Album
Payton's Place
Recorded June 9, 1998 · Verve Records · Produced by Richard Seidel
A Trumpet Player Comes Into His Own
Payton's Place announces a major voice in contemporary jazz with stunning clarity and purpose.
Nicholas Payton's debut album Payton's Place is just a really solid introduction to what this guy can do. Recorded in summer 1998 with producer Richard Seidel, it catches Payton at a moment where he's ready to move forward—he's got serious chops on trumpet, he comes from New Orleans, and he's not interested in just repeating what came before him. What jumps out immediately is how good his tone is and how much energy he brings to everything. That's the stuff that sticks with you.
Right from the start, you hear someone who knows his jazz history inside and out but also wants to do his own thing. His trumpet has that warm New Orleans sound, but the songs themselves pull in funk and soul—stuff that feels current and alive. The album has real space in it too. Seidel clearly understood what Payton needed: room to play, room to breathe, nothing overdone or fussy getting in the way. You get to hear what Payton's actually about.
What makes this record work is that it doesn't fit neatly into one box. It's a straight jazz album, sure, but it's also interested in other things. You get the sense that Payton believes jazz doesn't have to choose between respecting where it came from and moving ahead. The timing helped—the late nineties jazz world was looking for real new voices. But mostly it's just that Payton had something to say, and Seidel helped him say it clearly. If you want to know what was happening in jazz around 2000, this is a good place to listen.
Who's playing
Reuben Rogersdouble bass
Anthony Wonseypiano
Tim Warfieldtenor saxophone
Joshua Redmanguest, tenor saxophone
Nicholas Paytontrumpet
Roy Hargroveguest, trumpet
Wynton Marsalisguest, trumpet
Adonis Rosedrums
Where next?
More by Nicholas Payton
All 15 albums →
The musicians on this record
Nothing Serious 1994
Roy Hargrove
plays guest here
plays guest here
Hot House Flowers 1984
Wynton Marsalis
plays guest here
plays guest here
where are we 1993
Joshua Redman
plays guest here
plays guest here
For All We Know 2024
Adonis Rose
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
