First you see him, then you don't. That's because keyboard player and vocalist Wayne Davis is always on the move. From the time he was in his early teens, the talented Bermudian has parlayed his skills as an entertainer into gig after gig, both here and abroad.

Born into a Somerset family of musicians and singers, music has always been his passion too. Initially, young Wayne set out to follow in a sibling's footsteps and learn the drums. At age ten made his first public appearance playing in brother Reggie Woods' band, but later, when a piano arrived in the household for his sister, Joann Davis, he switched to keyboards - and never looked back.

Today, Mr. Davis is an accomplished musician and vocalist who is not only much in demand locally but also spends many months of our off season playing and singing all over Europe.

His career began at age 14 when he played organ in the newly-formed family band, Electric Love, with brothers Reggie on bass, Ralph on lead guitar, cousin Philip Woods on drums, and the late Wendell (Boo Boo) Tucker on vocals.

While he taught himself keyboards, he also turned to Mr. Joseph Richards for theory lessons, and Mr. Jimmy Landy for harmony.

Balancing his musical responsibilities with school work was never a problem because he was a bright student who loved to learn. As long as he kept up his grades, his parents did not object to him playing in the band, and he never let them down. By the age of 16, young Wayne's musical prowess was such that he formed his own six-piece band, Soul Symphony, with himself as leader and keyboardist, John Bean (bass), Ted (Sphynx) Ming on drums, Derek Simons (lead guitar), and Rochelle and Mary Simons (vocals). They worked steadily, mainly at the Pub on the Square in St. George's, and for the next six years had "a lot of fun".

Then it was time for a change, and Mr. Davis formed a new band called Family Bermuda, again with himself on vocals and piano, Derek Simons (vocals/guitar), Tammy Wilson and the late Lita Edwards (vocals), Eugene (Tee) Tuzo on bass, and "Sphynx" Ming (drums). Over time, Bert Rodney took over on bass; Vernon Tucker on drums, and Kim Smith and Lolly Darrell on vocals.

"I was in my 20s and all of a sudden I was the oldest one in the band," Mr. Davis says of the changes. "It was a great band, and we did lot of work on the US base (both at Kindley and NOB) as well as a lot of the proms." Family Bermuda went on to become the house band at the Castle Harbour, Bermudiana and Grotto Bay hotels. Mr. Davis also worked as a freelance musician, playing with most of the Island's leading entertainers, while holding down a day job at the Bermuda Drug Company.

When hotels changed their entertainment policies, it became increasingly difficult for big bands to find work, which in turn caused personality conflicts among his players, so Mr. Davis decided to disband Family Bermuda, and regroup.

Thus, in 1985, Twice was born, originally with himself on keyboard/vocals and Wensy Woolridge on bass. The duo were busy throughout that summer season and were then rejoined by "Sphynx" Ming - a combo that lasted until 1977. "Jazz was almost extinct, and we kept it alive at the Coca Bamba (now Oasis) until Hubie started doing a jazz night, but Twice was probably best remembered for our seven-year stay at the Cock and Feather on Front Street," Mr. Davis says. "Those were the days, and I think the formation of Twice marked the beginning of duo dance Bands in Bermuda. We were also proud of the fact that we played our music. We didn't use pre-programmed sequences." In fact, Mr. Davis has absolutely no time for electronic pre-programmed sequences (prerecorded musical parts played in conjunction with live playing, and finds it irritating when people think that's what he's using. "I play according to how I feel, and I don't feel the same way every night," he says of this aversion. "I might play a particular song as reggae one night and as a ballad the next. In fact, when I am in Europe they don't allow electronic keyboards and stuff. That philosophy keeps live music intact, and besides, every time you play you learn something." He does not like it when audience members come up to him and ask if he "has" a particular song.

"That's a question you ask a DJ," he protests. "I spent too long learning how to play for people to think I'm not playing. In the old days they would ask, `Do you know such and such a song?' " Which is why the seasoned performer is so thrilled by the likes of Bermudian pianist James Richardson, whose talent and repertoire is enormous, and who recently gave a superb concert here.

