Name Mboya Nicholson | ||
Education University of New Orleans | ||
Mboya Nicholson (born 1973), is a Toronto-based, Canadian pedagogue and pianist.
Contents
- Mboya nicholson jazz pianist
- Early life
- Career
- Playing and teaching style
- Recent activity
- Discography
- References
Mboya nicholson jazz pianist
Early life
Nicholson was born in Edmonton, Alberta, where, as a child, he studied classical piano and developed an interest in jazz music. Upon entering high school, he had already started to teach himself to play in said genre, and after graduation, began study with Charlie Austin. After studying jazz piano at Grant MacEwan Community College, Nicholson began performing at the Edmonton City Jazz Festival and presenting concerts. Starting in 1999, Nicholson began study in New Orleans at the University of New Orleans (UNO). Seven years there included studying with some of the most notable figures of New Orleans jazz of the post-war era, including pianist Ellis Marsalis, Jr. and composer/musician/producer Harold Battiste and a tour with the University orchestra that took them to Brasil.
Career
Focused studies afforded Nicholson to book performances in many places including, Guadeloupe, Austria and Japan. He went on to earn his Masters degree and share the stage with some of the jazz world's luminaries, including saxophonists Sonny Fortune and Wes Anderson, drummers Herlin Riley and Jason Marsalis and trumpeters Jeremy Davenport and Wendell Brunious and Victor Goines. He has also performed for the Ambassador to the Vatican, and the Consul General of the Netherlands. In 1998, he was chosen to perform solo for trumpet great Wynton Marsalis.
Playing and teaching style
His education in New Orleans and its jazz community affected his improvisational style and compositions, resulting in a buoyant sound and colorful harmonic use. Nicholson is also aware of the importance of exposing jazz to young audiences. His tribute concerts to legendary musicians like Sidney Bechet, Fats Waller and Paul Robeson are examples of this. In Canada, the Francis Winspear Centre for Music requested he perform a jazz workshop for children at their grand opening gala.
Recent activity
Nicholson is currently composing and preparing another album of music and writing arrangements for the ArsMusica Players Session Orchestra, directed by Colin Mendez-Morris.