a most individual way of arranging strings. Many times, strings can delineate from a big bands sound, sometimes depleting its energy, however here they serve to heighten the excitement, and intensify each composition.

-If this record is heard it will break through to transcend the genre and be heard on much of commercial radio as a well as stations that fall within the jazz, smooth jazz, standards, and big band radio stations. Some of the songs, especially the ballads will be played on adult-contemporary, soft rock and pop radio and will fit those formats perfectly and successfully. I think that it will be prophetic that part of the title of this CD is Mr. Success. Because I think these guys are going to have a lot of it “success” that is. I'm predicting, right here and now, that KING DAVID and the Talk of the Town! are going to be huge! Because in music and in life, sometimes there are some things that are just too good to not make it!! -Sol Weinstock

King David and The Talk of the Town Band | Self Published (2009)

By Edward Blanco Edward Blanco View Profile | Contact Me CD/DVD Reviewer Joined AAJ in 2005

Ed has been a jazz fan for 35 years and hosts a jazz radio program at WDNA 88.9 FM

More about Ed.



Comments (1)



New York vocalist King David makes no excuses for his love of good old swing music, the sound of the big bands and the music from the 1930s to the 1960s, as he borrows from The Great American Songbook in reinterpreting and updating terrific old standards on Mr. Success Chicago, with has Talk of The Town backup band. David is sometimes seen as a throwback to the past; influenced by the music of such legends as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Bobby Darin, David may seem out of place in today's world. The album was originally to be titled Mr. Success, however after being introduced to the people, music and sounds of Chicago by producer/arranger Jim Martin, David was so taken by the windy city that he added Chicago to the title. One of the turning points for David was the level of talent that Martin was able to call on for the backup band. The Talk of The Town band comprises an all-star list of jazz musicians, including trumpeter Rob Parton (Rob Parton's Jazztech Big Band), saxophonist Marc Colby, trombonist Tom Garling, drummer Bob Rummage and pianist Larry Novak. The band also includes a nine-piece string section for a touch of class. Gifted with a soothing baritone voice, David can belt out a swinging number with a measure of power, but just as easily mellows out when a slow ballad calls for it. Starting with a swinging big band number, David opens up with a brassy read of “On The Street Where You Live,” featuring a lively solo from Colby. The swing continues on Harry Warren's “Lullaby of Broadway,” and then calms down on the Anthony Newley classic, “Who Can I Turn To.” The other soft ballad of note is Harold Arlen's “The Gal That Got Away,” where David is especially warm in his approach to the lyrics. David does not shy away from belting out a song; in fact, it is his assertive approach on songs including “Come Back to Me” and “Here I'll Stay” that distinguishes his singing style from other vocalists. The music ends with a staple from the Sinatra songbook, and a favorite of David's, “Mr. Success”—the perfect finale, drawing on the band for some fine instrumentals in a swinging piece of music that features the singer at his best. With charts from the past and some swing from the present done Chicago style, King David revives a selection of beautiful songs and puts his own stamp on many oft recorded standards. On Mr. Success Chicago, he marks a successful musical excursion into the swinging music of the past. Somehow, it seems befitting for a man often seen in a smart suit and wearing a fedora. Track listing: On The Street Where You Live; Lullaby of Broadway; Who Can I Turn To?; Come Back To Me; Artificial Flowers; Here I'll Stay; Haven't We Met; The Gal That Got Away; Don't Rain On My Parade; Mr. Success. Personnel: King David: vocals; Larry Novak: piano; Bob Rummage: drums; Stewart Miller: bass; Frank Portelese: guitar; DeDe Sampaio: percussions; Kirk Garrison: trumpet; Rob Parton: trumpet; Tom Garling: trombone; Tim Coffman: trombone; Marc Colby: tenor saxophone; Tim McNamara: saxophone; Bob Frankitch: saxophone; Thomas Yang: Concert Master; Rika Seko: violin; Katherine Hughes: violin; Michael Shelton: violin; Carl Davies: violin; Jeri-Lou Zike: violin; Steven Houser: cello; Richaro Yeo: cello; Marsha Labella: harp; Geo Blanchett: tympani.

Published: November 27, 2009 Style: Vocal Visit King David and The Talk of the Town Band on the web.

KING DAVID! ENTERTAINER New York, NY N.Y.

King David is an internationally renown singer and entertainer who resides in New York City. King has performed for Presidents, heads of state and captains of industry, always supplying a first-class, unforgettable show business experience! Mr. David was born in Washington, D.C. He is the son of King David, a legendary attorney, civil rights activist and minister. His mother was Virginia Cherry David, a noted historian who was head of the Presidential Papers Section, of the Manuscript Division, at the Library of Congress. King was educated in the public and private schools of Washington, D.C. attending Gonzaga College H.S. and the Duke Ellington H.S. for the Performing Arts. King continued his education at CCNY of the City University of New York and Cornell University where he majored in Industrial and Labor Relations and Pre-Law. Mr. David became involved with music from an early age and started playing saxophone at age 9. His first teacher was the acclaimed writer producer and Grammy Award Winner, Freddie Perrin, (Freddie was one of the four songwriters known as “The Corporation” who penned the first four hit records by the Jackson Five; he also was the head of Solar Records, produced, The Sylvers and The Whispers, and wrote produced and received a Grammy Award for Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive. King added drums to his repertoire and at age twelve did his first recording session with Derek David and the Barons (Derek is King's brother). While a teenager King worked at the famous Carter Baron Amphitheater where he was able to watch some of the biggest names in show business, 3X'S a WEEK! Acts like, Smokey and the Miracles, Diana Ross, The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Dionne Warwick, Al Green, The Barkays, Booker T and the MG's, Les McCann & Eddie Harris !!!King met Melvin Franklin and Dennis Edwards of the Temptations ( King was able to later perform on the same bill with Dennis as a member of the Platters). He also met Al Green! These are cherished lifelong memories. Also while a teenager, he and his brother were Jackie Wilson's guests, backstage, at “The Loewe's Palace Theatre!” Another unforgettable, experience that had a lifelong and profound effect upon King! Mr. David came to New York and stated singing forming two bands The Coup and Joe Steel, which received much notoriety in the NY tri-state area.These both were hard rock bands long before Living Colour. From the attention that he garnered as a result of fronting these two bands, with his dynamic, powerful voice and charismatic stage presence, he was brought to the attention of the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame' group The Platters. King joined the Platters in late '87 and stayed with the group until the unfortunate and untimely demise of the original lead singer Tony Williams. The Platters were a great opportunity for King, for it allowed him to tour the world, appear nightly at some of the biggest venues in the world and allowed him to hone his craft. King was also was a licensed stockbroker, investment advisor, insurance agent and insurance broker, working for large as well as small entities. In 2005, as a result of his Wall St. forays, King produced his breakout CD, KING DAVID and the Talk of the Town!- “Mr. Success/ Chicago” to great critical acclaim!. The CD is now being played across the country on approximately 80 stations; and is now breaking on the European continent! For King David, and The Talk of The Town, the future looks extremely bright and the sky's the limit!!