Nicole McCabe alto sax · Andreu Pitarch drums · Xavi Torres piano · Logan Kane bass
Nicole McCabe is a Los Angeles-based alto saxophonist, composer, and educator whose music moves fluidly between hard bop roots, electronic experimentation, and cinematic lyricism. A product of Portland State University and USC Thornton School of Music—where she studied under Vince Mendoza, Patrice Rushen, and Russell Ferrante—Nicole McCabe has quickly established herself as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary jazz. Her live performances are intimate yet expansive, drawing audiences into a sound world that feels both deeply personal and genre-defying.
Her accolades speak to an artist on the rise. In 2022, her quintet took first place at the prestigious Keep an Eye International Jazz Award at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where she also won Best Non-Conservatory Student Soloist. That same year, she received the Jeff Clayton Memorial New Note Award from the Los Angeles Jazz Society. She has since performed at the Kennedy Center as part of Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead, studying under acclaimed pianist and producer Jason Moran, who later produced her 2026 album Color Theory.
A seasoned international performer, Nicole McCabe tours Europe two or more times a year, appearing at some of the continent’s most respected stages and festivals, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Bimhuis, Jamboree, G Live Lab and Logomo (Finland), Teatro Bibiena (Italy), Victoria Eugene Club, Birdland Jazz Club, Jazz Studio Nürnberg, and Le Singe and Moods (Switzerland). She is the kind of artist European venues actively seek out—one with a distinct voice, a growing international profile, and the live command to make every room feel like a destination.
Nicole McCabe’s discography reflects an artist who never stands still. From her 2020 debut Introducing Nicole McCabe to the West Coast-inspired Landscapes (Fresh Sound New Talent), the electronic solo work A Song to Sing (Colorfield Records, 2025), and her latest Color Theory (2026)—featuring collaborators Adam O’Farrill, Christie Dashiell, and Justin Brown—each release pushes her sound into new territory. She has shared stages with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jeff Parker, Louis Cole, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Patrice Rushen, and is a D’Addario Woodwinds artist with an ever-expanding presence on both sides of the Atlantic.
