HAND IN HAND IN THE HAND OF THE MOON BILLIE DAVIES A Jazz Symphony An homage to Serge Vandercam (Copenhagen, Denmark, 1924 - Wavre, Belgium, March 10, 2005). A jazz symphony inspired by paintings by Serge Vandercam and drums by Billie Davies (Brugge, Belgium, 1955). The painter influenced by the drummer and the drummer influenced by the painter over a period of three days of the full moon. A collaborative work, conceived in 1995 resulting 20 years later in a series of 8 paintings and a jazz symphony of 8 improvisational movements. A symphony to the magic in Fine Art. A symphony to Nature. A symphony to the Bird, with the wish that People listen to Mother Nature, People listen to the Bird. - The Movements - prelude. Hand In Hand In The Hand Of The Moon - 7:26 i. Hand In Hand - 7:02 ii. In The Hand Of The Moon - 7:27 iii. Hand In The Hand In The Hand Of The Moon, Listen To The Bird - 7:59 iv. As She Tells - 7:10 v. The Shark In The Hand - 4:40 vi. Tiburon - 8:36 vii. The Bridge - 9:08 This music was recorded live in one take on an afternoon in April with all musicians in one 600 Square Feet room that was acoustically treated. A slide show was playing photos that were taken during the painting/drumming session in 1995 and other photos of Serge Vandercam and Billie Davies. For each movement the corresponding actual painting was hanging on a wall, visible to all musicians, in bright light. - The Paintings - 7 movement paintings were painted by Serge Vandercam (1924, Denmark - 2005 Belgium) in February of 1995 as a collaborative improvisational work inspired by drums played by Billie Davies during the three days of the full moon. The prelude painting was painted by Billie Davies in 1995.The Art on the CD cover was painted by Billie Davies in 1996. - The Musicians - Alex Blaine on tenor sax, Branden Lewis on trumpet, Evan Oberla on trombone Billie Davies on drums, Ed Strohsahl on upright bass - The Recording - Recorded Live in New Orleans by Mike Davies on April 24, 2015 at the 415 Blossom Street Studio. Mixing by Mike Davies. Mastering by John Vestman. Produced by Mike Davies. Billie Davies is an American female jazz drummer, composer and bandleader best known for her Avant-jazz, Free-jazz and Avant-garde compositions since the mid nineties, and her improvisational drumming techniques she has performed in Europe and in the US. Billie Davies hails originally from Brugge, Belgium and mostly grew up on the Belgian Coast at the North Sea in Europe. Her grandfather, Maurice Clybouw, was the first influence in her life to introduce her to the drums when Billie was about three years old. She has had a love relationship with rhythm and drums ever since. At a crossroads in her musical career, Billie ended up receiving a grant from Max Roach to come study at Berklee College of Music, this was after he heard one of her tapes she laid down with a bass player in Montpellier, France. Billie was however having too much fun in the south of France, living the life of a gypsy jazz musician and therefore decided not to take the offer. In his words: "Hearing from your tape, you could learn more fundamental drumming techniques, but I also hear the natural drummer, so my advice is for you not to worry too much about your technical skill, you will develop your own, I can definitely hear that, but just in case that you might want to study in a good program, please accept my invitation in the form of a talent grant to come study at the Berklee College of Music, all you need to worry about is finding a place to live and some money to survive." Aged 25 Davies made the transition to become a professional musician. Some of her influences stem from classical, gypsy, manouche, blues, jazz, free jazz and soul/funk. As a player she feels that Al Foster, Billy Higgins, Billy Cobham, Jack De Johnette, Ed Thigpen, and Peter Erskine have been her biggest influences, she learned from them extensively. Becoming completely immersed into the jazz, free jazz and avant-garde world, which is second nature for her stylistically, three years later, she was a professional drummer, and the rest is history... She performed throughout the Netherlands,Belgium, France ... "A Revelation for her was meeting with legendary guitarist Ricardo Baliardo, but known by his stage name Manitas de Plata, as well as playing with bluesman Claude Mazet - both guitarists also respected the traditional rhythmic rules. Even with the Roma, she lived several years in their way of life, which her bohemian temper satisfied so that at twenty-five she refused the offer of the legendary drummer Max Roach to study at Berklee College Of Music in Boston, after he heard her play in Montpellier on the street."(Jan Hocek) ... Italy, Northern Africa, Spain, Portugal and Greece for the next 7 years. She knew her love of drumming had become her life. A move to the United States at age 32 gave her an opportunity to record two albums, "Cobra Basemento" and "Dreams" with Saul Kaye on guitar and Michael Godwin on bass, as well as becoming a US Citizen. In 2009, she made Los Angeles, California her home base and in 2011, in Hollywood, she began writing for her new album "all about Love." In June 2012 she independently released "all about Love." with Tom Bone Ralls on trombone and Oliver Steinberg on bass. In April 2013, Davies recorded "12 VOLT" with Daniel Coffeng on guitar and Adam Levy on bass. It was released on October 10, 2013. In March of 2014 she moved her operations to New Orleans where she since permanently resides and works. In April of 2015 she recorded "Hand In Hand In The Hand Of The Moon" at her studio on the west bank of the Mississippi, just outside of New Orleans, with Alex Blaine on tenor sax, Branden Lewis on trumpet, Evan Oberla on trombone, Ed Strohsahl on upright bass. Accolades (from Wikipedia) Her third release after a hiatus of six years was "all about Love", which had a surprising result on the CMJ Jazz College Radio Charts and achieved the #1 top jazz add in new album adds."all about Love" went on to stay in the Top 40 jazz for four consecutive weeks. CMJ Top 40 JAZZ: 1. #1 CMJ Top Jazz Adds CMJ issue #1262 - AUG 23, 2012. 2. #28 CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart issue #1263 - AUG 29, 2012. 3. #14 CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart issue #1264 - SEP 06, 2012. 4. #14 CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart issue #1265 - SEP 13, 2012. 5. #20 CMJ Top 40 Jazz Chart issue #1265 - SEP 20, 2012. "all about Love" was also very well received in Canada where the album ended up in the Top 10 on three different !Earshot Jazz charts: 1. #5 !Earshot Jazz National Jazz Charts w/e SEPT 25, 2012. 2. #2 !Earshot Jazz CJSW 90.9 MHz - Calgary Jazz w/e SEPT 25, 2012. 3. #8 !Earshot Jazz CJSR 88.5 MHz - Edmonton Jazz w/e NOV 20, 2012. "12 VOLT", her fourth release, was not promoted to Radio stations/Charts, in the true spirit of the bohemian, it did receive great reviews nationally and internationally and it got her a nomination for "Jazz Artist" of the Year at the 23rd Annual Los Angeles Music Awards on September 26, 2013. Billie Davies was the recipient of the "Jazz Artist" Award for the year 2013 by LAMA on November 14, 2013. Discography • 2004: Cobra Basemento (Self Released) with Saul Kaye, Michael Godwin • 2005: Dreams (Self Released) with Saul Kaye, Michael Godwin, Lee Elfenbein • 2012: all about Love. (Cobra Basement) with Tom Bone Ralls on trombone, Oliver Steinberg on upright bass and electric bass • 2013: 12 VOLT (Cobra Basement) with Daniel Coffeng on electric guitar, Adam Levy on upright bass • 2015: Hand In Hand In The Hand Of The Moon (Cobra Basement) with Alex Blaine on tenor sax, Branden Lewis on trumpet, Evan Oberla on trombone, Ed Strohsahl on upright bass.