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Born and raised in Little Rock, Dave followed in his father’s footsteps and began playing tenor saxophone at age 13. He took lessons from former Central High School Band Director Bob Fletcher, who taught Dave’s father to play sax in the ‘70s.He first played jazz in the Parkview High School Jazz Band under the direction of the late Rex Perry. Dave performed with the Arkansas All State Jazz Bands all three years of High School under the direction of noted saxophonists Chris Vadala and Jack Cooper. He attended UCA and studied saxophone for two years with Dr. Jackie Lamar.Dave currently plays tenor sax with the Dave Rosen Big Band, The Drew Pickens Duo, Freeverse, Cody Belew, The Heads of State and The Morange Get Down Band (a funk/rock/blues project). He has performed with The Four Tops, The Viceroys, Sweet Nothin’ Revival, The Charlotte Taylor Band, the Conway Pops Orchestra, the Pine Bluff Pops Orchestra, Brothers with Different Mothers, Weakness for Blondes and math metal band HarMegiddo to name a few.Dave enjoys taking familiar jazz tunes — such as "All Blues," "Footprints," and "Wave" — and playing them with a fresh interpretation, either in a different meter, speed or style. He believes making music is the highest form of communication, and that above all else, playing should be fun.“You’ve got to know how to play your horn, but it’s all about building your vocabulary and having a conversation,” Dave said of playing with other musicians and interacting with the audience. “You’ve got to have fun. If you’re not having fun you shouldn’t be playing.”As an avid listener of jazz, funk, soul, bluegrass, rock, old country, reggae, Celtic, and folk music, Dave’s musical influences include a host of saxophonists from the bop era to today and musicians from genres other than jazz.“I try to take something from everyone I hear,” Dave said. “My first influence was my Dad. He turned me on to Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker and Sonny Stitt.”Dave can be heard all over Little Rock performing a variety of music with many bands. He plays jazz at the Clinton Library each Sunday with the Drew Pickens Duo, runs an open jazz jam each Friday night at his dad’s restaurant, Dave’s Place, and performs regularly at the Afterthought's end-of-the-month Monday night jazz jam. He lives in North Little Rock with his wife, Christy Williams, and enjoys being outdoors, listening to music, watching people and hanging out with his pets Conor, Moxie and Gus.LOVEMYFLASH CODE