"He won't use anything but a full length keyboard," Mr. Davis says of the London, England-based musician. "It is so refreshing to see a young man who plays so well and is interested in nothing but playing. He also knows so many of the songs from way back, including big band songs." No small talent himself, Mr. Davis carries a huge and varied repertoire in his head - so large, in fact, that he cannot even begin to estimate its size. It includes everything from reggae and calypso to classical and jazz, which allows him to successfully "work" an audience of any size or description by playing something guaranteed to please everyone.

While he listens to a lot of music - "everything from Beethoven to Hendrix" - and his CD collection exceeds 700, his personal favourite is jazz blues.

1999 marked the first of his European tours, and for five months he played in piano bars and hotel lounges in Ireland, Germany, Poland and Switzerland. He loved the experience, and his audiences apparently loved him. They weren't the least bit bothered that he only sang in English, and he says their tastes included everything from Nat King Cole and Sinatra to Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.

"Music is an international language," Mr. Davis notes. "The audiences were great and very attentive. Europeans are much more into live music, and the seats near the piano are always the first to go. Piano bars are very popular, and even disco goers stop there first before moving on."

Last year, the musician-vocalist - who is also a passionate fisherman, cricket and boxing fan - stayed away for eight months, spending time in Scandinavia, Switzerland, Germany and Ireland. Next January he will embark on his third tour, which will include three months in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Like all popular entertainers, Mr. Davis has built up a following in Europe, particularly in places where he remains for some time, or returns each year. As a result, he has been invited into people's homes, and because he never misses an opportunity to sing the Island's praises, or distribute Bermuda calendars, others have travelled from Germany and Poland to visit his homeland. Despite the language barriers, the keyboardist manages to get by one way or another (in Poland he had an interpreter), but there is something of a problem with food. "Europeans love to eat," he says, "so when I am in Switzerland I walk in the mountains every day to lose weight."

He also takes time to adjust to the limited amount of daylight in the Scandinavian winter, but all in all he enjoys being a professional entertainer on the move.

"I love the different cultures, and the first thing I try to do is make an impression," he says. "I start to talk about Bermuda, and the people gather around and buy me drinks all night!" Naturally, after so many years in the entertainment business, Mr. Davis has a fund of memories, and stories to tell, but one in particular stands out in his mind.

"In the early `80s Family Bermuda was asked to play at a private function at the Base," he says. "The guy who hired us had heard us play and asked if we knew any country music. I told him `yes' and we got the job. When we walked in, all conversation stopped. It was obvious we weren't the band for this type of function. It was a real country hoedown. I mean, ten-gallon hats, cowboy boots, kerchiefs - the works. We just froze. The band looked at me and said, `What have you gotten us into?' We were an R&B band, but we got through it fine by playing everything we knew in country and western style, and everyone had a good time. Believe me, it was very, very stressful."

Looking at today's local music scene, while Mr. Davis acknowledges that it is being revived, he also says there is a "circle of fault and blame because a lot of the musicians don't do their homework".

"They want to be hired because they are Bermudian, and while I should have preference because I am Bermudian, I want to be hired because I can do the job and do it well," he says. "I learn from everybody, and I listen to everyone I see. Too many of our entertainers have a bad, cut-throat attitude towards each other. There is space for everybody, and there is no need for the animosity." Asked what it takes to really be successful in today's world, the seasoned international entertainer says: "You have to be dependable and versatile. There are some people who see themselves only as calypso, or reggae, or jazz artists for example, but trends come and go, so if you are going to typecast yourself you are going to have to expect times when what you are doing is not as marketable." Small wonder, then, that his band Twice (with combinations of himself on keyboards/vocals, Leroy "Tubby" Richardson on bass, and Lady Tyson and Andr? Simmons vocals) is still in business, and a CD is "in the works".

As for the young, aspiring musicians, Mr. Davis advises them to "try and learn from everybody".

"Go out and listen and observe even if you are not into that particular kind of music. Every group or performer will have something that you can use, be it presentation or whatever. Don't be too proud to ask someone something. All of the best guys I have worked with have the best attitudes. They are very easy to get along with, and they are humble," he says. "Also, you have to be a team player, and you have to think of a gig as one unit. It doesn't matter who scores the goal, the team still wins."