George Walker "Big Nick" Nicholas (August 2, 1922 – October 29, 1997) was an American jazz saxophonist and singer.
Career Nicholas started playing with Hank and Thad Jones, Earl Hines, and Tiny Bradshaw before joining the U.S. army, and, on being discharged in the late 1940s, he worked with bands led by Sabby Lewis, J. C. Heard, and Lucky Millinder. He went on to play with Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Charles Mingus.
Nicholas contributed the 16-bar solo to Dizzy Gillespie's classic Afro-Cuban jazz piece "Manteca" (1947). At that time, he also began playing with Hot Lips Page, a working relationship that continued until 1954. He joined Buck Clayton in 1955.
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 album Duke Ellington & John Coltrane.
Nicholas lived for a few years in Charlottesville, Virginia, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, before returning to New York. In the 1980s, he released two albums under his own name, "Big and Warm" (1983), and "Big Nick" (1985), both on the India Navigation label.
Nicholas died of heart failure on October, 29, 1997, at the age of 75.
Discography As leader 1983: Big and Warm (India Navigation) 1985: Big Nick (India Navigation)
As sideman 1951: Trombone by Three, Bennie Green 1952: In Paris, Dizzy Gillespie 1952: Modern Jazz Trombone Series Vol. 2, J. J. Johnson 1956: Jazz Spectacular, Buck Clayton 1956: Trombone by Three, Bennie Green / J. J. Johnson / Kai Winding 2001: 1946–1950, Hot Lips Page 2001: Manteca, Dizzy Gillespie 2002: Bebop Professor, Dizzy Gillespie 2002: Go Ahead and Blow, Bennie Green 2003: 1944–1950: It's Magic, Sarah Vaughan 2005: Memories of You, Illinois Jacquet
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