Mboya Nicholson is an Edmonton born jazz pianist whose music has impacted listeners worldwide over the course of the last 25 years. Nicholson’s audiences have spanned from Canada to places such as Japan, Guadeloupe, and Austria. The classically trained musician has used his music as a tool to educate and uplift others. He currently holds an instructor position at Edmonton’s MacEwan University. Following his career, Nicholson continues to develop compositional pieces for orchestras and other artists.

Born to two musically cultivating parents, Mboya Nicholson’s love for jazz has been celebrated from a very young age. His musical education had officially begun in high school, where the musician had taught himself the ins and outs of performance technique. His post-secondary education also facilitated his skills, as Nicholson had attended Grant MacEwan Community College at home in Edmonton. Later on, the musician conducted his studies in 1999 at the University of New Orleans, where he had studied with greats such as Ellis Marsalis Jr. and Harold Battiste. Such profound studies resulted in a rich music career, as his talents were recognized by virtue of several notable performances worldwide. The artist’s compositions and often improvisational style draws influence from his blues and classical roots, which has become evidently present among both his solo and collaborative work.

Some of Nicholson’s works include jazz performances alongside saxophonist Sonny Fortune and drummer Jason Marsalis. The artist’s personal discography, while somewhat brief, is only a facet of his many accomplishments. Nicholson’s work also includes the composition, writing and arrangement of several string quartets.