Reginald "Reggie" Nicholson (born July 17, 1957) is an American
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...
drummer.
Nicholson took a bachelor's degree in percussion performance at
Chicago State University
Chicago State University (CSU) is a predominantly black public university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1867 as the Cook County Normal School, it was an innovative teachers college. Eventually the Chicago Public Schools assumed control o ...
and became a member of the
Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians in 1979, working early in his career with
Ed Wilkerson
Edward L. Wilkerson Jr. (born July 27, 1953 in Terre Haute, Indiana) is an internationally recognized American jazz composer, arranger, musician, and educator based in Chicago. As founder and director of the cutting-edge octet 8 Bold Souls, an ...
. In the 1980s he played with
Amina Claudine Myers,
Henry Threadgill, and
Ernest Dawkins; he relocated to New York City in 1988 but continued his associations with Threadgill and Dawkins there. For much of the 1990s he worked with
Myra Melford
Myra Melford (born January 5, 1957) is an American avant-garde jazz pianist and composer. A 2013 Guggenheim Fellow, Melford was described by the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' as an "explosive player, a virtuoso who shocks and soothes, and who can ...
, and also worked in that decade with
Muhal Richard Abrams,
Michael Marcus,
Roy Campbell,
Wilber Morris,
Don Pullen,
Billy Bang
Billy Bang (September 20, 1947 – April 11, 2011), born William Vincent Walker, was an American free jazz violinist and composer.
Biography
Bang's family moved to New York City's Bronx neighborhood while he was still an infant, and as a ...
,
Charles Gayle
Charles Gayle (born February 28, 1939) is an American free jazz musician. Initially known as a saxophonist who came to prominence in the 1990s after decades of obscurity, Gayle also performs as pianist, bass clarinetist, bassist, and percussio ...
,
Leroy Jenkins,
Thomas Chapin,
Reuben Wilson
Reuben Wilson (born April 9, 1935) is a jazz organist. He performs soul jazz and acid jazz, and is best known for his title track "Got to Get Your Own".
He was born in Mounds, Oklahoma and his family moved to Pasadena when he was 5.
He played in ...
, and
Jim Nolet.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
*''...You See What We're Sayin'?'' (CIMP, 1999) BMN Trio: with
Thomas Borgmann and
Wilber Morris
*''Drum String Thing'' (CIMP, 2000) with Wilber Morris
*''Unnecessary Noise Allowed'' (Abstract, 1997) as The Reggie Nicholson Concept
*''Timbre Suite'' (Abstract Recordings, 2008) with Percussion Concept
*''Live at Tunnel'' (Qbico, 2009) BMN Trio with Thomas Borgmann and Wilber Morris
*''Nasty & Sweet'' (NoBusiness, 2013) with Thomas Borgmann and Wilber Morris
As sideman
With
Muhal Richard Abrams
*''
Family Talk
''Family Talk'' is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1993 and features performances of six of Abrams compositions by Abrams, Jack Walrath, Patience Higgins, Brad Jones, Warren Smith and Reggie Nicho ...
'' (Black Saint, 1993)
*''
Think All, Focus One'' (Black Saint, 1994
995
*''
Song for All'' (Black Saint, 1995
997
*''
One Line, Two Views
''One Line, Two Views'' is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams which was released on the New World label in 1995 and features performances of seven of Abrams' compositions by Abrams, Eddie Allen, Patience Higgins, Marty Ehrlich, Bryan Carrott, Mar ...
'' (New World, 1995)
With
Anthony Braxton
*''Trillium R'' (Braxton House, 1999)
With
Roy Campbell
*''
La Tierra del Fuego
''La Tierra del Fuego'' is the second album by American jazz trumpeter Roy Campbell, recorded in 1993 and released on the Delmark label.
Music
The album reflects Roy's interest in World music. "I wanted more of a Latin and Third World sound t ...
'' (Delmark, 1994)
*''
Communion'' (Silkheart, 1995)
With
Thomas Chapin
*''
You Don't Know Me'' (Arabesque, 1995)
*''Never Let Me Go: Quartets '95 & '96'' (Playscape, 2012)
With Yuko Fujiyama
*''Re-entry'' (CIMP, 2001)
With
Charles Gayle
Charles Gayle (born February 28, 1939) is an American free jazz musician. Initially known as a saxophonist who came to prominence in the 1990s after decades of obscurity, Gayle also performs as pianist, bass clarinetist, bassist, and percussio ...
