David Budway is one of the most distinctive
pianists on today's international jazz scene. While deeply rooted
in classical music and rock and roll music, his masterful command
for the modern jazz vocabulary has propelled him into the midst of
present-day jazz pioneers. He is quickly becoming a highly sought-after
accompanist, arranger, film composer, and songwriter.
As a child his Pittsburgh home was filled with the sounds of the
Beatles, Mozart and Bach, as well as classical Arabic music coming
from his father's violin. These early influences led him to begin
classical piano study at age five and to eventually earn a Masters
Degree in Classical Piano at Duquesne University, where he later
taught Jazz and Classical piano for 15 years. It was during this
time in Pittsburgh that he recorded his first jazz album in 1989
with sister Maureen entitled "Jazz, the Budway".
David caught the attention of Prince's sax-man Eric Leeds and,
in 1990, was invited to Paisley Park Recording Studios to record "Things
Left Unsaid" on Warner Brothers Records. During this same
year, David was featured as the Jazz Piano soloist in the independent
film "Giant Steps" starring Billy Dee Williams.
In 1992, David not only made his classical piano debut with the
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, but he performed his first classical
recital with world renowned flutist Hubert
Laws. Since their first
meeting, David has frequented many recordings of Mr. Laws including "Storm
Then the Calm" (Music Masters), "Hubert Laws Plays French
Classics in Memory of Jean Pierre Rampal" (Spirit Productions/Scepterstein
Records) and most recently "Moondance" on Savoy Jazz,
in which Hubert records three of David's original compositions.
In the mid-90's, David released two solo piano albums: "Brief
Encounter to Last a Lifetime", and "The Music I Hear",
for Alanna Records. While living
in Pittsburgh, David performed many solo classical faculty piano
recitals, performed in Master Classes for James Tocco, Ruth Slenczynska,
Eugene List and Artur Balsam, and performed locally with a number
of Jazz Legends such as Clark Terry, Joe Pass, Jon Faddis, Louie
Bellson, Dave Liebman, George Benson, Mark Murphy, Jimmy Heath,
and Dizzy Gillespie.
David relocated to New York City in 1997 and immediately became
a much sought after player in many genres. In addition to accompanying
Broadway diva Christiane
Noll, David became Stanley Turrentine's
pianist, and the pianist for both the Jeff 'Tain' Watts and Regina
Carter Quintets. David
can be heard on "Bar Talk" by Jeff 'Tain' Watts on Sony/Columbia.
This album also features a Budway composition entitled "Kiss".
In 2001, David was the proud recipient of two
prizes in the John
Lennon Songwriting Competition. His latest recording features
original tunes written in the same spirit. Find out more here.  |