Texas born NICKI MATHIS began singing jazz with the Jerry Sandifer Modern Jazz Trio: Bob Rutledge, Pete Morris. Bill Nelson filled Bob's vacant spot when they opened the first Pass of the North Jazz Festival in El Paso, TX featuring Dave Brubeck, Joe Morello, Eugene Wright; Chico Hamilton w/Eric Dolphy; Lambert, Hendricks & Ross; Chris Conner; Maynard Ferguson’s band w/Anne Marie Moss; emceed by Leonard Feather. Reviewer Ken Flynn heralded Nicki as “...the coolest of them all… Based in Hartford, CT Nicki’s career continued with Emery Austin Smith; Norman Gage, and her own Afrikan Amerikan Jazz. She received Billboard Certificate of Achievement for her Make Some Kind of Magic judged by Quincy Jones, Roberta Flack, et al., http://cdbaby.com/cd/nickmathis; is a New Boston Fund; International Women In Jazz, New England Foundation for the Arts Meet The Composer award recipient. It has been more than 26 years since Mathis formed her own Afrikan Amerikan Jazz band with Jim Argiro, Paul Brown, Jr. Ortiz, Emmitt Spencer, and Lenzy Wallace Jr. : http://matchbook.org/ArtistProfile1.aspx?ProfileId=741 ; 22 years since she began producing The Many Colors of a W*O*M*A*N Jazz Festival, and fifty years performing at home and abroad; she is thrilled to be working with the Bill Lowe Andy Jaffe Repertory Big Band. Watch Nicki’s Itapuã on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jKR0c0qK_w&feature=related You can watch NickiMathis'AAJazz performance w/Dawn Dumas, Jr. Ortiz, Paulette, Lynn Tracey on Better CT TV Show WFSB/CBS Ch 3: http://www.wfsb.com/video/22658807/index.html . This is another exciting year with performances celebrating Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr at Yale Peabody Museum of National History; Hartford Magazine marked Black History Month by honoring Mathis as one of the magazine’s first Black Women of Achievement Award winner’s; a Poster Mom in Hartford Stage’s Media Campaign for “Motherhood Out Loud”. Because Nicki has created such a unique platform of versatility, not only are her performances engaging and entertaining, she causes reviewers to say she is elegant, passionate, moving, artistic, educating, rapturous & solid; a Soaring Tribute to Women of Jazz.
Awards:
International 'Women In Jazz, Inc, a NYC based non-profit organization comprising influential and charismatic women and men from all strata of the professional jazz music industry, and jazz music enthusiasts from all parts of the globe presented Nick Mathis, Producer of The Many Colors of a W*O*M*A*N Jazz Concert with their Impact Award, March 25, 2001 at St. Peters Church, NYC.
Last Updated: December 10, 2010
...If the looking glass were asked, Mirror, mirror on the wall who was the coolest of them all? The answer would be Nicki Mathis... Ken Flynn, El Paso Herald Post
Sing Everyday Eric Dolphy
A silver timbered Texan. Owen Mc Nally, Courant Music critic, Hartford, CT
The annual Many Colors of a Woman jazz concert is a success in Hartford. Lots of things contribute to the makings of a great female jazz singer, beside just a great singing voice: a stylishly graceful wardrobe, a laid back (but spunky) demeanor, and a connection with the audience. Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Nina Simone, Dinah Washington and Nancy Wilson all had (have)(sic) it and so, too, does Hartford's own Nicki Mathis. Robert Cooper, The Hartford Advocate
Dear Nikki, you are a Star of Bright Dimension
Citizen Carrie S. Perry (Mayor) Hartford, CT
…I just learned that you will be playing at the upcoming WE CAN event for the CARC! I am thrilled to have you be part of this wonderful program. Thank you so much for signing on....You made our PCSW gala last November a huge success and I'm bragging about you to anyone who will listen. Thanks! Hopefully I'll see you this summer. Teresa C. Younger Executive Director Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
...and another new singer- and what a GEM! she counted off such a fast swing- I said to myself HUH? and she meant it! you knew where you wanted it Ms. Nick Mathis! Taught me somethin! Wow! your amazing! they LOVED you! I cant wait to hear more! Thank you for sharing that with us! ...
LaRe, Jazz Fever Jam, Sugar Bar NYC
Thank you for performing at the Festival's Lunch and Evening Concert Series. We appreciated having Nicki Mathis' Afrikan Amerikan Jazz on our stage to engage and entertain audiences in downtown New Haven. We are glad to know that such diverse programming is possible in our region. Thank you again, Melissa Huber, Program Manager, 12th Annual International Arts & Ideas Festival
Nick will be cool in hell, and I want to be standing right next to her. Doris Turner
Hello Queen Nicki Mathis, ...You can sing anything on the planet you want. The song that still has my head is the tribute YOU wrote and Sang to Black women. Like a prayer. I still tell people about that smack. Bad tune.
She is soooo regal, that Nicki Mathis, so regal.
Antoinette Montague
You are so amazing, go on with your bad self edquilt
Thanks for sharing these page with me!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sitting here writing up feedback and enjoyed watching BE SWEET. … and I love the expression, Come on and testify, that's definitely a keeper for me!! :)) This has to be one of your originals because it's YOU, unique, powerful say and indeed TESTIFYING… Dr G
As a Leader
Title: Make Some Kind of Magic - Ebony Woman
Record Label: OliJewel
Year Released: 1986
Tracks: Track 1; Track 2, Track 3, Track 4, Track 5, Track 6, Track 7, Track 8.
Personnel: Name: instrument
Title: Nicki Mathis' Afrikan Amerikan Jazz 1986 - 2003
Record Label: OliJewel
Year Released: 2008
Tracks: Track 1; Track 2, Track 3, Track 4, Track 5, Track 6, Track 7, Track 8, Track 9, Track 10, Track 11, Track 12, Track 13, Track 14, Track 15.
Personnel: Name: instrument
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