Johnny Nicol
Encyclopedia
Johnny Nicol is a jazz singer born in Ayr, Queensland
.
Nicol began his career in 1958 as a member of The Maori Troubadours
and recorded an album, A Little This, A Little That, with them. He then went on to perform in on the Gold Coast
then in Italy
, Las Vegas
and throughout England, then on a cruise ship between New York and the Bahamas.
He returned to Australia in 1969, and in 1972 hosted an ABC Radio music show in which he introduced emerging talent Renee Geyer to a wider audience.
He featured in a band with Col Nolan called The Col Nolan Soul Syndicate, which released the Live at Jason's LP. Following that he released a solo album, Touch of Blue (Phonogram, 1975). Nicol has since released four more solo albums, two CDs and a DVD.
With Col Nolan he opened the Australian tours for such greats as Benny Goodman's last tour and also the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). Johnny also performed on the American bases throughout Southeast Asia in the early-1970s.
Both Don Burrows and Bob Barnard name Nicol as their favourite Australian jazz singer.
Johnny Nicol is still performing along the eastern seaboard of Australia. He is now based in the Cairns area.
Johnny Nicol is the father of Emily Nicol who played the role of baby Chloe in the Australian TV production of A Country Practice.
Ayr, Queensland
Ayr is a town in Queensland, Australia near the delta of the Burdekin River, named after the Scottish town of Ayr by the settlers from the United Kingdom...
.
Nicol began his career in 1958 as a member of The Maori Troubadours
The Maori Troubadours
The Maori Troubadours were a Māori-based showband which performed in Australia and Southeast Asia, beginning in 1958 and continuing well into the 1960s. The three original members were Prince Tui Latui , Matt Tenana and Johnny Kealoah . Drummer Neville Turner joined the band not long after its...
and recorded an album, A Little This, A Little That, with them. He then went on to perform in on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
then in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
and throughout England, then on a cruise ship between New York and the Bahamas.
He returned to Australia in 1969, and in 1972 hosted an ABC Radio music show in which he introduced emerging talent Renee Geyer to a wider audience.
He featured in a band with Col Nolan called The Col Nolan Soul Syndicate, which released the Live at Jason's LP. Following that he released a solo album, Touch of Blue (Phonogram, 1975). Nicol has since released four more solo albums, two CDs and a DVD.
With Col Nolan he opened the Australian tours for such greats as Benny Goodman's last tour and also the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). Johnny also performed on the American bases throughout Southeast Asia in the early-1970s.
Both Don Burrows and Bob Barnard name Nicol as their favourite Australian jazz singer.
Johnny Nicol is still performing along the eastern seaboard of Australia. He is now based in the Cairns area.
Johnny Nicol is the father of Emily Nicol who played the role of baby Chloe in the Australian TV production of A Country Practice.
Discography
- "Live at Jason's" - the Col Nolan Soul Syndicate (1973) Avan-Guard SVL501
- Touch of Blue (1975) PhilipsPhilips RecordsPhilips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
- Traces (1979) Hunter
- I Remember (1982) Hunter
- "What's the Use/Buckingham Palace" Avan-Guard
- Where the Love Is (1987) LarrikinLarrikin RecordsLarrikin Records is a record company founded in 1974 by Warren Fahey. Larrikin started as an independent label and was sold in 1995 to Festival Records....
- Moving Forward (1997) La Brava (CD)
- The Music's Got a Hold on Me (2007) (CD)
- Jazz at Home with Johnny Nicol and friends (DVD) (2008)
Further reading
- Biography - Johnny Nicol: My Life My Music, by Scott Nicol (258pp book) (2009)