Early into his time with the 2020 Michigan All-State Jazz Honors Choir, Duane Davis introduced one of the themes of his leadership and worldview, and he kept returning to it throughout his time with the singers.
Yesness.
“Have a pocketful of yesness,” he would say. “Let your face say ‘yes.'” “Live your life with yesness.”
Yesness, to this remarkable educator, means many things. Yesness means openness to life experience. Yesness means willingness to be vulnerable and learn. Yesness means putting in the work. Yesness means expressing emotions.
Yesness means being deeply, truly human.
Thank you, Mr. Davis, for your wonderful teaching of everyone in your rehearsals this weekend – the students, certainly, but also the educators observing, the accompanist and rhythm section, and myself. I’ve been learning from you for a quarter century and still learn every time we’re together. You embody yesness and inspire it in those around you – with your passion, your high standards, your infectious laughter, your encouragement and cajoling.
You’ve built a legendary career and a beautiful life out of yesness.