Mark Davis

Hello Friends,

Welcome to my website, where you can find out about my upcoming performances and events. I've been performing as a jazz pianist for over twenty-five years and have had the great privilege of working with legends such as Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, Tom Harrell, Jimmy Heath, Brian Lynch, Charles McPherson, Frank Morgan, and Phil Woods, among others. As an educator, I've taught and served as the Chair of the Jazz Institute at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music since 1992. I'm happy to announce that my book, the Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method, was recently released, and I'm hard at work on a second volume. All of these activities help me achieve my goal of promoting jazz and inspiring others in their musical endeavors. Thanks for visiting, and I hope to hear from you or see you at one of my gigs!

Best regards,

Mark

Order a Copy Today! 
Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method
by Mark Davis

The Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method is a comprehensive and easy-to-use guide designed for anyone interested in playing jazz piano from the complete novice just learning the basics to the more advanced player who wishes to enhance their keyboard vocabulary. There are lots of fun progressions and licks for you to play and absorb. The accompanying audio includes demonstrations of all the examples in the book! Topics include essential theory, chords and voicings, improvisation ideas, structure and forms, scales and modes, rhythm basics, interpreting a lead sheet, playing solos, and much more!

PURCHASE HERE

Click here to listen to a radio interview about the book.

"Mark Davis introduced me to jazz and gave me an irreplaceable foundation and knowledge of this music. With this comprehensive book, he provides everyone with that same opportunity to learn from a true master of jazz piano tradition and one of the greatest educators of our time. I highly recommend this book to both beginner and advanced players."  – Dan Nimmer, pianist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

"Mark Davis's book is a major achievement! Not only does it take the student through the basics of jazz piano technique, but it imparts the core concepts and skills of jazz improvisation brilliantly. Everything is well organized and presented in a no-nonsense, easy-to-follow sequence, and the exercises are well thought out. I would highly recommend this book not only to budding jazz pianists, but to players on all instruments who want to gain the functional piano skills essential to the complete jazz musician. I will be recommending this book to all of my students at the Frost School of Music! Kudos to Mark Davis – a gifted musician who can not only play it but also teach it." – Brian Lynch, Grammy© award-winning trumpeter (alumnus of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver, Eddie Palmieri, Phil Woods, and others) Associate Professor of Studio Music and Jazz, The Frost School of Music at the University of Miami