Nicholas Payton

Hailing from New Orleans, Nicholas Payton distinguishes himself as a trumpeter, keyboardist, and vocalist whose approach draws deeply from acoustic post-bop yet repeatedly ventures outside jazz conventions. Recognized early as a prodigy, he drew notice in the 1990s through tours alongside Elvin Jones and Marcus Roberts, then issued From This Moment in 1995 and Gumbo Nouveau the following year. Broader recognition followed his appearances on the soundtrack for Robert Altman’s Kansas City, a Grammy win for the 1997 joint project with veteran trumpeter Doc Cheatham, and the 2001 Louis Armstrong tribute Dear Louis. From the electronica- and fusion-tinged Sonic Trance onward in 2003, he expanded his range, later advancing the concept of Black American Music or BAM on Bitches in 2011, Numbers in 2014, and the 2017 Afro-Caribbean Mixtape, each work blending hip-hop, funk, and R&B elements while challenging contemporary jazz limits. Although trumpet remains central, he foregrounds piano on the 2019 release Relaxin’ with Nick and the 2021 Smoke Sessions.

Born in New Orleans in 1974, Payton is the son of bassist Walter Payton, a fixture on the Crescent City jazz circuit, and a mother who also performed on piano. At roughly age four he requested a trumpet, soon joining his father at local club dates where he absorbed performances by numerous accomplished players. A pivotal encounter at age ten with a Miles Davis quartet album from his parents’ collection sparked deeper commitment; he began appearing publicly at jazz funerals, weddings, bar mitzvahs, and even busking for tips. He attended the High School for the Creative Arts, studying under Clyde Kerr, Jr., then briefly worked with pianist Ellis Marsalis at the University of New Orleans, though an opportunity to tour with drummer Elvin Jones interrupted those studies. Earlier, shorter road engagements had included Marcus Roberts and other musicians. Over time he has collaborated on record and in performance with Wynton Marsalis, Dr. Michael White, Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove, Doc Cheatham, and Joe Henderson, among others.

Launching his solo discography on Verve, Payton released From This Moment in 1994 and Gumbo Nouveau in 1995. Additional visibility came via Robert Altman’s Kansas City, where he performed both on screen alongside fellow jazz musicians and on the accompanying soundtrack. In 1997 he earned a Grammy for his contributions to the collaborative Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton, and that same year joined Christian McBride and Mark Whitfield on Fingerpainting: The Music of Herbie Hancock. He closed his Verve tenure with Payton’s Place in 1998, Nick@Night in 1999, and the Armstrong homage Dear Louis in 2001. Signing with Warner Bros., he shifted sonic direction on the 1970s fusion-oriented Sonic Trance in 2003, though an automobile accident temporarily halted momentum. Recovery yielded Mysterious Shorter for Chesky in 2006 and Into the Blue for Nonesuch in 2008, both exploring straight-ahead jazz, post-bop, funk, and R&B-inflected textures. The ambitious 2011 concept album Bitches chronicled the arc of a romantic relationship; Payton composed, arranged, and produced all sixteen tracks, supplied lyrics, performed every instrument, sang, and played trumpet, with guest vocalists Cassandra Wilson, Esperanza Spalding, N’Dambi, ChinahBlac, and Saunders Sermons. From 2011 to 2013 he served as Distinguished Artist and Visiting Lecturer at Tulane University while issuing self-released projects on his BMF imprint, including the live #BAM: Live at Bohemian Caverns and a concert recreation of Sketches of Spain with Simphonie Orchester Basel. Two keyboard-focused instrumental sets, Numbers in 2014 and Letters in 2015, followed. The 2016 Egyptian Second Line returned to full-band format with hip-hop and spoken-word inflections, and Afro-Caribbean Mixtape arrived in 2017 as another inventive fusion of hip-hop and global rhythms. Enja’s 2018 Heritage Collections reissue of the 1992 Elvin Jones album Youngblood highlighted the teenage Payton’s already mature command alongside Jones, Javon Jackson, Joshua Redman, and George Mraz. Relaxin’ with Nick captured a 2019 live date at New York’s Smoke Jazz & Supper Club with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, while the 2021 Smoke Sessions again documented the same venue, this time uniting Payton with Miles Davis alumni bassist Ron Carter and saxophonist George Coleman.