Honoring the Ascension of Jazz Educator and Legend, Dr. Nathan Davis.

 Honoring the Ascension of Jazz Educator and Legend,  Dr. Nathan Davis.

 Thank You Dale Fielder for this Beautiful Post Honoring Nathan!  

I am Forever Grateful to Nathan and His Family 's Many Contributions to My Life and Join You In Offering Prayers of Compassion,  Condolences and Love to His Beloved Wife Ursula, and His Children, Joyce and Pierre, As Well As Other Family and Friends.  

Always,  Melony

Written by Jazz Saxophonist Dale Fielder...

"All of us from Pittsburgh who love jazz are reeling in woe today upon hearing of the passing of Dr. Nathan Davis yesterday.  He was my teacher and mentor whom I learned much about jazz and the saxophone.  He assisted me in self-designing my major in ethnomusicology back in 1975.  We are all feeling some-kind of wayz here today.  For those of you who aren't aware of who he was and his importance in jazz history, here's info from his Wikipedia Page:...

Dr. Nathan Davis (February 15, 1937 - April 9, 2018) was an American hard bop jazz multi-instrumentalist who played the tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet and flute. Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Davis is probably best known for his work with Eric Dolphy, Kenny Clarke, Ray Charles, Slide Hampton and Art Blakey.

Nathan traveled extensively around Europe after the war and moved to Paris in 1962. He holds a Ph.D in Ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University and has been a professor of music and director of jazz studies at the University of Pittsburgh since 1969, an academic program that he helped to initiate. He is also founder and director of the University of Pittsburgh Annual Jazz Seminar and Concert, the first academic jazz event of its kind in the country. He also helped to found the university's William Robinson Recording Studio as well as establish the International Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame located in the school's William Pitt Union and the University of Pittsburgh-Sonny Rollins International Jazz Archives. Davis, who retired in 2013 as director of the Jazz Studies Program at Pitt, now has Professor Emeritus status at the university. Davis also served as the editor of the International Jazz Archives Journal.

One of Davis' best known musical associations was heading the Paris Reunion Band (1985-1989), which at different times included Nat Adderley, Kenny Drew, Johnny Griffin, Slide Hampton, Joe Henderson, Idris Muhammad, Dizzy Reece, Woody Shaw, and Jimmy Woode. Davis also toured and recorded with the post-bop ensemble leading Roots which he formed in 1991.

Davis has also composed various pieces, including a 2004 opera entitled "Just Above My Head".

On October 5, 2013, Davis was awarded the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation's BNY Mellon Jazz Living Legacy Award at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.