Stuart Nicholson (born 8 January 1948) [1] is a British jazz historian, biographer, music critic, journalist, and academic. A recognized expert on the history of jazz, he has penned several books on jazz history and several biographies on jazz luminaries, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Duke Ellington. The author of numerous articles on jazz in newspapers, magazines and academic publications, he has taught as a visiting professor on the faculty of the Leeds College of Music and as a guest lecturer at multiple institutions internationally.
Born in Cardiff, Wales, Stuart Nicholson earned degrees in music theory and clarinet performance from the Welsh College of Music and Drama where he studied from 1967-1971. He has written biographies on Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Duke Ellington, and has published articles on jazz related topics in multiple journals and newspapers; including The Observer , The Western Mail , Gramophone , Jazzwise , Jazz Times , and The Wire among others. He has also written broad survey books on jazz and jazz-rock, is a contributing author to The Cambridge Companion to Jazz (2003, Cambridge University Press), and has chronicled the development of jazz fusion in Europe in the 21st century. [1]
Nicholson is a former faculty member of the Leeds College of Music where he worked as a visiting professor. In 2009 he was the keynote speaker of the Jazz Platform at the conference of the European Association of Conservatoires held at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He has also appeared as a guest lecturer or as a keynote speaker at music conferences at a variety of institutions, including the Leeds Conservatoire, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, the Welsh College of Music and Drama, the MaiJazz Festival in Norway, and the National Jazz Archive in Essex, England among others. [1]
Ella Jane Fitzgerald was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing.
Billie Holiday was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. She was known for her vocal delivery and improvisational skills.
William Henry "Chick" Webb was an American jazz and swing music drummer and band leader.
Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert is a live album by Ella Fitzgerald, with a jazz trio led by Lou Levy, and also featuring the Oscar Peterson trio. Recorded in 1958, it was released thirty years later.
Ella Fitzgerald at the Newport Jazz Festival: Live at Carnegie Hall is a 1973 live album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by a reconstructed Chick Webb Band, the pianist Ellis Larkins, and for the second half of the album, the Tommy Flanagan Quartet.
"Do Nothing till You Hear from Me" is a song with music by Duke Ellington and lyrics by Bob Russell. It originated as a 1940 instrumental that was designed to highlight the playing of Ellington's lead trumpeter, Cootie Williams. Russell's words were added later. In 1944, Ellington's own recording of the song was a number one hit R&B chart for eight non-consecutive weeks and number six on the pop chart.
Fine and Mellow is an album by Ella Fitzgerald, recorded in early 1974 but not released until 1979. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 1980, Fitzgerald's second win in four years.
Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport is a 1958 live album by Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, recorded at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival.
Robert Sherwood Haggart was an American dixieland jazz double bass player, composer, and arranger. Although he is associated with dixieland, he was one of the finest rhythm bassists of the Swing Era.
Herman Leonard was an American photographer known for his unique images of jazz icons.
Roger "Ram" Ramirez was a Puerto Rican jazz pianist and composer. He was a co-composer of the song "Lover Man "
James Bryant Woode was an American jazz bassist. He played and/or recorded in bands with Flip Phillips, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins, Nat Pierce, Sidney Bechet, Billie Holiday, Jaki Byard, Earl Hines, Jimmy Witherspoon, Clark Terry and Miles Davis.
"I Got It Bad " is a pop and jazz standard with music by Duke Ellington and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster published in 1941. It was introduced in the musical revue Jump for Joy by Ivie Anderson, who also provided the vocals for Duke Ellington and His Orchestra on the single Victor 27531. Recordings to reach the Billboard charts in 1941/42 were by Duke Ellington (#13) and by Benny Goodman (#25).
Irene Higginbotham was an American songwriter and concert pianist. She is best known for co-writing the Billie Holiday song "Good Morning Heartache" (1946).
Alvin Stoller was an American jazz drummer. Though he seems to have been largely forgotten, he was held in high regard in the 1940s and 1950s. He was best known for playing drums on both Mitch Miller's recording of "The Yellow Rose of Texas" and Stan Freberg's parody of Miller's recording.
"(In My) Solitude" is a 1934 composition by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Eddie DeLange and Irving Mills. It has been recorded numerous times and is considered a jazz standard.
Herbie Jones was an American jazz trumpeter and arranger.
Jazz at the Philharmonic – Yoyogi National Stadium, Tokyo 1983: Return to Happiness is a live album that was released in 1983. The album includes Louie Bellson, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Ella Fitzgerald, Al Grey, J. J. Johnson, Joe Pass, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Oscar Peterson, Zoot Sims, and Clark Terry.
"Please Don't Do It in Here" is a jazz song written by singer Billie Holiday, and composer Buster Harding and published by E.B. Marks. This is one of seven songs written by or co-written by Holiday that she never recorded. The song was finally recorded by Laurie Krauz for her cd "Catch Me If You Can," released in 2001.