About

Saxophonist Dan Nicholson earned his stripes early as a young performer, touring the southeast with a busy party band and building a massive repertoire in pop, disco, and rock and roll, but his real heart and soul lies in jazz.

With an undergrad degree in jazz performance and a master's degree in jazz composition, Dan has been exploring the world of jazz for over 30 years, studying with the great Bunky Green and Jack Wilkins, and working with masters like Jon Faddis, the late Phil Woods, and Chicago favorite Mark Colby. His beautiful tone and fascination with rhythmic paradigms coupled with his devotion to detail and fluency in bebop and post-bop language make Dan a favorite call on the Chicago jazz scene and in the recording studio.

While he is well versed in the traditions of the old school, his sites are also set on the future of jazz as a highly sought-after teacher spreading the jazz gospel to the next generation. Dan plays an integral part in the jazz department at Elmhurst University as well as maintaining a full roster of private students.