Nicholas Payton

Performing with Georgia Heers – February 15, 2026 at 10:00 PM | Main Stage

A native of New Orleans, Nicholas Payton is a visionary trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader whose career blends deep jazz tradition with bold innovation. Born into a musical family (his father Walter Payton a bassist/trumpet band veteran), Payton started playing trumpet at an extremely young age and was immersed in the rich tradition of New Orleans brass-band and jazz culture early on.

His breakthrough as a leader came when he released his debut album, From This Moment, in 1995. Two years later, he won his first Grammy Award for “Best Instrumental Solo” for his performance on Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton (1997).

Payton has consistently pushed jazz’s boundaries—not only through his own recordings and performances, but through his concept of #BAM (Black American Music), which reframes jazz within a broader African-American cultural lineage.

His work spans agile hard-bop solos, rich compositions, jazz-influenced orchestral works, and explorations of groove, R&B, and traditional New Orleans roots. Don’t miss Nicholas Payton on February 15 where his collaboration with Georgia Heers promises an unforgettable evening of expressive interplay, sonic depth and cultural resonance.