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Clovis Nicolas
After having established himself as a first-call bass player on the European scene (performances with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Brad Mehldau, Michel Legrand,..), jazz bassist Clovis Nicolas moved from France to New York in 2002. Since then, he has shared the stage in numerous venues (Jazz Standard, Smalls Jazz Club, Blue Note, 55 Bar, Kennedy Center, Smoke, Jazz Gallery, Birdland, Alice Tully Hall, Dizzy’s Club...) with some of today's most prominent jazz musicians, such as Jeremy Pelt, Grant Stewart, Harry Allen, Branford Marsalis, Curtis Fuller, Benny Powell, James Williams, Peter Bernstein, Joe Magnarelli, Marcus Gilmore, Sachal Vasandani, Eric Alexander, Carl Allen, Greg Hutchinson, and Dan Nimmer.
He is featured on more than 50 critically acclaimed recordings, including Bruce Harris' “Beginnings”; Behn Gillece's “Walk of Fire” (with saxophonist Walt Weiskopf); Belmondo’s “Hymne au Soleil” which won three Jazz Grammy Awards and sold more than 20,000 copies; pianist Laurent Courthaliac ‘s “Pannonica” and “All My Life” (Album of the Year 2016 by the French Jazz Academy), Samora Pinderhughes' ”Transformations Suite” (Jazz Album of the year on Apple Music).
In addition to those Clovis Nicolas recorded his own music under his name for Sunnyside Records, “Nine Stories” in 2014 selected in the Best Albums of the Year by Downbeat Magazine; “Freedom Suite Ensuite” in 2018 with drummer Kenny Washington; the latest "Autoportrait", a solo bass album that earned him a CHOC (highest distinction) in Jazz Magazine.
Clovis graduated from the prestigious Juilliard School with a Bachelor and a Master of Music and has been touring extensively for performances and master classes in South and North America through the school’s educational outreach program with Frank Kimbrough, Carl Allen, Rodney Jones, Donald Vega. Clovis was also featured in a Ron Carter concert tribute in Alice Tully Hall, performing with such guests as Herbie Hancock, Hubert Laws, Russell Malone, Mulgrew Miller, Lewis Nash, Benny Golson and Buster Williams.
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Joe Magnarelli: Decidedly so
by David A. Orthmann
The front-line alliance of trumpeter Joe Magnarelli and trombonist Steve Davis is one of the distinguishing features of Decidedly So, Magnarelli's 2026 release in an impressive string of releases as a leader. Magnarelli and Davis interact in ways that reflect decades of experience in playing modern, straight-ahead jazz. The two brass instruments work together and respond to one another during eight tracks that include Latin-tinged hard bop, moderate and up-tempo swingers, a couple of ballads, and a brisk blues. Their ...
Continue ReadingClovis Nicolas: Blues in Blueprint: 12 Variations on the Blues
by Kyle Simpler
The blues has long functioned as something equivalent to comfort food in jazz, a familiar form that musicians return to again and again. On Blues in Blueprint: 12 Variations on the Blues, bassist Clovis Nicolas embraces that tradition while subtly reframing it. Rather than treating the blues as a fixed structure, Nicolas approaches it as a living foundation, exploring the many ways it continues to shape jazz across styles and eras. Born in the Ivory Coast and raised in ...
Continue ReadingJoe Magnarelli: Decidedly so
by Jack Bowers
Trumpeter Joe Magnarelli has been a bright light on the New York-area jazz scene for four decades, since arriving in the city in 1986 from his native jny: Syracuse, NY. On Decidedly So, his eighteenth recording and third for Cellar Music, Magnarelli ushers a top-drawer quintet through its paces in a pleasing session that encompasses a trio of standards and five original compositions, including four of his own. The only fresh theme not written by Magnarelli is the ...
Continue ReadingJoe Magnarelli: Decidedly so
by Pierre Giroux
Joe Magnarelli's Decidedly So strongly reaffirms the enduring virtues of straight-ahead jazz, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, where these qualities have long been valued. Brought to life in March 2025 before a small but attentive audience, the session benefits from a rare blend of relaxed confidence and deliberate swing that can only come from musicians who know exactly who they are and what they cherish. Joined by trombonist Steve Davis and a top-tier rhythm section ...
Continue ReadingStefan Sirbu: Reverie
by Dan McClenaghan
The art of daydreaming is the birthplace of creativity. Moldavian-born pianist Stefan Sirbu delves into that state of receptive awareness with his album Reverie. The seven tunes presented here total up to a bit under 40 minutes. Sirbu says his goal was: “To produce a record that one could listen to during a short commute home, to drift away for the time of a twilight bus ride or a peaceful stroll through a city at dusk." This may seem a ...
Continue ReadingDmitry Baevsky: Kids' Time
by David A. Orthmann
Dmitry Baevsky is a jazzman in his middle years, a period when many players consolidate youthful influences and put their stamp on the rarefied practices of the mid- to-late 20th century. The alto saxophonist has recorded for several labels, and travels widely as a leader and sideman; to his credit, he continues to give the impression of a work in progress. While Baevsky seldom strays very far from a specific set of stylistic parameters, namely bebop, he does not coast, ...
Continue ReadingUptown Jazz Tentet: What's Next
by Jack Bowers
A tentet is a rather strange bird; too large to be labeled a small group, yet too small to be counted as a big band, it resides somewhere near the edges, mapping out its own musical profile. Some may rate that an asset, while others may deem it a mere hybrid, unworthy of their consideration. Wiser auditors, however, most often reserve judgment, preferring to take an impartial stance and allow the music to speak for itself. And that is where ...
Continue Reading"One of only a handful of bassists cutting any new or worthwhile ground in modern jazz" - Bop'N'Jazz “A formidable walker with a big, resonant tone, Nicolas also distinguishes himself as a first-rate composer" - DownBeat “One of our actual bass heroes” - Telerama "A very, very good bass sound" - Ron Carter
Primary Instrument
Bass
Location
New York City
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
I have a Bachelor and a Masters degree from Juilliard School, having studied under Ron Carter for bass and Kendall Briggs for composition. I have performed extensively over the past 20 years, recorded many albums, studied privately with Peter Washington, Bob Hurst, Barry Harris, Ben Street. I have taught many masterclasses in France, USA, Colombia with the Juilliard Fellowship Program as well as private students all over the world. Please contact me for more informations, rates, etc.
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Clovis Nicolas
Location: New York City
Instrument: Bass
