James Davis
James Davis
Trumpet
James Davis began playing the trumpet at age 11. Born and raised in Waxahachie, Texas, he holds a Master of Music degree in trumpet performance from the University of North Texas where he also toured and recorded with the Grammy-nominated One O'clock Lab Band. Now residing in Chicago, James leads his own quintet and co-directs the ensemble Zing! and performs regularly with a number of jazz and creative music ensembles. He is a faculty member at Triton College in River Grove, IL, and on staff at local high schools in the Chicago area as a private instructor.
James was a 2007 finalist in the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition and a 2004 finalist in the International Trumpet Guild Jazz Improvisation Competition. In 2005, he was a touring member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, in which he was a featured soloist. James has performed and/or recorded with the Tomorrow Music Orchestra, Chuchito Valdes Latin Jazz Quintet, Rob Parton's Jazztech Big Band, and other jazz, classical and Latin music groups. Recordings of the James Davis Quintet and Zing! are available from ears&eyes Records. James joined the Litchfield Jazz Camp as a student beginning in 2003.