Born and raised in Edmonton, pianist Mboya Nicholson’s love of jazz was fostered and cultivated by his parents, who embraced all styles of music. He studied jazz with renowned and celebrated pianist Charlie Austin. Having studied with jazz legend Ellis Marsalis in New Orleans, Nicholson infuses his playing with a feel of the Crescent City. He has played in Japan, Brazil and Austria. Mboya also composes and writes string arrangements and has written arrangements for pop vocalist Alesandra Felicia; and opera singers Ernesto Ramirez and Mark Doss. Mboya was commissioned to compose by conductor of the ArsMusica Session Orchestra, Colin Mendez Morris.