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About Big Nick Nicholas

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Musician

Tenor saxophonist Big Nick Nicholas was active for more than 50 years without ever receiving consistent recognition or material rewards commensurate with his contribution to early modern jazz. He is usually remembered as the caloric soloist who improvised for 16 bars on Dizzy Gillespie's 1947 recording of "Manteca"; as the honoree of a warmly whimsical portrait recorded by John Coltrane with Duke Ellington in 1962, and as a weathered veteran who enjoyed a brief comeback during the 1980s. George Walker Nicholas was born in Lansing, MI on August 2, 1922 and studied clarinet, saxophone, and piano during the years 1933-1939

Article: Interview

Fred Hersch: The Touch of Genius

by Ken Dryden
April 17, 2026

The sound of Fred Hersch at the piano is so distinctive, a couple of bars is usually enough to identify him. The mainly self-taught Cincinnati native excelled early, playing jazz in his home town before leaving to study with pianist Jaki Byard at the New England Conservatory of Music. From there, Fred moved to New York ...

Article: Profile

The Early Years of Sonny Stitt in Saginaw, Michigan

by Dustin Mallory
January 4, 2017

As one of most recorded saxophonists of his generation, Sonny Stitt made more than 100 albums under his own name. He also performed as a sideman with the likes of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Art Blakey. Despite the breadth of recorded work he left behind, Sonny Stitt's upbringing in Saginaw, Michigan is less well-documented. The ...

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News: Recording

IN Music Co. Releases "Bigger Than Ever" by Big Nick Nicholas

June 23, 2011

enor legend Big Nick Nicholas, with his distinctive style, made his mark early among the leading innovators of the jazz illuminati during the explosive era of Swing and Bebop. Although his featured solo on Dizzy Gillespie's “Manteca" in 1947 remains a hallmark in the evolution of jazz, Big Nick's work with leaders like Hot Lips Page, ...

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News: Performance / Tour

Jazz Bridge Presents Vibraphonist Randy Sutin at the Collingswood Community Center on May 5th

April 19, 2011

To close out the 2010/2011 Jazz Bridge Neighborhood Concerts Series in Collingswood, vibraphonist and composer Randy Sutin will be appearing at the Collingswood Community Center, 30 E. Collings Ave, in Collingswood, NJ, on May 5th with percussionist Gabriel Globus-Hoenich, guitarist Dan Hanrahan, and bassist Justin Sekelewski. Vibes player Randy Sutin was born in Great Falls, Montana, ...

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