Dave Clark

Background

About Dave Clark

Musician, Educator, Scholar Dave will begin his tenure as the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Louisville beginning August 2023. Dave is currently a doctoral student, ABD, in Bellarmine’s School of education writing his dissertation, Sounding the Human Condition: Student Experiences of Music as a Conduit for Social Justice. Dave is also the Executive Director of the Louisville Jazz Initiative, a diverse, inter-generational coalition of musicians and educators committed to the authentic teaching and performing of jazz; that is, in a way that preserves the connection between the art form and its cultural and historical context, highlights the inherent value of each individual’s experience and expression, and empowers its participants to advocate for social and racial justice. Dave has performed with such diverse artists as Benny Golson, Clark Terry, Randy Brecker, Stanley Turrentine, James Moody, Kevin Mahogany, Harry Pickens, Nancy Wilson, Miles Griffith, the Louisville Orchestra, the Dells, Keke Wyatt, Don Braden, Yuja Wang and Delfeayo Marsalis. Dave has also performed internationally at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, and the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Montreaux, Switzerland, and maintains an active performance schedule across the US.