American musician (born 1973)
Nicholas Payton (born September 26, 1973) is an American trumpet player and multi-instrumentalist. A Grammy Award winner, he is from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is also a writer who comments on subjects including music, race, politics, and life in America.
Biography.
The son of bassist and sousaphonist Walter Payton, he began playing the trumpet at the age of four and by age nine was sitting in with the Young Tuxedo Brass Band alongside his father. He began his professional career at ten years old as a member of James Andrews' All-Star Brass and was given his first steady gig by guitarist Danny Barker at The Famous Door on Bourbon Street. He enrolled at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and then at the University of New Orleans.
After touring with Marcus Roberts and Elvin Jones in the early 1990s, Payton signed a contract with Verve Records; his first album, "From This Moment", appeared in 1995. In 1996 he performed on the soundtrack of the movie "Kansas City", and in 1997 received a Grammy Award (Best Instrumental Solo) for his playing on the album "Doc Cheatham &amp; Nicholas Payton."
After seven albums on Verve, Payton signed with Warner Bros. Records, releasing "Sonic Trance", his first album on the new label, in 2003. Besides his recordings under his own name, other significant collaborations include Trey Anastasio, Ray Brown, Ray Charles, Daniel Lanois, Dr. John, Stanley Jordan, Herbie Hancock, Roy Haynes, Zigaboo Modeliste, Marcus Roberts, Jill Scott, Clark Terry, Allen Toussaint, Nancy Wilson, Dr. Michael White, and Joe Henderson.
In 2004, he became a founding member of the SFJAZZ Collective. In 2008, he joined The Blue Note 7, a septet formed in honor of the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records. In 2011, he formed a 21-piece big band ensemble called the Television Studio Orchestra. In 2011, he also recorded and released "Bitches", a love narrative on which he played every instrument, sang, and wrote all of the music. In 2012 the Czech National Symphony Orchestra commissioned and debuted his first full orchestral work, "The Black American Symphony". And in 2013, he formed his own record label, BMF Records, and the same year released two albums, "#BAM Live at Bohemian Caverns", where he plays both trumpet and Fender Rhodes, often at once, and "Sketches of Spain", which he recorded with the Basel Symphony Orchestra in Switzerland.
In 2024, he was announced as chair of the Brass Department at Berklee College of Music.
Discography.
As group.
New Orleans Collective
With Wessell Anderson, Christopher Thomas, Peter Martin and Brian Blade
SFJAZZ Collective (2004-06)
The Blue Note 7 (2008-09)
As sideman/guest.
With Eric Alexander
With Joanne Brackeen
With Bill Charlap
With Common
With The Headhunters
With Joe Henderson
With Doc Houlind
With Dr. John
With Elvin Jones
With Abbey Lincoln
With Joshua Redman
With Yu Sakai
With Jimmy Smith
With Allen Toussaint
References.
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