“The thing about turning 90,” quipped music impresario Clive Davis, “is I realized, last year I was 89.” The occasion was a birthday dinner at The River Café that was also a celebration of the Clive Davis Institute at New York University, an educational venue that also features studios where young artists can record their work. The pre-dinner opening of an exhibition of Davis’ archive showed off his gold and platinum records and a wall of artists Davis represented at Columbia, later Arista, J Records, and SONY: Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Simon & Garfunkel, Barry Manilow, and so many more in Davis’ stellar career spanning six decades. Famously, Davis signed Janis Joplin after hearing her perform at Monterey back in the day. In one vitrine with personal correspondence a visitor can see invitations to concerts, such as one, to a supper at Davis’ home for Joplin following a performance at Madison Square Garden. Clive Davis has an ear. Has---he is still going strong.
He’s also known for his fabulous parties, and this dinner was no exception with a who’s who of music legends:
Valerie Simpson, Ray Parker, Jr., the Fifth Dimension (
Verdine White, Philip Bailey, Ralph Johnson) and others: actress
Brenda Vaccaro, CNN’s
Don Lemon, and MSNBC’s
Ari Melber who had recently featured Clive on his program. Dining out on lobster and scallops, sea bass, lamb, and Baked Alaska, a hundred or so partiers could not have been happier, and more vocal about Davis’ accomplishments. It could have been a Bar Mitzvah, many joked.
The creation of the Institute, extending NYU’s campus to Downtown Brooklyn, is a crowning achievement ensuring his legacy and enabling young musicians. A tour can go from the history of popular music to an encounter with a rising star. One such, Avangelina, was working with a posse of producers in one of the state-of-the-art studios as we roamed two floors of the shiny new building. Her album will be streaming in May. She sounded great, so keep your ears open.
Comments