Nick Halley

Nick Halley grew up at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, where his father was Director of Music. His earliest memories are of the rich variety of music there, from sacred choral to African dance. Nick spent a number of years tagging along with the Paul Winter Consort, whose percussionists Glen Velez, Ted Moore, Gordon Gottlieb, and Jamey Haddad were often passing him a cowbell or shaker.

These early influences proved to be lasting - when he was fifteen, Nick dropped baseball and other not-so-fruitful endeavors to study music full-time at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, majoring in jazz and classical percussion. Two years later he took off for Brazil where he spent a year immersed in the great tradition of Brazilian rhythm, studying with Márçio Bahia, Pedro Lima, Oscar Bolão, and playing with Viradouro, one of Rio’s top samba schools. Nick then returned to New York City to attend The New School University’s jazz and contemporary music program, where he studied with Amir Ziv, Billy Hart, and Jamey Haddad, and played with a host of young artists in New York’s ever-evolving jazz scene.

Nick currently bases himself out of Massachusetts’ beautiful Berkshire Hills. He tours and records with groups ranging in style from traditional Scottish and Irish to gospel, jazz, Brazilian and popular music. When not on the road, Nick teaches private lessons and directs workshops in Brazilian, North African, and South Indian rhythm. Nick is a member of The Chris Norman Ensemble, numerous Paul Halley ensembles, a duo with César Alvarez, and his own recently-formed, surprisingly-named, Nick Halley Band. In addition to his drumming, Nick has studying choral conducting with his father, Paul Halley, and was for two years the Director of the Senior Choir of Chorus Angelicus.                 

The Nick Halley Band
the usual suspects

Nick Halley, drums, percussion, keyboards, vocals
Matt Brewer, bass
Adam Niewood, saxophone
Richard Baughman, percussion

frequent guest
Jon Suters, bass

Link here to The Chris Norman Ensemble