Nicholas Howard
New York City, New York, United States | SELF
Music
Press
"The vocals are filled with these great harmonies, the songs have a smooth criminal swagger to them, and the structures of the songs are all over the place . . . slow and groovin’ for the first half and then busting into an up tempo passage to make sure that you were paying attention, and then back to the groove again." - Ripple Music
"The vocals are filled with these great harmonies, the songs have a smooth criminal swagger to them, and the structures of the songs are all over the place . . . slow and groovin’ for the first half and then busting into an up tempo passage to make sure that you were paying attention, and then back to the groove again." - Ripple Music
"It’s very unique. When Nicholas Howard makes his music, you can tell when you hear him sing that it’s all coming from a place that is close to his soul, I guess that’s why they call it soul." - Mathew Johnson
"It’s very unique. When Nicholas Howard makes his music, you can tell when you hear him sing that it’s all coming from a place that is close to his soul, I guess that’s why they call it soul." - Mathew Johnson
"This isn’t your typical ballad-filled, romanticised view on life from some 20 year old looking to make a quick buck. This is real music, from a real singer/songwriter." - Soul UK
"This isn’t your typical ballad-filled, romanticised view on life from some 20 year old looking to make a quick buck. This is real music, from a real singer/songwriter." - Soul UK
"This man is making smart music, music not only balanced in its approach, but balanced in its inception." - Richie Frieman
"This man is making smart music, music not only balanced in its approach, but balanced in its inception." - Richie Frieman
"This man is making smart music, music not only balanced in its approach, but balanced in its inception." - Richie Frieman
"This man is making smart music, music not only balanced in its approach, but balanced in its inception." - Richie Frieman
"NY has a lot of talent coming out of it and that includes the talented Nicholas Howard with his soulful R&B/Funk/rock sounds all wrapped in one. He brings it to us with a flipmode we've never heard before!" - MZN
"NY has a lot of talent coming out of it and that includes the talented Nicholas Howard with his soulful R&B/Funk/rock sounds all wrapped in one. He brings it to us with a flipmode we've never heard before!" - MZN
"This album is almost emotional draining to play repeatedly, because it compels you to listen harder to pick up every nuance and each message. In fact at the time, its like good romp in the sack, you’ll be reaching for a cigarette or something else show how satisfying the experience was." - http://elfslut.livejournal.com/
"This album is almost emotional draining to play repeatedly, because it compels you to listen harder to pick up every nuance and each message. In fact at the time, its like good romp in the sack, you’ll be reaching for a cigarette or something else show how satisfying the experience was." - http://elfslut.livejournal.com/
"Imagine if Robin Thicke decided to channel the old school legends of soul and started singing about not just love, but also the realities of life. If you can picture that, you can start to imagine the work of soul singer Nicholas Howard." - Adam Bernard
"Imagine if Robin Thicke decided to channel the old school legends of soul and started singing about not just love, but also the realities of life. If you can picture that, you can start to imagine the work of soul singer Nicholas Howard." - Adam Bernard
"The LP speaks to you on a whole other music level, far beyond the “common, run of the mill”........ " - Square Rootz
"The LP speaks to you on a whole other music level, far beyond the “common, run of the mill”........ " - Square Rootz
"Recommended Urban/R&B: Contemporary urban music " - CDbaby
"Recommended Urban/R&B: Contemporary urban music " - CDbaby
"This could be what John Legend might dream of making if he didn’t have the corporate overseer standing over him, whip in hand, ready to crack it the second he does anything original or interesting." - Lucid Culture
"This could be what John Legend might dream of making if he didn’t have the corporate overseer standing over him, whip in hand, ready to crack it the second he does anything original or interesting." - Lucid Culture
"Howard's his own man and avoids easy clichés in his song. His delivery is moving and right on the money. It's an impressive debut all told." - Anna Maria Stjärnell
"Howard's his own man and avoids easy clichés in his song. His delivery is moving and right on the money. It's an impressive debut all told." - Anna Maria Stjärnell
