niiic

Canadian guitarist Nic Ladouceur's musical career spans over a decade, and his current trio, Niiic, is the culmination of knowledge and maturity he has gained throughout his previous musical and personal experiences. In the past, Nic's playing has brought him all over Canada and into the US, from a big band tour through the west coast of British Columbia, to a cruise ship sailing Alaska, to a stint at Halifax's Staynor's Wharf and more. He has played and studied with many of North America's top jazz musicians, including Chris Potter, Terence Blanchard, Adam Rogers, John Clayton, Pat Labarbera, and Ted Quinlan.

"Niiic", based out of Toronto, is the 26 year old leader's attempt at creating instrumental music that is engaging for current audiences and relevant to modern times, without abandoning the ideals and influence of the great music and musicians from the past. The band, formed by friends from Humber College, first recorded an EP in 2010 called Pequod containing five of Nic's original tunes. After the album's success, Niiic has since taken the music into clubs, while refining their craft in order to reach audiences intimately. The band has developed a liberal approach to composition, resonating with the audience through the use of indistinct narratives. Upon listening, the most obvious influences on the band are artists like Bill Frisell and Jeff Beck, but there are ties with older sounds like Freddie King and Roy Buchanan, speaking to Nic and his band's appreciation and adaptation of music from different generations.

Bassist Jon Amador is one of the busiest bassists on the Toronto scene. Jon has studied with some of the best bass players Canada has to offer, including Paco Luviano, Kieran Overs, Pat Kilbride, Rich Brown and Mike Downes. Jon is also a heavy player of latin music and recently shared the stage with Luis Mario Ochoa's Quintet in the east coast.

Drummer Derek Gray, from Toronto, is a highly talented drummer who has been the recipient of numerous drumming awards such as the SABIAN Cymbals Award and the Garfield Weston National Level Scholarship. Derek's creative projects have earned him invitations to participate in clinics and performances throughout the world from Washington DC to Italy.