Nicolas Thys
bass
Belgium
Belgian jazz bassist Nicolas Thys was born in 1968 in Brussels, Belgium.
He began singing and playing the piano and flute a very young age. Playing the bass since he was 13, Thys performed early on with high school friends in musicals organized by the drama department (several engagements yearly).
After high school, Thys moved to Amsterdam to attend the Conservatory of Music. He graduated in 1994 for both electric and acoustic bass, with CUM LAUDE, the highest distinction.
Meanwhile, Nicolas gathered different prizes and awards in Belgium (Europ Jazz Contest 1993), Holland and Germany(jazztage Leverkusen 1994), and toured around the world. In ’96, he spent a few months in NY on a Dutch Government grant.
Thys played all the major festivals (Montreal, Northsea, Montreux, …) and recorded as a sideman with artists such as: Lee Konitz, Mal Waldron/Jeanne Lee quartet, Jesse Van Ruller, Toshiko Akioshi’s big band, Ben Monder, Mark Turner, Peter Bernstein, Bob Brookmeyer, Dave Liebman Topaz, Benny Bailey, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Nils Wogram/Simon Nabatov, Zap Mama, Garrett List, Tomasz Stanko, Toots Thielemans/ Kenny Werner quartet, among others.
Thys was a featured artist in Japan with the Walter Lang trio (best album in 2006 in Swing journal). Between 1999 and 2007, he lived in New York where he played with majorr artists on the scene.
Currently working with Bill Carrothers Trio, Jef neve’s groovething, Robin Verheyen 4tet, AL FUNDUQ, Jeroen van Herzeele project, Kris Defoort quartet feat M. Turner/Jim Black, Tutu Puoane quartet , Bart Defoort/Emanuele Cisi 5tet, resident artists at NUBLU in NYC.
Thys is currently teaching in Belgium (Masters in Antwerpen, and Lemmens Instituut in Leuven), and playing with his own projects, ”VIRGO”(feat. Chris Cheek)-CD out in 2009 on PIROUET, and the band called THYS – featuring Nicolas as a singer/songwriter.
He played a role in major motion picture“The Visitor”, and wrote music for it, as well as the soundtrack for “Love the Hard Way” feat. Adrian Brody, and Diamant 13 feat. Gerard Depardieu.
Nicolas Thys is featured on over 30 cd’s (Warner Bros, Fresh Sound New Talent…)
Artist on GAM Records
New Release – Mixology live – out Now!
“Mixology live” by Stéphane Mercier Belgian Jazz All Stars live at the Tournai Jazz Festival is an extraordinary 8-piece set comprised of wide-ranging original compositions and a couple of newly-arranged standard songs.
This is an exceptional group of individuals, allowing for unusual combinations of instrumentations, styles and strong personalities all focusing on one common goal: playing great music together.
It features the talents of internationally renowned Belgian music masters: David Linx, Charles Loos, Jeanfrançois Prins, Nathalie Loriers, Vincent Bruyninckx, Fabrice Alleman, Daniel Stokart, Toine Thys, Paolo Loveri, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Nicolas Thys, and Bruno Castellucci.