Big Nick Nicholas

George Walker "Big Nick" Nicholas ( born August 2, 1922 in Lansing, Michigan, † October 29, 1997 in Queens, New York ) was an American jazz saxophonist ( tenor and alto saxophone) and singer.

Life

Big Nick Nicholas worked in the 1940s with Sabby Lewis, JC Heard and Lucky Millinder; In 1947 he was a member of the big band of Dizzy Gillespie. Nicholas wore a 16- bar solo guitar at the initial reception of Gillespie's Afro-Cuban Jazz entitled " Manteca " in (1947). During this time he also began to work with Hot Lips Page, which lasted until 1954. In 1955 he played in the band of Buck Clayton. He also worked with Hank and Thad Jones, Earl Hines and Tiny Bradshaw.

In 1951, he played in septet trombonist Bennie Green and joined together with Miles Davis, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Billy Taylor, Charlie Mingus and Art Blakey on the New York Birdland.

1983 Big Nick Nicholas finally released his first album under his own name on the label India Navigation, Big Nick Nicholas / Big and warm.

"Big Nick" Nicholas was stylistically influenced by Coleman Hawkins, Nicholas himself had influence on young John Coltrane, in honor of the title "Big Nick" wrote him that he recorded for the Impulse albums Duke Ellington & John Coltrane and Coltrane.