Cutting his teeth in 1988 on Mandeville Jazz, played monthly at Merrymakers (now Fayors Entertainment Centre), keyboard player/vocalist Harold Davis, comes with the First Cut — a free prelude to his full length debut album due later this month.

Patrons at the Pegasus Hotel ballroom jazz last Sunday received complimentary copies of a six track sample of Davis’ first album since he began his musical journey at seven years old, playing violin and trumpet along with piano.

“It’s been long in coming, but it’s really an introduction of me,” oozed Davis who ten years ago was on the first of the Jamaica Pegasus’ Jazz In The Gardens series.

“A mixture of jazz, reggae, even some gospel thrown in. It is my first project and I am very excited and happy about it. I have worked for several other musicians, several other artistes locally and internationally, but this is the first time I am doing an individual project and I am very excited about,” he added.

“I am hoping to launch it in September. I’ve a couple of shows in Florida in early September, I am hoping to launch it at the end of September… That is the plan, but certainly, copies will be available for the next Jazz in the Gardens which is the end of October,” Harold Davis told the Observer.

“Let me tell you something, music is about sharing. If you can’t share the music and share the talent in a real way and have persons enjoy it as well, then you nah do nothing. We thought that, especially because it’s the first time we’re doing a project like this, we would do a first cut which is six tracks off the upcoming album which is 13 plus two bonus tracks, which are some live tracks that I did.So we thought that we would do this first cut, it’s kind of our way of saying thanks to the people who have supported us.”

The album that bears his middle name, Harold Arthur, will also feature Bunny Rugs, Ossie D, Maria Myrie, and the Rev Grace Jarvis.