Přední australský basista, skladatel, pedagog a improvizátor. V současnosti dlouhodobě pobývá v Praze. Hrál snad se všemi výraznými australskými osobnostmi (Don Burrows, Bernie McGann, James Morrison, Andrea Keller…) i významnými americkými jazzovými hráči (Kenny Kirkland, Nat Adderley, Petra Haden). Studoval mimo jiné v New Yorku u Gary Peacocka a Rufuse Reida, nahrál bezpočet CD, s nimiž vyhrál mnohá ocenění, např. cenu Aria za nejlepší jazzové album roku 2021.
Over the past forty years Nick Haywood has become one of the most in demand bassists and educators on the Australian music scene. He has impressive performance and recording credits with both Australian and international artists. Nick has performed at major festivals and concerts in Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Europe, China and the USA.
Nick has been a featured artist on over 100 albums and has been nominated for numerous ARIA awards. He is the 2012 recipient of the Australian Jazz “Bell Award” for Best Australian Contemporary Jazz Album and the 2016 Australian Jazz “Bell Award” for Best Australian Small Ensemble. He is also the recipient of the 2012 APRA Art Music State Award, the award being for Excellence in Jazz. He has performed at many major jazz festivals, both in Australia and internationally.
Nick was commissioned to present a series of concerts at the 2018 MONAFOMA festival in Hobart, featuring the music of Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra. The concerts featured Haden’s daughter, Petra Haden, alongside 11 of Australia’s finest improvising musicians. Nick was also an Artist in Residence at MONA for the festival.
Nick was invited to present 2 concerts at the 2019 Melbourne International Jazz Festival with Petra Haden. The theme of these concerts was “Songs from my Father” and featured songs written by and/or inspired by Petra’s father Charlie Haden. The concerts received outstanding reviews with some critics calling it the highlight of the festival. A recording of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival performances was released by ABC Jazz in 2020 and was shortlisted for a prestigious ARIA award for “Jazz Album of the Year” in 2021.
The Nick Haywood Trio with Petra Haden also released the album “Back to the Garden’ in 2021 to critical acclaim.
Some of the artists Nick has performed and/or recorded with are:
Australian
Tony Gould, Allan Browne, Don Burrows, James Morrison, Joe Camilleri, The Black Sorrows, Deborah Conway, John Sangster, Paul Grabowsky, Mark Isaacs, Tiddas , Vince Jones, Bernie McGann, Bennett’s Lane Big Band, Eugene Ball, Andrea Keller, The Freeboppers, Ted Vining, Dale Barlow.
International
Mark Murphy, Billy Harper, Malcolm Pinsen, Nat Adderley, Louie Bellson, Joe Williams, Buddy de Franco,George Chisholm, Brian Ritchie, Kenny Kirkland, Gerry Bergonzi, Junior Cook, Andrew Sterman, Buddy Greco, Claire Martin, Bobby Shew, Pete Christlieb, Valeri Ponamarev, Bob Gullotti,Salvatore Bonafede, Jack Parnell, Mickey Tucker, Olavi Olouhvira, Kelavi Olouhvira, Jari Perkiomaki.
Nick has presented master classes at universities and music colleges around the world and was formerly the Head of Jazz and a Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music at the University of Tasmania. He currently lectures in jazz performance studies at University of Melbourne (VCA).