It's challenging to make modern soul music that doesn't come off as either stiffly mechanical or so obviously derivative that it's hard to judge on its own merits. These mistakes are avoided here, as we're treated to a modern singer/songwriter who certainly acknowledges his predecessors, but who is clearly comfortable in making his own footprints on the path to some enthralling modern soul. Blending live instruments with equally hard-hitting elements of electronics and programmed tracks, the result is a full sound that is satisfyingly full but not distractingly busy. The songs run the gamut, able to tackle straight soul or R&B and still throw in some funk for good measure. Fans of Jamiroquai will take an immediate interest in this, as it seems to pick up where they left off and take the concept in and comparably ambitious direction. It's true music that's groove oriented and deep, ideal for dancing or just kicking back. - Derek Sivers
It's challenging to make modern soul music that doesn't come off as either stiffly mechanical or so obviously derivative that it's hard to judge on its own merits. These mistakes are avoided here, as we're treated to a modern singer/songwriter who certainly acknowledges his predecessors, but who is clearly comfortable in making his own footprints on the path to some enthralling modern soul. Blending live instruments with equally hard-hitting elements of electronics and programmed tracks, the result is a full sound that is satisfyingly full but not distractingly busy. The songs run the gamut, able to tackle straight soul or R&B and still throw in some funk for good measure. Fans of Jamiroquai will take an immediate interest in this, as it seems to pick up where they left off and take the concept in and comparably ambitious direction. It's true music that's groove oriented and deep, ideal for dancing or just kicking back. - Derek Sivers
Discography
"The Living Room Sessions" released May 2012.
"God Is In The City" - Full Length LP released April 2009
Played on numerous podcasts and internet radio shows. Reviews in "press" section
"A Rip In The Sky" - Full length LP released 2006
Played on over 200 college radio stations across the US
Photos
Bio
Nicholas Howard's music, if you have to give it a label, might be called Urban Soul. Urban, because he's New York through and through, grew up in Queens. And Soul, because his music comes from that place where we all live, whether it's New York City or Podunk, Nowhere. His music is different from what you've heard before, and yet, because it comes from a soulful place, once you've heard his music, you'll recognize it as your music, too.
His sound is not the same sound repeated with minor variation in song after song. Of the ten tunes in his new CD, no two sound alike. His grooves swing easily from bluesy ("Blood from a Stone") to socially aware ("Mother"), from lust-filled ("Scotch on Her Lips") to philosophical ("Life Is a Mystery"), from politically savvy ("Carnival") to shake-your-hips Latin ("My Hands Are Rough"). And the title track ("God Is in the City") swings gracefully between the sacred and the profane, doing beautiful justice to them both, while giving way to neither.
Nicholas grew up with the best of both worlds, the neighborhood streets of Queens, and in the household, a pair of artist-type parents (mother a modern dancer, father a writer) who introduced him to Bach and Billy Holiday, and everything in between. As Nicholas put it, "My influences? Everything and nothing. Life is my biggest influence. Hip-hop, rock, blues, jazz, salsa, Bachata, middle eastern, a little country, a good subway performer, a guy playing the buckets with his boyz. Any music that has the power to move me."
The singer-songwriter-arranger-producer-engineer was born in LA but grew up in the most ethnically diverse neighborhood in New York City. By age ten he was trying his hand at hip-hop rhymes, and making his own beats. After squirming through high school in downtown Manhattan he went south to Florida to earn a degree in audio engineering, building a solid base for later musical production. After graduation he landed a job at the bottom-of-the-heap at top-flight Right Track Studio off Times Square. Before he left, he was in the control room for projects that featured some of hip-hop's and finest, including the Neptunes, Fabolous, Joe Budden and Nas.
But the creative bug had bitten and there was nothing that would satisfy but putting out his own music. He took on the challenge and founded his own independent music company, Belief & Hustle Records. Teaming up with co-producer Rocky Grisez, he launched his first album, A Rip in the Sky. The chorus of the opening track defined the album and his own destiny: "Miss Music, you've got my soul."
The new CD, God Is in the City, is Nicholas' ode to the city that inspires him. He explains, "To me New York is a blessed place, because it's a place where people put themselves in the toughest situation possible in order to realize their dreams." In his CD's Thank-You's Nicholas ends with these words: "To the streets of NYC that have influenced me and my music, I say thank you for all your inspiring attributes and the honesty and integrity you hold within your concrete shell. This album is made in your name."
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