Nathan
Davis’ love of music has always been just above his head and always
within reach. Davis, a well-known saxophonist, is a teacher, jazz performer
and prolific composer, with more than 200 pieces to his credit.
He has played alongside such greats as
Donald Byrd, Eric Dolphy and Woody Shaw. Davis currently is the director
of the University of Pittsburgh Jazz Studies program.
As a 16-year-old in Kansas City, Davis
worked to save money for a down payment on a saxophone. Soon, he was playing
local gigs and enrolled at the University of Kansas, where he earned a
bachelor’s degree in music education in 1960.
After college, Davis was sent to Berlin
by the U.S. Army. When his military stint was over, Davis decided to continue
his career as a musician in Europe, where his career took off.
Nathan Davis
Davis taught, performed, recorded and toured Europe with some
of that era's jazz all-stars. He attended the Sorbonne in Paris for graduate
work in ethnomusicology in 1967. A few years later, he went to University of
Pittsburgh, where he established the Jazz Studies Program.
Davis launched the annual Pitt Jazz Seminar and Concert in
1970. Thirty-five years later, it is the longest-running jazz event of its kind
in the country.
"Always believe in yourself and seek the truth."
Having earned a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from
Wesleyan University in Connecticut in 1974, Davis continues to strengthen
his music legacy. Jazzopera: Just Above My Head, written by Davis,
had its world premiere in Pittsburgh in 2004. Davis’ latest CD, The
Other Side of Morning, showcases his talents as composer, arranger, leader
and multi-instrumentalist.
A member of the prestigious International Jazz
Hall of Fame, Davis has received many awards and recognitions throughout his
career. He is the creator of the University of Pittsburgh International Academy
of Jazz Hall of Fame and Sonny Rollins Jazz Archives and the editor of the
International Jazz Archives Journal.
"Always believe in yourself and seek the
truth. Your inner truth and belief in yourself will set you free and help
you excel in everything you do," Davis says to young music lovers.
