Mark Davis

Instructor

Mark Davis is an accomplished pianist and influential educator who has worked with some of the world's most respected jazz luminaries, including Gary Bartz, Peter Bernstein, Richard Davis, Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, Tom Harrell, Jimmy Heath, Brian Lynch, Charles McPherson, Frank Morgan, and Phil Woods.

He began piano studies at age eight and soon took to improvising and composing. His teachers included Adelaide Banaszynski and David Hazeltine. Mark later studied with jazz legend Barry Harris, who remains one of his primary inspirations as a player and educator.

He is the co-founder and artistic director of the Milwaukee Jazz Institute (MJI), where he is also an instructor and leads their resident ensemble, We Six. Many of his former students have gone on to successful music careers, most notably Dan Nimmer, pianist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Mark is the author of two top-selling books, Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method Book 1 and Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method Book 2. Available in English, Dutch, French, and German, these books have sold over 29,000 copies worldwide.

Mark plays with the touch of Teddy Wilson and the lines of Bud Powell. jazz legend Slide Hampton

Mark Davis is a wonderful, swinging player with all the right stuff. Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Brian Lynch

...a true master of jazz piano tradition and one of the greatest educators of our time. Dan Nimmer, pianist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

And though Mark looks like mild-mannered reporter with the Daily Planet, Clark Kent, he's really Superman on the piano! jazz legend Charles McPherson