“ … altogether classy” – Humphrey Lyttelton, BBC Radio 2 Best of Jazz
“Nik Payton is exceptional” – Jazz Journal International
Nik Payton is an accomplished English jazz saxophonist and clarinetist known for his warm tone, stylistic versatility, and deep roots in the classic jazz tradition. Born in Birmingham, he began studying music early, and at fifteen became one of the rare students of the renowned American saxophonist Bob Wilber, protégé of Sidney Bechet. A year later, he toured the United States with Wilber, both as a musician and an ‘on-the-road’ librarian for Bob; an experience that helped shape his lifelong dedication to music.
A founding member of The Charleston Chasers, Nik graduated with Honours from the Leeds College of Music. His early career included extensive European touring with leading European ensembles, including The Charleston Chasers, The Pasadena Roof Orchestra and the Chris Barber Big Band, and an appearance at the Royal Festival Hall with the International Jazz Orchestra. He was later invited to tour the UK with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, then under the direction of Paul Mercer Ellington.
In 2007, Nik joined an all-star Brazilian Jazz Orchestra for a special performance with Maria Schneider at the Tudo é Jazz Festival in Ouro Preto. DownBeat praised the ensemble, noting that Schneider’s Brazilian lineup delivered readings “as good as any Yankee lineup ever did.”
Nik Payton has performed across Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, the U.S., and South America. Appearing at many of the world’s leading jazz festivals, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz, Pori Jazz, Edinburgh Jazz Festival, Tudo é Jazz, and the Savassi Jazz Festival, Nik has performed with an exceptional roster of artists, including Wynton Marsalis, Maria Schneider, Darcy James Argue, Dick Hyman, Bob Wilber, Kenny Davern, and Brazilian guitar virtuoso Nelson Faria.
He has recorded extensively, contributed to film soundtracks, and served as Artistic Director of Jazz Festival Brasil from 2009–2015. Nik’s contributions to the field have earned him a place in The International Who’s Who of Popular Music, and his work continues to affirm his place as a dynamic voice in international jazz.