Dave Wyant
David “Big Dave” Wyant is a native of northwest Arkansas. He grew up in Rogers, where he played violin as his first instrument in the school orchestra. After graduating high school, he made his way to the Arkansas river valley, where he attended Arkansas Tech University as a vocal music major. During his time at ATU, he studied voice with Dr. Jon F. Clements, jazz theory with Dr. Sean Reed, and composition, music theory, piano and arranging with various other professors.
During his freshman year, he decided that it would be ideal for him to learn a jazz ensemble instrument - after struggling with trumpet he made the switch to (and fell in love with) saxophone, on which he is self-taught. In college, he was a member of all of the choirs at ATU, as well as the jazz ensemble, jazz combo, concert band, piano studio, composition studio, and Arkansas’ Band of Distinction - the athletic band at the university. Other instruments Dave currently plays include piano, clarinet, and various stringed instruments. From 2018-2019, Dave lived in Seattle, WA with some college classmates which is where he took up songwriting, a place which allows him to combine his love of singing and composing with poetry and storytelling.
Dave is heavily influenced by his family musically, his mother is from Detroit, MI - through which he was exposed to Motown, Detroit rock artists, and various singer/songwriters and bands from the 1960s-70s, his father is from upstate New York, and ever-the-dancer, exposed Dave to classic rock, disco, and pop music from the 1960s-80s. His stepfather, Flip, a native of southern California, helped foster Dave’s love of psychedelic rock, progressive rock, and jam band groups such as The Grateful Dead – and perhaps most profoundly, Dave was exposed to big band jazz, traditional pop, traditional country, and early rock & roll/soul music through his grandparents. His more contemporary tastes include indie rock, modern jazz/funk, psychedelic pop, and neo-soul music.
Over the years, Dave has always been a working professional, whether it’s been as a substitute player in a band, or a permanent fixture. Groups he’s been a member of include Dr. Nola and the Soul Shakers, Judason Void, and Pass the Wizard Hat. Currently - he plays saxophone and sings with The Cole Birmingham Band, and is a solo artist and session musician on the Arkansas House Records label in Bentonville, AR. It’s not uncommon to find him at regional jam sessions, sharing in the musical conversation with all sorts of characters