Cliff Davis
Associate Faculty
Kansas City, Missouri

In the beginning ...

In 1965, Cliff started drumming at the age of 12. His first drum, a 1940s Ludwig & Ludwig steam-bent mahogany six-tube-lug student model with calf skin heads, was handed down to him by his father. Today that vintage drum is the most cherished in Cliff’s collection of snare drums.

Beginning with elementary, junior high, senior high school, and continuing on at Western Illinois University, Cliff played in every available organized musical group including concert band, orchestra, jazz band, jazz trio, percussion ensemble, solo percussion, and marching band; typically maintaining first chair status and frequently medaling in state-wide contests. As a junior, Cliff was one of two selected to receive a scholarship to study at the Lakeland College Summer Music Camp in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, where he auditioned and was chosen to play in the jazz band. As a senior in high school, Cliff volunteered to conduct weekly sectionals with the local junior high band percussion section, and had numerous private students. In college, Cliff studied under percussion professor Dick Cheadle, and played tympani and general percussion in the prestigious Western Illinois University Wind Ensemble, as well as WIU orchestra and marching band. Cliff also played with the WIU “Newcomers” – a touring swing-chorale troupe of 12 men and 12 women backed by piano, bass, and Cliff on the drums. Cliff was also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and served as vice president.

After college, Cliff played kit in the rhythm and blues band Elliott Wave. In 1987, there was a life altering occurrence; Cliff discovered pipe band drumming. After just a few minutes at a practice as an invited observer, Cliff was hooked and asked to join the band.

Pipe Band Drumming

Cliff began his pipe band percussion career as a snare drummer with the Pipers of the Plains. After learning the basics of pipe band drumming, he moved over to the Kansas City Caledonian Pipe Band, eventually serving as lead drummer, was twice elected President, and ultimately playing bass drum for that band. During that time, Cliff medaled in numerous solo snare drumming contests, up thru grade 2. The band competed in grade 3, and won or placed at numerous contests in North America, including Montreal, Quebec and Santa Rosa, California.

In 1996, Cliff joined the grade 3 Kansas City St. Andrew Pipes and Drums as bass drummer. The band moved to grade 2 in 2002 after a very successful grade 3 run in 2001, culminating in a third place finish at Bridge of Allen, and a 10th place finish at their first ever appearance at the World Pipe Band Championships in a grade 3A. The band reached its pinnacle in grade 2 in 2004, just prior to Cliff’s departure in February 2005.

Education

Cliff is a firm believer in receiving and delivering education, and in developing a personal style. Cliff has attended numerous percussion clinics in his lifetime including the likes of Thomas Davis, JohnVon Ohlen, Louie Bellson, Jim Chapin, and Dom Fomularo. Cliff’s first formal pipe band bass drum instructor was the late Luke Allen, world champion bass drummer of the 1987 78th Frasier Highlanders, and later with three time world champion Craig “Hoss” Colquhoun. Other pipe band drumming influences for Cliff include Joe Cameron, Lydia Hartsock, Hugh Cameron, Jim Kilpatrick, Reid Maxwell, John Fisher, Jarrod Wood, Tyler Fry, Duncan Gibson, Steve Biggs, Mike Miller, Mike Cole, and Ken Maltman, to name but a few. The willingness of so many great players to share ideas, information, lessons, tuning, and technique has had a big impact on Cliff’s drumming, his pipe band drumming in general, and particularly his bass drumming. John Von Ohlen, the famous drummer for the 1970s Stan Kenton Orchestra told Cliff and a handful of other aspiring high school jazz drummers; “Listen to as many drummers as you can, live and on records, cherry pick something from each of them, and then go and create your own style.”

As one of the original four Directors of the Midwest Highland Arts Fund, Cliff helped launch, and has continued to help foster and grow the renowned Winter Storm piping and drumming events held in Kansas City each January. This ongoing series of world-class workshops, contests, and concerts are generally regarded as among the best in the world of piping and drumming. Cliff has acted as a tireless organizer, fundraiser, major benefactor, and now is a major sponsor for Winter Storm; the acclaimed Davis Drums – Midwest Highland Arts Fund Gold Medal Bass Drumming Championship. There is no other solo bass contest in the world that attracts the caliber of player of the Davis Drums contest. The contest is expected to eventually be regarded as the World Championship of solo bass drumming.

Cliff has done a considerable amount of teaching. In addition to private instruction, he served along side Duncan Gibson as a Winter Storm bass drum instructor in 2006, and also taught at the Oct-Tenor-Fest in Chicago later that year, and conducts numerous on-site sectionals for bands. In addition to his duties at Winter Storm, Cliff has also served since 2005 the advisory board, and is currently Vice President, of the MidWest Pipe Band Association.