Anthony Davis

with Raelinda Brown

New Haven, Connecticut  

March 24, 1982

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Side a:                                                                                                                        pp. 1-25

family background--early childhood in Princeton, New Jersey--father was first black university professor at Princeton--piano lessons beginning at age seven--piano lessons in State College, Pennsylvania--Art Tatum influence--Erroll Garner--Dave Brubeck--Cannonball Adderley--listening to recordings--Thelonious Monk and improvisation--Chopin influence--year in Italy--Beethoven-dislike of sentimental, romantic composers--preference for clarity--John Coltrane--Wynton Kelly--Duke Ellington--philosophy major while first at Yale--dislike of racist prep school classical piano teacher--necessity to overcome classical training--first band called Contingency--Peace African Ballad from Song From The Requiem--May Day--became music major at Yale--music courses at Wesleyan--cut first record while at Yale--composition with Leo Smith--James P. Johnson--Herbie Hancock's technique--Chick Corea--Bud Powell's musical conception--modal harmony approach--Episteme: Lady Of The Mirror, Under The Double Moon.

Side b:                                                                                                                       pp. 25-29

improvisation versus notation--Afro-American music--Afro-American tradition merged with classical symphony--teaching at Yale.

Anthony Davis

with Libby Van Cleve

Yale University, offices of Oral History, American Music, Stoeckel Hall

December 14, 1993

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Side c:                                                                                                                        pp. 1-19

Episteme record of 1981--”Hemispheres”--Clonetics--Uraba mythology--X--Middle Passage--Wayang No. 5--influence of Neitzche, Hegel, Wagner, von Weber, Strauss--structure of X--use of speech rhythms--characterizations--Thomas Young--writing for specific musicians--his individuality--opening of X--racial issues--integrating Episteme members into opera orchestra--Ellington’s music--recording of X--vocal style in X--Billie Holliday--forms in opera--Gershwin vs. Virgil Thomson--Porgy and Bess--”new conservatism” and jazz.

Side d:                                                                                                           pp. 19-23

Wynton Marsalis--Davis’ early piano influences--present frustrations--Tanya--current musical projects--Under the Double Moon.