"Big Nick" Nicholas

Who was "Big Nick" Nicholas?

George Walker "Big Nick" Nicholas was a New York-based American jazz saxophonist and vocalist.

Strongly influenced by his hero, Coleman Hawkins, Nicholas in turn influenced a young John Coltrane to compose his tribute "Big Nick", included on the 1962 albums Duke Ellington & John Coltrane and Coltrane.

Similarly, Nicholas contributed the 16-bar solo to Dizzy Gillespie's classic African-Cuban jazz piece "Manteca". At that time he also started playing with Hot Lips Page, a working relationship that continued until 1954. He joined Buck Clayton in 1955.

Nicholas started playing with Hank and Thad Jones, Earl Hines and Tiny Bradshaw before going into the army, and on being discharged in the late 1940s he worked with bands led by Sabby Lewis, J. C. Heard, and Lucky Millinder. He would also go on to play with Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Charlie Parker and Charlie Mingus.

Nicholas died of heart failure in October 1997, aged 75.