Ben Davis

Who was Ben Davis?

Ben Davis was a British saxophonist, businessman and author.

He served in the British army until 1919. After being demobbed he became a self-taught saxophonist, playing Dixieland jazz in many big bands, leading his own, The Carlton Dance Orchestra, and small combos. He was the first British saxophonist to play with Sydney Bechet and the Jazz Kings.

He later wrote two instructional books about saxophone playing.

After meeting Henri Selmer in 1928, Davis formed the London branch of the French Henri Selmer Paris company with an office and showroom at Davis House, 12 Moor Street, London W1. Selmer UK expanded from 1934 to 1939, moving to 114-116 Charing Cross Road, London WC2, adjacent to the Phoenix Theatre, becoming the largest musical instrument company in Britain.

In 1953 Lew Davis, a professional trombonist who had played with Jack Hylton, Louis Armstrong, Lew Stone, Bert Ambrose, and Ray Noble joined the business and ran the brass and woodwind sections in the new showrooms at 114-116 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2. This served as the head office and showroom until the 1970s.

By 1964, Ben and Lew Davis sold their majority holding in Selmer and retired to the south of France, where Ben lived until he was 87.