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NATHAN DAVIS

O Saxofonista Nathan Davis já compartilhou o palco com músicos dos mais famosos e talentosos do jazz. Tocando com Donald Byrd, Billy Brooks, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Elvin Jones, Grover Washington Jr. e o Ray Charles Band para citar alguns. Como declarou o prefeito da cidade de Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Nathan Davis é o “tesouro do jazz” da cidade.

Nascido em Kansas City em 1937, Davis começou a estudar o saxofone no colégio. Tocou profissionalmente com a banda de Jay McShann e depois integrou a banda de Tiny Davis. Continuou seus estudos na Universidade de Kansas, dirigindo sua banda que incluia o trompetista Carmell Jones e Donald Dean na bateria. Em 1960 foi convocado pelas forças armadas americanas para servir na Alemanha onde conheceu e tocou com Benny Bailey, o baterista Joe Harris e Kenny Clarke que mais tarde o convidou para Paris. Seu compromisso de tocar três meses no Club St. Germain se estendeu para quase um ano e meio e Davis continuou tocando em casas de show na Europa por nove anos e meio. Entre seus admiradores nesta época estavam Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Aretha Franklin, Carmen McRae e Sarah Vaughn. Estes anos serviriam como base para seu trabalho futuro. Hoje, Nathan Davis é professor de música com um Ph.D. em etnomusicologia da Wesleyan University e diretor do Jazz Studies program da University of Pittsburgh. Também organiza anualmente o Pitt Jazz Seminar e Concerto. Um compositor prolífico e arranjador talentoso com mais de 200 composições, Davis continua se apresentando e é o autor de Writings in Jazz, uma análise acadêmica da história e do desenvolvimento do jazz.

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All Star Jazz

Saxophonist Nathan Davis has shared the stage with of some of jazz’s most famous and talented musicians. Performing with Donald Byrd, Billy Brooks, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Elvin Jones, Grover Washington, Jr. and the Ray Charles Band to name a few. Proclaimed by Pittsburgh, Philadelphia Mayor Sophie Masloff as “The Jazz Treasure” of the city, Davis’ illustrious career spans decades and continents.

Born in Kansas City in 1937, Davis first took up saxophone in high school. He played professionally with the band of Jay McShann and then joined the band of Tiny Davis. Going on to study at the University of Kansas, Nathan led his own band which included trumpeter Carmell Jones and Donald Dean on drums. The band played gigs around Kansas City until Davis was drafted in 1960. Stationed in Germany while in the army, he met and played with Benny Bailey, drummer Joe Harris and Kenny Clarke who would later invite him to Paris. Davis’ first engagement in the City of Light was to be a three month gig with Clark at the Club St. Germain. Those three months turned into almost a year and Nathan would go on to play clubs throughout Paris and Europe for 9 and a half years. Among his fans and audience during these years were Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Aretha Franklin, Carmen McRae and Sarah Vaughn. These years would serve as a foundation for his life and work.

Now residing in Pittsburgh, Nathan Davis is a professor of music with a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University and director of the Jazz Studies program at the University of Pittsburgh. He also organizes the annual Pitt Jazz Seminar and Concert. A prolific composer and talented arranger with over 200 pieces to his credit, Davis continues to perform and is the author of Writings in Jazz a scholarly analysis of the history and development of jazz music.

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