Nick Morrison - Nick Morrison (2021)

Having a multitude of influences, Nick Morrison’s self-titled release ties together multiple genres including jazz, rock, funk, and R&B seamlessly by uniting memorable melodies and strong improvisation with his bass at the forefront. Being a multi-instrumentalist, Nick decided to record his album at home during the summer of 2020 playing all the instruments including bass, guitar, and drums. Being busy playing bass alongside many of New York City’s greatest jazz musicians and singer-songwriters while simultaneously sharing his joy of music with his students, Nick never had the opportunity to release his own original music, until the unfortunate events of the pandemic hit.

“Having the free time to create, explore, and record, my music on so many instruments was one of the silver linings of this pandemic for me. I was able to slow down for the first time in years and zero in on my music and how I wanted to present it. I am an improviser steeped in jazz, but found that my music cannot be contained in just one genre”

From the R&B-influenced “New Year’s Eve”, to the odd meter electronica sounds of “Shed”, to the bossa nova styled “Brightness”, Nick ties together his pieces through his love of simple melodies.

“I have always loved a good pop song and want my tunes to be memorable and stick with you”

Another factor that unifies this album is his bass playing. From his epic six-string bass solo at the end of the Radiohead influenced “Imaginary” to his Jaco Pastorius-inspired funk bassline laced with harmonics on “Pork Chop”, Nick puts his electric and upright bass playing front and center, playing many of the catchy melodies and soloing throughout.