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Dark Horse Grammy contender BK Davis shares his 'Invisible Secret'
by Entertainment Writer

Steinway Artist Byron “BK” Davis has embarked on another dark horse Grammy campaign with his latest release, “Invisible Secret.”

Davis’ eleven tracks on Invisible Secret have generated the usual fervor amongst his hardcore fans. But something new has been added. The artist has taken his elegant jazz for a global stroll this time around.

Leading off with ‘De Teis Dancing,’ Davis throws down his world traveler gauntlet, giving the audience a whiff of the Middle East by way of Harlem. His vocals are at turns playful and soulful with twist of electronica.


“It’s my favorite track off the album,” said Demetrius Collins, a fan from Illinois. “I guess we’re going to have to email the Grammy people again.”

Collins is one among scores of fans who use social media to alert the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences — the organization that selects Grammy winners — that they are missing out on the talents of the Midwestern-bred Davis.

Davis hasn’t signed with a major label, preferring to maintain more control over his work. This independence leaves his releases out of the loop for Grammy nominations, which are high-priced, intramural affairs. Major record labels typically spend hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars to bring notice to their clients.

While his fans insist Davis will someday buck the odds and win the award, he focuses on the music and his experiences in the world, not just the USA.

“When I was touring down in South America,” Davis said, “I was swept away by the language, the culture, the sense of place. I knew I had to put some of it into this album.”

He wrote and recorded ‘Down in Belize’ and ‘Esta Noche Una Grand Fiesta’ as a celebration of our southern neighbors. Both are lush, latin inflected works that reflect jazz through a prism of salsa.

Davis recorded his most straightforward jazz piece of the release with the sturdy love song, ‘For Keeps.” It has an Oscar Peterson piano vibe that he ably supports with a heart weary tale of persistence.

The title track is perfectly named. It’s a melancholy, meandering piano instrumental that knows every invisible secret we all keep. Its blue notes waft just above an overbearing sadness that threatens to take the listener down.

But, Davis provides a musical antidote to the title track’s pensiveness. He keeps the focus on South America with ‘Pineapple Shake.’ The song’s a Brazilian samba lark guaranteed to get your shoulders shimmying and your fingers googling “flights to Rio.”

One of the most innovative songs of “Invisible Secret” is the final track - ‘Voyeur’s Dream.’ It’s a political thriller disguised as a carnal pas a deux. Despite the music eliciting thoughts of full lips and slinky thighs, the song is based on the experiences of whistleblower Edward Snowden, who exposed the US Intelligence community’s surveillance of American citizens.

“She’s living a voyeur’s dream/you’d be surprised/at what she’s seen” is less about a jaded call girl than an IT spy with access to your online thoughts and habits. Davis’ voice is reminiscent of the late, great Al Jarreau in a dark place spinning a tale of intrigue and mistrust.

Whether “Invisible Secret” rides its dark horse into Grammy history or not, the verdict is clear. “Invisible Secret” is a thoroughly enjoyable effort from an artist who’s at the height of his musical powers and having a hell of a lot of fun.

 





 
 

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