Composer, bassist, guitarist and percussionist – Winfield Davis falls into all those categories.

He left Bermuda for the United States many years ago, but will also be grateful for the early introduction to music the Island gave him.

Mr. Davis' early lessons were with master guitarist Norman Astwood whose words of advice – "never give up your dreams of hearing, feeling and playing music" – have stuck with him ever since.

He put that instruction to practice in later years, first playing with local musicians in The Jimmy O'Connor Show before leaving the Island for the United States.

Over the last 18 months he has produced three critically acclaimed albums.

His debut album was 'Midnight Player'. Seven months later he released 'C Street'. 'Bass And Beyond' is his most recent effort.

Although he anticipated problems with 'Midnight Player', the project was relatively easy.

"It was my first body of work and I expected to have as much constructive criticism as I could possibly could find so that when I went into the studio for the second one, I would be able to embellish on that," he explained. "But I didn't get as much criticism as I thought, but what I did get was that it was very well taken.

"And it was appreciated by people in the industry who are looking for you to be successful."

He returned to the studio almost immediately after 'Midnight Player' was released.

"I finished ('C Street') last November and it was published in February," he said.

"It was my second album in a year. The record industry really took notice of that because it is unheard of and it is very unorthodox. I found this out later. I was wondering why everyone was raising an eyebrow and it was mainly because many people struggle trying to find material to write."

As an example of his complete dedication to his craft, Mr. Davis built his own recording studio.

"I just had to get it done," he said. "It's been a long time coming. And so I went to work."

The album is a tribute to his formative years, which were spent on Court Street.

"'C Street' is a tribute to my growing up in Bermuda. I felt that I needed to do something to mark that something very interesting that happened to me on Court Street when I was very young, and to basically test my mettle from a music perspective – and it caused me to challenge myself over the years.

"I remember a lot of little places that perhaps are not (in Bermuda) anymore, but it was the only place where there was plenty of 'black music'. So I had to do something to identify with my roots."

Jazz has always been a favourite genre. According to Mr. Davis, it is also appreciated in the US with stations devoted to its many forms. "There are still jazz enthusiasts out there. Now throughout the US there is a smooth jazz and a fusion jazz network and it is very exciting.

"Almost every major city has at least two or more(performance) venues and that is what I am planning for right now. My promoter wanted me to go this past June, but although I was ready, I didn't have a band."

The Winfield Davis Band was born as a result. "The promoter wanted me to do local venues first to get the band tuned up and gelling properly in and around the Tampa Bay area," he said. "I'm making sure that the personnel that I have can do it. The challenge for them is that it is all original music and unless you can get some first-class musicians, it can be an extreme challenge to perform your music to your satisfaction.

"I have a decent core of people, but we will see.

"They wanted to come to Bermuda for the Jazz Festival last year, but we had way too much work to do."

The performances continued into Chicago, "which I am thankful for, because they know their jazz and they can certainly appreciate good music", the musician added. "But it is nice to see the work come off the pages and it is actually the first time that my music has been performed live."

His advice to local performers is that they take their talent abroad. "If you want the international recognition, then you have to be international.

"You just can't stay in Bermuda, because you will get land-locked, no one will see you and no one will hear you.

"The market is so saturated with talent today."

For those who cannot physically travel, the Internet offers another way to promote their music. "I was developing a fan base in Germany and in Holland because of the Internet stations."

Fans of Mr. Davis can also hear his music locally, on KJazz fm from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturdays. To purchase his music visit www.Itunes.com/winfielddavis, www.myspace.com/winfielddavis, www.Amazon.com or www.rhapsody.com/winfield-davis.