*''Always Born'' (Silkheart, 1988)
With
Lindsey Horner
*''Never No More'' (Open Minds, 1991)
With
Leroy Jenkins
*''
Leroy Jenkins Live!'' (Black Saint, 1993)
With
Myra Melford
Myra Melford (born January 5, 1957) is an American avant-garde jazz pianist and composer. A 2013 Guggenheim Fellow, Melford was described by the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' as an "explosive player, a virtuoso who shocks and soothes, and who can ...
*''Jump'' (Enemy, 1990)
*''Now & Now'' (Enemy, 1992)
*''
Alive in the House of Saints
''Alive in the House of Saints'' is a live album by pianist Myra Melford's Trio which was recorded in Germany in 1993 and released on the HatART label. '' (hat ART, 1993)
*''
Even the Sounds Shine
''Even the Sounds Shine'' is a live album by pianist Myra Melford's Extended Ensemble which was recorded in Germany in 1994 and released on the HatART label the following year. '' (hat ART, 1995)
With
Butch Morris
*''Testament: A Conduction Collection - Conduction 38: In Freud's Garden / Conduction 39: Thread Waxing Space / Conduction 40: Thread Waxing Space'' (New World, 1995)
With
Amina Claudine Myers
*''
Jumping in the Sugar Bowl
''Jumping in the Sugar Bowl'' is the fourth album by American pianist Amina Claudine Myers featuring performances recorded in 1984 for the Minor Music label.
Reception
The Allmusic review by Ron Wynn awarded the album 4 stars stating "Intense, ...
'' (Minor Music, 1984)
*''Country Girl'' (Minor Music, 1986)
*''Amina'' (RCA Novus, 1987)
*''In Touch'' (RCA Novus, 1989)
*''Women in (E)Motion'' (Tradition & Moderne, 1993)
With
Ernest Dawkins New Horizons Ensemble
*''After the Dawn Has Risen'' (Open Minds, 1992)
*''
Chicago Now Vol. 1
''Chicago Now Vol. 1'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble, recorded in 1994 and released on the Swedish Silkheart label. '' (Slikheart, 1994
995
*''
Chicago Now Vol. 2
''Chicago Now Vol. 2'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Ernest Dawkins' New Horizons Ensemble, which was recorded in 1994 and released on the Swedish Silkheart label. '' (Slikheart, 1994
997
With Shadow Vignettes
*''Birth of a Notion'' (Sessoms, 1986)
With
Malachi Thompson
Malachi Richard Thompson (August 21, 1949, Princeton, Kentucky — July 16, 2006), was an American avant-garde jazz trumpet player. In addition to his own work as a bandleader, Thompson was known for his work in the brass ensemble led by fellow tr ...
*''
Talking Horns'' (Delmark, 2001) with
Hamiet Bluiett and
Oliver Lake
With
Henry Threadgill
*''
You Know the Number'' (RCA Novus, 1986)
*''
Easily Slip Into Another World
''Easily Slip Into Another World'' is an album by saxophonist/composer Henry Threadgill, recorded for the RCA Novus label in 1987.
Recording and music
The album was recorded at Mediasound Studio, New York City, on September 20, 1987.
The album f ...
'' (RCA Novus, 1987)
*''
Rag, Bush and All'' (RCA Novus, 1989)
*''
Song Out of My Trees
''Song Out of My Trees'' is an album by Henry Threadgill released on the Black Saint label in 1994. The album features five of Threadgill's compositions performed by a variety of ensembles that include Threadgill, Ted Daniel, Brandon Ross, Jerome ...
'' (Black Saint, 1994)
With Variable Density Sound Orchestra
*''Evolving Strategies'' (Not Two, 2014)
With
Edward Wilkerson
Edward L. Wilkerson Jr. (born July 27, 1953 in Terre Haute, Indiana) is an internationally recognized American jazz composer, arranger, musician, and educator based in Chicago. As founder and director of the cutting-edge octet 8 Bold Souls, and ...
*''Light on the Path'' (Sound Aspects, 1994)
With Stefan Winter
*''Die Kleine Trompete / The Little Trumpet'' (JMT, 1986)
References
*Gary W. Kennedy, "Reggie Nicholson". ''
The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd edition, ed.
Barry Kernfeld, 2004.
American jazz drummers
Musicians from Chicago
1957 births
Living people
20th-century American drummers
American male drummers
Jazz musicians from Illinois
20th-century American male musicians
American male jazz musicians
{{jazz-musician-stub