David Ervin
Encyclopedia
David Ervin is a jazz funk keyboard player.
From the age of 10 Ervin grew up in Altadena, California
, where he began to take after his musical father DiFosco Ervin, a.k.a. Big Dee Irwin
. DiFosco Ervin was a singer, songwriter, and recording artist who led the Doo-Wop singing group "The Pastels". At the age of 14, David combined elements of rock, funk and soul using analog synthesizer
s. Shortly thereafter David jumped on the digital technology bandwagon and purchased a variety of digital keyboards and synthesizers which offered him new creative possibilities.This pivotal period in music technology brought new colors and dimensions to the west coast recording scene. Coupled with this new technology and benefiting from a classical piano background David began adopting and inserting stylistic elements of early jazz pianists like Earl Hines
and Teddy Wilson
.
A few years later around the age of 20, David Ervin became a sought after Los Angeles session musician. David created and performed complete rhythm tracks and continued to harness the cutting edge music technology of newly developed digital synthesizers and sequencers as tools to inspire his creations. David's tracks were heard on various 80's and 90's chart topping recordings. David's recording credits include hit albums by:Tina Turner
, Natalie Cole
, Phyllis Hyman
, Gladys Knight and the Pips, various albums by the Jacksons, including hits by Jermaine and Michael, The Crusaders
and Joe Sample
. David's songwriting credits include songs recorded by Bobby "Blue" Bland
and Bobby Womack
.
David Ervin performs on solo piano and keyboards and in ensemble settings throughout California, the United States and Abroad.
From the age of 10 Ervin grew up in Altadena, California
Altadena, California
Altadena is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States, approximately from the downtown Los Angeles Civic Center, and directly north of the city of Pasadena, California...
, where he began to take after his musical father DiFosco Ervin, a.k.a. Big Dee Irwin
Big Dee Irwin
DiFosco "Dee" T. Ervin Jr. , usually known professionally as Big Dee Irwin, was an American singer and songwriter whose biggest hit was a version of "Swinging On A Star" in 1963, recorded as a duet with Little Eva....
. DiFosco Ervin was a singer, songwriter, and recording artist who led the Doo-Wop singing group "The Pastels". At the age of 14, David combined elements of rock, funk and soul using analog synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s. Shortly thereafter David jumped on the digital technology bandwagon and purchased a variety of digital keyboards and synthesizers which offered him new creative possibilities.This pivotal period in music technology brought new colors and dimensions to the west coast recording scene. Coupled with this new technology and benefiting from a classical piano background David began adopting and inserting stylistic elements of early jazz pianists like Earl Hines
Earl Hines
Earl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, was an American jazz pianist. Hines was one of the most influential figures in the development of modern jazz piano and, according to one source, is "one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz".-Early...
and Teddy Wilson
Teddy Wilson
Theodore Shaw "Teddy" Wilson was an American jazz pianist whose sophisticated and elegant style was featured on the records of many of the biggest names in jazz, including Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.-Biography:Wilson was born in Austin, Texas in...
.
A few years later around the age of 20, David Ervin became a sought after Los Angeles session musician. David created and performed complete rhythm tracks and continued to harness the cutting edge music technology of newly developed digital synthesizers and sequencers as tools to inspire his creations. David's tracks were heard on various 80's and 90's chart topping recordings. David's recording credits include hit albums by:Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
, Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"...
, Phyllis Hyman
Phyllis Hyman
Phyllis Linda Hyman was an American soul singer and actress.-Early years:Phyllis Hyman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the St. Clair Village, the South Hills section of Pittsburgh...
, Gladys Knight and the Pips, various albums by the Jacksons, including hits by Jermaine and Michael, The Crusaders
The Crusaders
The Crusaders are an American music group popular in the early 1970s known for their amalgamated jazz, pop and soul sound. Since 1961, more than forty albums have been credited to the group , 19 of which were recorded under the name "The Jazz Crusaders" .-History:In 1960, following the demise of a...
and Joe Sample
Joe Sample
Joseph Leslie "Joe" Sample is an American pianist, keyboard player and composer.He is one of the founding members of the Jazz Crusaders, the band which became simply The Crusaders in 1971, and remained a part of the group until its final album in 1991 .- Biography :Sample began playing the piano...
. David's songwriting credits include songs recorded by Bobby "Blue" Bland
Bobby Bland
Robert Calvin Bland better known as Bobby "Blue" Bland, is an American singer of blues and soul. He is an original member of the Beale Streeters, and is sometimes referred to as the "Lion of the Blues"...
and Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack
Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 40...
.
David Ervin performs on solo piano and keyboards and in ensemble settings throughout California, the United States and Abroad.