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Mark Davis is a jazz piano instructor at Northern Illinois University's School of Music within the College of Visual and Performing Arts. He is also the co-founder and artistic director of the Milwaukee Jazz Institute (MJI), where he leads their resident ensemble, We Six, and teaches classes.
His educational background includes a B.S. from Skidmore College, and he studied piano with Adelaide Banaszynski, David Hazeltine, and jazz legend Barry Harris, who remains one of his primary inspirations. Davis began piano studies at age eight and soon took to improvising and composing.
Mark Davis specializes in jazz piano, music education, and jazz performance. He has performed with jazz legends including Gary Bartz, Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, Tom Harrell, Jimmy Heath, Brian Lynch, Charles McPherson, Frank Morgan, and Phil Woods. His teaching approach has produced notable students like Dan Nimmer, who plays with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
He is the author of two top-selling books: Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method Book 1 and Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method Book 2. These books have sold over 29,000 copies worldwide and are available in English, Dutch, French, and German. Geoffrey Keezer, a Grammy-nominated pianist, described them as 'a powerhouse of a book--a real 'owner's manual' for the jazz piano mind.'
His notable achievements include:
- Author of two widely used jazz piano instruction books
- Endorsements from prominent jazz musicians including Brian Lynch and Dan Nimmer
- Co-founding the Milwaukee Jazz Institute to promote jazz education
- Regular performances at venues like the Mason Street Grill in the historic Pfister Hotel
As an educator, Mark Davis has influenced numerous students who have gone on to successful music careers. He regularly performs Tuesday through Friday from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at Mason Street Grill in the historic Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee. His playing has been described by jazz legend Slide Hampton as 'a wonderful, swinging player with all the right stuff.'
Mark Davis leads the Milwaukee Jazz Institute, which offers various programs including classes, ensembles, workshops, and concerts for musicians of all ages. He organizes regular jam sessions at the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts and leads special projects like the MJI Big Band Holiday Concert at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts.
