Jazz Foundation of America and Gantry Plaza State Park present a new jazz summer music series: Jazz Under the Gantries. On August 10, Jazz Under the Gantries presents Mel Davis & Friends. Melvin Davis, recording artist, vocalist, keyboard player and organist extraordinaire, has understood the power of his hands to transport the sound of instruments from his imagination to a concert hall or nightclub full of eager twitching bodies for all of his life, dating back to childhood. He played his first piano recital at 9, and, at 15, when cats his age were learning how to charm young ladies, Davis was sneaking into local night clubs, hoping to charm the Hammond B3.