Herbie Nichols Project

The basis of the Herbie Nichols Project is twofold – to introduce the long-neglected music of this great American composer to musicians, audiences and record collectors; and to arrange, perform and record his work with horns – something he never was able to do in his lifetime.

Other musicians have recorded Nichols' music before – most notably Roswell Rudd and Steve Lacy – but this outgrowth of the Jazz Composers Collective has taken it one step further by creating a repertory band committed to annual performances, multiple recordings and unearthing never-recorded Herbie Nichols gems from the Library of Congress.

Co-leaders Kimbrough and Allison had little idea when they began the project what a life it would take on. Prolific media accolades poured in from the release of the first record and helped bring much-deserved attention to other Collective efforts as journalists overwhelmingly embraced the musical personalities behind the Project in addition to the Herbie Nichols repertory aspect.

Frank Kimbrough

piano

Ben Allison

bass

Ron Horton

trumpet

Michael Blake

sax

Wycliffe Gordon

trombone

Ted Nash

sax

Matt Wilson

drums