Nick Colionne & Marion Meadows
@ the PizzaExpress Jazz Club
28 May 2015

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Nick Colionne biography

Chicago born, bred and still residing guitarist Nick Colionne’s professional career started art the age of 15 He toured all over the world with rock bands and some of the greatest legends of R&B, from The Staples Singers to Curtis Mayfield.

Colionne launched his solo career in 1994 with “It’s My Turn” which reached #13 on the national charts, and he hasn't looked back since.

“Jazz was my upbringing, but initially pursuing a career as a sideman meant I had to become well versed in R&B, blues and heavy metal. When I play live, I incorporate all kinds of music and have a lot of fun. All of these styles have contributed to defining my own sound as an artist.”

Colionne's sustained chart-topping Radio history combined with his incredible live performances has propelled him to the upper echelons of smooth jazz stardom. Most recently, he won the International Instrumental Artist of the Year Award by the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards; the 2006 winner was Trumpeter Chris Botti.

Nick Colionne’s charismatic stage presence, combined with his guitar virtuosity, are evidence he’s succeeded; audiences love the excitement and energy he brings to every performance. Nick Colionne's latest CD “Keepin' It Cool” on Narada Jazz found the first single “Always Thinking of You” propelling him to the top of the charts once again. This single was #9 for the year 2006 on Radio and Records, and Nick was the #9 Artist of the Year.

Nick Colionne continues to impress audiences worldwide with his charismatic lively performances. It seems the only way is up for this colourful character. Colionne explains;

“The most exciting part of all of this for me is that I am actually living my dream, getting a chance to play guitar for people in so many places”. The greatest moments come when I look at their faces in the audience when I play, and I realize that I'm making them feel what I'm feeling. That's a fascinating level of communication”.

Marion Meadows biography

Marion Meadows was born in West Virginia and grew up in Stamford, Connecticut. He began playing the clarinet and studying classical music at the age of nine.

He started playing tenor sax in high school, and then migrated to soprano sax. His passion for various types of music led him down an eclectic musical path. He was intrigued by the styles of jazz musicians, like Stanley Turrentine, Sidney Bichet, Johnny Hodges, John Coltrane, Sonny Stitt, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Dexter Gordon, Cannonball Adderly, Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Fortune, Joe Henderson, Grover Washington and many others. After studying jazz at Rippowam High School in Stamford, CT with Anthony Truglia, Meadows attended Berklee College of Music. There he majored in arranging and composition. He later went to the SUNY Purchase School for the Arts. During his college years he played in a number of bands including disco, R&B and various jazz ensmbles.

“I got a lot of sideman jobs in college, and I have always said I got my real graduate degree playing clubs,” says Meadows, who perfected his craft studying with Sonny Fortune, Joe Henderson, Dave Liebman and Eddie Daniels. “Not long after I finished school, (drummer) Norman Connors recorded one of my songs, “Invitation” and then asked me to join his band. I later produced his Passion album with my colleague Jacques Burvick (Aquarium Dream). Things just fell into place.” Meadows first hit the airwaves in 1991 with “For Lovers Only”, but his career really began one day in the late ‘80s at New York’s Grand Central Station. He had been a sideman with Connors for three years, with only vague notions of eventually going solo. One day, while waiting for a train, he pulled out his horn and began playing under the huge dome. His sweet sound caught the attention of fellow traveller, producer and TV composer Jay Chattaway, who happened to be passing by on his way to the train. Chattaway was so impressed with Meadows’ sound that he hooked Meadows up with legendary keyboardist Bob James. Marion and Bob collaborated on a recording which unfortunately went unreleased. The experience put him on the road to his eventual success. Meadows hooked up with numerous artists and musicians and became a well known sideman in his own right, recording or performing over the years with Brook Benton, Eartha Kitt, Phyllis Hyman, Jean Carne, The Temptations, Michael Bolton, Angela Bofill, Will Downing , Bob Baldwin, Chuck Loeb, John Lee, among many others. In the late ‘80s, Meadows stretched his boundaries by becoming a member of a New York avant-garde band called the Aboriginal Music Society. In 1990 Meadows submitted a solo project to Steve Backer at Novus/RCA and was signed to a recording contract, thus marking the beginning of his solo career. Meadows’ first RCA release “For Lover’s Only” was a huge success and was followed by his ground breaking “Keep it Right There” album. He became a staple of the contemporary jazz format with his subsequent recordings, which include ‘Body Rhythm’ (1994) and ‘Forbidden Fruit’ (1996), ‘Passion’ (1997), ‘Another Side Of Midnight’ (1999), ‘Next To You’ (2000), ‘In Deep’ (2002), ‘Players Club’ (2004), ‘Dressed To Chill’ (2006), ‘Secrets’ (2009) ‘Whisper’ (2013) and ‘Soul Traveller’ his current release on the New York based Shanachie Label.

Meadows is a semi-pro cyclist, graphic designer and artist.