Nick Ali

Born on the small Caribbean island of Trinidad, schooled in New York and now based in Toronto, Nick "The Brownman" Ali is one of the most in-demand and accomplished young jazz studio trumpet players in Canada today. Also an accomplished composer/arranger he was awarded the 2002 Canadian National Jazz Award for "Jazz Composer of the Year". He also placed first runner-up at the NJAs for "Jazz Trumpet Player of the Year" in 2002 and his latin-jazz group CRUZAO has been nominated 3 times for "Electric Jazz Group of the Year" (2001, 2002, 2003). 2001 also saw him win the coveted 2001 Montreal Jazz Festival's "Grand Prix Du Jazz" Award (which led to his being signed to the prestigious Justin Time Records jazz label) and the CBC Galaxie's 2001 "Rising Star" Award. He is one of the first calls for not only jazz and urban recordings, but also appears in the horn sections of countless latin groups. His recording credits sit at just over 100 CDs and he is currently composing and arranging actively for 4 groups of his own, all of which have garnered critical acclaim in their own diverse idioms - the award-winning latin-jazz unit CRUZAO, jazz-hip-hop group GRUVASYLUM, mainstream hard-swinging threesome The NICK ALI TRIO and the 10-piece Salsa powerhouse MARRON MATIZADO. As a leader his group CRUZAO has toured Canada's jazz festival and club circuit extensively and has been called by the Globe and Mail "the busiest jazz unit of 2002". Europe welcomed the NICK ALI TRIO in 2002 and 2003 as the group toured the continent and recorded a record for release on a European label. He has headlined the Havana Jazz Festival in Cuba as a featured soloist (2002), the Montreal Jazz Festival to 120,000 people with GRUVASYLUM (2003) and the various American festivals, Buffalo's jazz festival calling him "the Canadian/Trinidadian jazz trumpet monster". Testimony to his extreme versatility, his extensive studio recording credits are in styles ranging from Be-bop to Acid-jazz to Hip-hop to Brazilian Samba to Cuban Salsa as well as performing on a number of major motion picture soundtracks, music videos and live television broadcasts. His recent movie credits also now include a cameo appearance in the Jennifer Lopez movie "Angel Eyes" and the 2002 CBC television pilot project "In The Jam". Amongst a long list of mentors, Nick has studied with recording legend Randy Brecker (of The Brecker Brothers) in New York city, Brazilian samba master Claudio Roditi and with British jazz icon Kenny Wheeler while attending the prestigious Banff Center For The Arts 1995 JAZZ WORKSHOP. Brownman has performed (or recorded) with the likes of Wayne Shorter, Randy Brecker, John Scofield, Danilio Perez, Kenny Wheeler, Hugh Fraser, Don Thompson, Kirk Macdonald, Pat Labarbera, Dave Restivo, Dave Young, Shelly Berger, Rita Di Ghent & The Sprawl Project, David Braid, The Philosopher Kings, Gruvoria, Dr. Pop & The Noise, The Bare Naked Ladies, The Pocket Dwellers, Tabarruk, Carlos Morgan, Irakere, Hilario Duran, Energia Latina, Bestial, Cimarron, Macondo, Pacande, Fito Blako, Dominicanada & far too many more to list here.