Bio

A native son of the city where Jazz was born, it’s only fitting that Dave Badie’s passion turned to this particular form of musical expression.

Born into a musical family, both grandfathers were saxophonists, and being the nephew of legendary bassist Chuck Badie, it was no surprise when at 4-years old, Dave showed a particular affinity for percussion. The beating of the drums would soon give way to an interest in woodwinds, with his first love being the saxophone. It was the improvisation of Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis that first caught Dave’s ear. And while his passion burns to play straight ahead, his versatility allows him to reach a larger audience by playing Jazz in its contemporary form.

Badie’s musical evolution can be traced to his perseverance, diligence, and unending love of the creative process. Having lived as a “sideman” for the majority of his career, Badie’s resolve has finally allowed him to step out front.

His creativity stretches across different media. An Emmy-nominated, Edward R. Murrow- winning television photojournalist, with a background in film, producing and directing music videos, he’s worked with scores of musicians, sharing the stage with the likes of Spyro Gyra, Donald Harrison, Tom Browne, Bernard Wright, Irvin Mayfield, Sheldon Reynolds of Earth Wind and Fire and Kermit Ruffins.He was also a recipient of the Budweiser Original Song Competition best songwriter award, outscoring hundreds of songwriters and producers across the U.S. southeast region. He has written and produced special segments for television and radio, while directing such artists as Randy Travis, Boz Scaggs, Wynton Marsalis, Nikki Sixx, Aaron Neville and Rita Coolidge, as well as performing voice overs for commercials and promos, and performing in promotional campaigns for Bounce TV.

Utilizing his marketing and promotional skills, he released his debut record in 2001, securing a distribution contract with Louisiana Red Hot Records. Music from this record was also featured in marketing Today’s Vision Eye Clinic franchises, in greater than 30 markets nationwide. With expert knowledge of logistics and internet distribution, he has worked in tour management, effectively booking, managing and marketing his self-contained contemporary jazz band, acquiring major sponsorship and worldwide tour performances. He has been invited to speak on live talk radio, lectured and performed at music conferences and seminars nationwide, educating thousands of young musicians on songwriting, publishing and copyright.

The true testament, however, lies in the music. The debut album, “The Court Jazzster” is a complex tapestry, tempered by Badie’s personal experiences. Despite the smoothed-out R&B-influenced grooves, there still exists an underlying texture that should remind the listener Badie continues to pledge allegiance to Jazz in its purest form.