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David Clark
The Louisville Courier-Journal writes, \"Clark\'s playing mixed technical brilliance and beautifully personal expressions…\" and \"…saxophonist Dave Clark, one of the brightest players in town…\"
About Me
The music of New Hope C.M.E. Church in his hometown of Pine Bluff, AR, is where Dave
remembers his first musical experience. My hometown is a small city in south-central
Arkansas. The first music that I can remember was sung at little New Hope Church. I
couldn't have been more than four or five years old. The choir was singing and everybody
was was fully present in the moment. I have never forgotten that feeling of peace, love,
perseverance, and God's spirit in full bloom. I have been chasing that same feeling in my
own music ever since.
Dave began playing violin in sixth grade and saxophone in seventh grade. Having played
both throughout public school, he studied saxophone performance at Ouachita Baptist
University in Arkansas, received a BM in music education and a MM in jazz performance
from the University of Louisville in Kentucky. While at Ouachita, he was introduced to jazz
and cites Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, and Branford Marsalis as major influences. Dave
has had the good fortune to study with Harry Pickens, Don Braden, Wessell Anderson, and
Branford Marsalis.
Dave has performed with such diverse artists such as Benny Golson, Clark Terry, Randy
Brecker, Stanley Turrentine, James Moody, Kevin Mahogany, Harry Pickens, Nancy Wilson,
Miles Griffith, the Louisville Orchestra, the Dells, and Delfeayo Marsalis. As part of the Jerry
Tolson Quintet, he has performed at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, the
Montreaux Jazz Festival in Montreaux, Switzerland, and opened for pianist, Eric Reed. He
has also performed as part of a good will tour and educational exchange program in
Barbados. While still in Arkansas, he also opened concerts for Herb Ellis and Dave Brubeck.
Dave makes his home in Louisville, KY, where he keeps a busy schedule at Bellarmine
University as instructor of saxophone and jazz studies, teaching privately, and performing.
He has performed numerous times at Kentucky Center's Jazz Cabaret, Jazz in Central Park,
the Louisville Jazz and Blues Festival at the Water Tower, the Jazz Factory and Derby Dinner
Playhouse.