Background
Davis, Nathan Tate was born on February 15, 1937 in Kansas City, Kansas, United States. Son of Raymond and Rosemary (Green) Davis.
Davis, Nathan Tate was born on February 15, 1937 in Kansas City, Kansas, United States. Son of Raymond and Rosemary (Green) Davis.
Bachelor of Science in Music Education, University Kansas, 1960. Postgraduate, Sorbonne, Paris, France, 1967. Doctor of Philosophy, Wesleyan University, 1974.
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 Doctor of Philosophy 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 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 National 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".
("Writings in Jazz, Sixth Edition", brings together differ...)
(Will be dispatched from UK. Brand new copy.)
Served with Army of the United States, 1960-1962. Member Composers Society (Paris), Afro-American Music Hall of Fame, Institute Black American Music, National Gospel Advisory Board.
Married Ursula Broschke, September 27, 1963. Children— Joyce Nathalie, Pierre Marc.