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Nicholas Payton is a Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist known for his significant contributions to jazz and jazz fusion, as well as his roles as a composer, producer, and arranger.
Butcher Brown collaborated with trumpeter and writer Nicholas Payton for 'Montrose Forest'.
After a stint with legendary drummer Elvin Jones, Payton inked a deal with Verve at the age of twenty and went on to release seven discs for the label.
Leading his XXX trio at New York's Iridium in early August, Payton continued his now common practice of playing trumpet and Fender Rhodes, often simultaneously.
Trumpeter Payton and vocalist Aimée join forces in Brattleboro at the Vermont Jazz Center for a duo collaboration.
Nicholas Payton & Eric Benny Bloom trade on trumpet, dueling rather gloriously, at a late-night PYTHON set at @dba_neworleans on Thurs 4/24/25.
Collaboration with Doc Cheatham, the legendary trumpeter, entitled Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton (1997, Verve). Nicholas now records for his own imprint.
Nicholas Payton was born on September 26, 1973, in New Orleans, Louisiana, into a musical family; his father, Walter Payton, was a renowned bassist and sousaphonist, and his mother played piano. Payton began playing the trumpet at the age of four, and by nine, he was performing with the Young Tuxedo Brass Band alongside his father. His professional career commenced at age ten as a member of James Andrews’ All-Star Brass, securing his first steady engagement with guitarist Danny Barker at The Famous Door on Bourbon Street. He further developed his musical education at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and the University of New Orleans. Payton’s early career was marked by extensive touring with notable musicians like Marcus Roberts and Elvin Jones in the early 1990s, which solidified his presence in the jazz scene.
In 1995, Payton signed with Verve Records, releasing his debut album, “From This Moment.” A significant milestone occurred in 1997 when he received a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Solo for his performance on the collaborative album “Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton.” Following seven albums with Verve, he transitioned to Warner Bros. Records, releasing “Sonic Trance” in 2003. His career demonstrates continuous exploration across various musical landscapes, encompassing diverse collaborations and original projects. Payton’s commitment to music extended to teaching, as evidenced by his appointment as chair of the Brass Department at Berklee College of Music in 2024, a position he subsequently departed from in 2025.
Throughout his career, Payton has been recognized for his technical proficiency and expansive musical vision. He became a founding member of the SFJAZZ Collective in 2004 and joined The Blue Note 7 in 2008, celebrating the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records. In 2011, he recorded and released “Bitches,” an album where he played every instrument, sang, and composed all the music, showcasing his versatility as a multi-instrumentalist. The Czech National Symphony Orchestra commissioned and debuted his first full orchestral work, “The Black American Symphony,” in 2012. The following year, he established his own record label, BMF Records, and released two albums: “#BAM Live at Bohemian Caverns” and “Sketches of Spain” with the Basel Symphony Orchestra.
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