Born in 1975, Nick Smart graduated with distinction from Salford University in 1997 where he was awarded the Malcolm Arnold Prize for the most outstanding trumpet player. He then went on to complete the Guildhall postgraduate jazz course studying with among others, Pete Churchill, Simon Purcell, Gerard Presencer and Noel Langley

Nick continues to be heavily involved in the jazz scene as a performer in both small groups and big bands, playing with groups including the Stan Sulzmann Big Band and ten piece, the London Jazz Orchestra, Mike Garrick’s Big Band and the BBC Big Band.

His own projects are an impressive all star band working under the name Black Eyed Dog whose debut album, “Remembering Nick Drake”, was released in late 2005 to much critical acclaim and was launched with a successful National Arts Council tour. He is also part of a new trio featuring Paul Clarvis on drums and Hans Koller on Fender Rhodes, as well as an exciting quintet with saxophonist Stan Sulzmann and pianist Nikki Iles.

Nick has remained in demand as a trumpeter in a wide variety of styles. His work in pop/rock music, including the band Spiritualized, has taken him on tour through the U.S.A. and Canada, Europe, Japan and various radio and television performances including Later with Jools Holland, Top of the Pops, The Cut with Jo Whiley, The Jonathon Ross show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno from Hollywood.

He has played with many visiting international salsa artists and has performed with the Lady Salsa show on a tour of Taiwan, as well as concerts in Istanbul, Portugal, Spain and Dubai with a variety of salsa bands. Since 2006 he has been the trumpet player for the James Taylor Quartet and arranger/MD for the JTQ Big Band. Nick has recorded in a variety of commercial settings for radio and television and was recently a soloist on the soundtrack to Paul Merton’s “Silent Clowns” series for the BBC.

Nick has been increasingly sought after in jazz education. After setting up the Bedford SMMS jazz department and Camden Schools Jazz Ensemble he has gone on to tutor on the Wavendon Stables, Burnley, National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland and the Glamorgan jazz summer schools.

He has given masterclasses at LIPA, Leeds College of Music, the International Association of the Schools of Jazz workshop ‘98 and is on the team of training-day presenters for the Associated Board Jazz Horns syllabus.

In 2006 he was appointed consultant in establishing the new Corps of Army Music Big Band. Nick is currently on the faculty at Middlesex University, Guildhall School of Music, examiner at the Royal Welsh College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, where he holds the posts of Jazz course Academic coordinator, Jazz LRAM tutor, director of the RAM Junior Jazz course and has led the RAM big band in projects with Peter Erskine and Kenny Wheeler.