Nicholas Payton was born on September 26, 1973. He is an American musician who plays the trumpet and many other musical instruments. He has won a Grammy Award and is from New Orleans, Louisiana. In addition to his music career, he is a writer who discusses topics such as music, race, politics, and life in America.

Biography

Nicholas Payton is the son of Walter Payton, a bassist and sousaphonist. He began playing the trumpet at age four and by nine years old was performing with the Young Tuxedo Brass Band alongside his father. At ten years old, he started his professional career as a member of James Andrews' All-Star Brass. His first regular job was given to him by guitarist Danny Barker at The Famous Door on Bourbon Street. He later enrolled at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and then at the University of New Orleans.

In the early 1990s, Payton toured with musicians Marcus Roberts and Elvin Jones. He signed a contract with Verve Records, and his first album, From This Moment, was released in 1995. In 1996, he performed on the soundtrack for the movie Kansas City. In 1997, he won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Solo for his work on the album Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton.

After releasing seven albums with Verve Records, Payton signed with Warner Bros. Records. His first album with the new label, Sonic Trance, was released in 2003. In addition to his own recordings, he has collaborated with artists such as Trey Anastasio, Ray Brown, Ray Charles, Daniel Lanois, Dr. John, Stanley Jordan, Herbie Hancock, Roy Haynes, Zigaboo Modeliste, Marcus Roberts, Jill Scott, Clark Terry, Allen Toussaint, Nancy Wilson, Dr. Michael White, and Joe Henderson.

In 2004, he became a founding member of the SFJAZZ Collective. In 2008, he joined The Blue Note 7, a group of seven musicians formed to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records. In 2011, he created a 21-member big band called the Television Studio Orchestra. That same year, he recorded and released Bitches, a love story in which he played every instrument, sang, and wrote all the music. In 2012, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra commissioned and performed his first full orchestral work, The Black American Symphony. In 2013, he formed his own record label, BMF Records, and released two albums: #BAM Live at Bohemian Caverns, where he played both trumpet and Fender Rhodes simultaneously, and Sketches of Spain, recorded with the Basel Symphony Orchestra in Switzerland.

In 2024, Payton was named chair of the Brass Department at Berklee College of Music.

In 2025, renewed public discussion focused on past statements made by Nicholas Payton, some from 2010, which critics labeled as antisemitic. Payton denied these claims, stating the statements were taken out of context and did not express antisemitic views.

Similar claims were made in 2021 during Payton’s time as a visiting artist at Berklee College of Music. Berklee reviewed the matter and allowed Payton to continue his association with the institution. He remained connected to Berklee in subsequent years and was appointed chair of the Brass Department in 2024.

In 2025, Berklee College of Music ended Payton’s role as chair after renewed public discussion about the earlier claims. Berklee did not publicly share detailed findings or a formal statement explaining the decision. Payton stated he was not given a formal review process or explanation and again denied the allegations.

Discography

• From This Moment (Verve, 1995) – recorded in 1994
• Gumbo Nouveau (Verve, 1996)
• Fingerpainting: The Music of Herbie Hancock with Christian McBride, Mark Whitfield (Verve, 1997)
• Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton with Doc Cheatham (Verve, 1997)
• Payton's Place (Verve, 1998)
• Nick@Night (Verve, 1999)
• Dear Louis (Verve, 2001) – recorded in 2000
• Sonic Trance (Warner Bros., 2003)
• Live in New York 1.24.04 with Sonic Trance (Kufala Recordings, 2004) – live performance
• Mysterious Shorter with Bob Belden, Sam Yahel, John Hart, Billy Drummond (Chesky, 2006)
• Into the Blue (Nonesuch, 2008) – recorded in 2007
• Bitches (In+Out, 2011)
• Live at 2012 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Munck Mix, 2012) – live performance
• #BAM: Live at Bohemian Caverns (BMF, 2013) – live performance, recorded in 2012
• Sketches of Spain with Sinfonieorchester Basel (BMF, 2013)
• Numbers (Paytone, 2014)
• Letters (Paytone, 2015) [2-CD]
• Textures (Paytone, 2016)
• Afro-Caribbean Mixtape (Paytone, 2017) [2-CD] – recorded in 2016
• Relaxin' with Nick (Smoke Sessions, 2019) [2-CD]
• Quarantined with Nick (Paytone, 2020)
• Maestro Rhythm King (Paytone, 2020)
• Smoke Sessions (Smoke Sessions, 2021)
• The Couch Sessions (Smoke Sessions, 2022)
• New Standards, Vol. 1 with Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh, Matthew Stevens (Candid, 2022)
• Drip (Paytone, 2023)
• Triune with Esperanza Spalding, Karriem Riggins (Smoke Sessions, 2025)

New Orleans Collective with Wessell Anderson, Christopher Thomas, Peter Martin, and Brian Blade
• New Orleans Collective (Paddle Wheel, 1993)

SFJAZZ Collective (2004–2006)
• SFJazz Collective (Nonesuch, 2005)
• SFJazz Collective 2 (Nonesuch, 2006)

The Blue Note 7 (2008–2009)
• Mosaic: A Celebration of Blue Note Records (Blue Note, 2009)

• Youngblood (Enja, 1992)
• Going Home (Enja, 1993) – recorded in 1992
• It Don't Mean a Thing (Enja, 1994) – recorded in 1993

• St. Louis Shoes (Blue Note, 2003)
• Public (Blue Note, 2004)

• Damn! (Verve, 1995)
• Angel Eyes: Ballads & Slow Jams (Verve, 1996) – recorded in 1995

• Eric Alexander, Summit Meeting (Milestone, 2002)
• Joanne Brackeen, Pink Elephant Magic (Arkadia Jazz, 1999)
• Bill Charlap, Plays George Gershwin: The American Soul (Blue Note, 2005)
• Common, Electric Circus (MCA, 2002)
• The Headhunters, Evolution Revolution (Basin Street, 2003)
• Joe Henderson, Big Band (Verve, 1997)
• Doc Houlind, New Orleans Sessions (Music Mecca, 1995)
• Dr. John, N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'Udda (Blue Note, 2004)
• Abbey Lincoln, Wholly Earth (Verve/Gitanes Jazz, 1999)
• Joshua Redman, Where Are We (Blue Note, 2023)
• Eric Reed, Musicale (Impulse!/GRP, 1996)
• Yu Sakai [ja], Touch the World (Newborder Recordings, 2020) – in track "Hōzuki (鬼灯) Physalis alkekengi"
• Allen Toussaint, The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch, 2009)