nicholas payton
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Nicholas Payton’s music career began much as Jazz itself did, marching in New Orleans’ street parades, and his playing certainly reflects that. But just as Jazz has expanded beyond its New Orleans roots and dancing rhythms, this young trumpeter has also expanded, embracing Jazz styles as varied as such of Louis Armstrong, Clark Terry, Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis.
Born in New Orleans on September 26, 1973, Nicholas’ love affair with the trumpet began at age 4, when he requested an instrument as a Christmas present. With the help of his mother Maria (a classical pianist) and his father Walter (a renown New Orleans bassist), Payton developed quickly. Even before he could read music, he had developed his ear to the point that at age 9 he was accompanying his father on gigs with the Young Tuxedo Brass Band. His first regular job, aged twelve was with a band made out of youngsters called “The All Star Jazz Band”. They played around New Orleans and even at some Jazz Festivals in Europe. Later, he was introduced (via telephone!) to Wynton Marsalis, who took personal interest in the development of the young artist, sending him tapes to study and recommending him to bandleaders such as Elvin Jones and Marcus Roberts.
By the time he was in high school he was working steadily, playing street parades and other engagements around New Orleans. He also enrolled at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, where he studied with trumpet master and Jazz department director Clyde Kerr Jr. After graduating from NOCCA, Payton went on to study at the University of New Orleans with Ellis Marsalis. By that time he was already getting calls from bandleaders around the country.
During the 90’s, Nicholas has toured with trumpet master Clark Terry, pianist Marcus Roberts (1992), the all star package Jazz Futures II (1993) and Elvin Jones (1994). He has also been featured at the Jazz at the Lincoln Center program, playing the works of the classic masters like Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Count Basie or Duke Ellington. Nicholas has also toured Europe in 1999 as part of the JATP Revisited package. The year 2000 was chosen to celebrate Louis Armstrong’s 100 birthday: Nicholas wrote a complete set of new arrangements of tunes associated with Pops for a 13-piece orchestra, which he called Louis Armstrong Centennial Project. The Orchestra toured Europe in July of 2000.
Payton’s first album as a leader, From this Moment, appeared in 1995. His next recording, Gumbo Nouveau (1996), featured the classic compositions of New Orleans Jazz of the twenties and thirties seen from the scope of a contemporary Jazzman. 1996 also saw Nicholas debut as an actor, performing in the celebrated Robert Altman movie Kansas City. In 1997, Nicholas recorded with veteran trumpet player Doc Cheatham before the great gentleman passed away: Doc and Nicholas obtained a Grammy award and the CD documents the wonderful musical relationship between two generations of Jazzmen … 70 years apart! He released three more CDs for Verve: Payton’s Place in 1998, Nick@night in early 2000, and the last, Dear Louis (his big band project devoted to the music of Louis Armstrong), published in 2001. In 2003 he signed with Warner Brothers and released Sonic Trance, his last offering as a leader so far.Besides the releases under his own name, Payton has also recorded with Wynton Marsalis, Dr. Michael White, Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove, Doc Cheatham and Joe Henderson.