Nikki Iles

  1. Home
  2. Wiki

Nikki Iles
BEM
Background information
Born
Nikki Anne Burnham

(1963-05-16) 16 May 1963 (age 62)
Dunstable, Bedfordshire, UK
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, educator
InstrumentPiano
Years activeMid-1980s–present
Labels33Jazz, Basho
Websitewww.nikkiiles.co.uk
Aarhus (Denmark 2022)
Photo Hreinn Gudlaugsson

Nikki Anne Iles BEM (née Burnham; born 16 May 1963) is a British jazz composer, pianist and educator.

Early life

[edit]

Iles was born in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, on 16 May 1963.[1] She started her musical education at primary school, where she learnt to play the harmonica and the clarinet, and at eleven years old she won a junior exhibition at the Royal Academy of Music, where she studied clarinet and piano[1] from 1974 to 1981.[2] She became a member of the Bedfordshire Youth Jazz Orchestra.[1] She went on to the Leeds College of Music (1981–1984).[1]

Later life and career

[edit]

After graduating from the Leeds College of Music, she decided to settle in Yorkshire.[2] After marrying trumpeter Richard Iles, she changed her surname from Burnham.[2] She joined his band Emanon, with which she played some of her compositions.[1] Iles also began playing with several London-based bands, such as those led by Steve Argüelles, Mick Hutton and Stan Sulzmann.[1]

Iles won the 1996 John Dankworth Special Award at the BT Jazz Festival.[1] Following a serious car crash after a gig, Iles opted to settle in London.[1]

Iles was a senior lecturer at Middlesex University, and has taught at the University of York, Leeds College of Music, the Guildhall School of Music, and in Bulgaria, Holland, France, and Finland.[1] In 2021 Iles was awarded the Ivor Novello Jazz Composition Award for her work 'The Caged Bird'.[3]

Iles was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to music.[4]

In 2025 Iles was announced as the new principal conductor of Hamburg's NDR Bigband.[5]

Discography

[edit]

As leader/co-leader

[edit]
Year recorded Title Label Notes
2023 Face to Face Edition Records With de:NDR Bigband[6]
2015 Westerly Basho As The Printmakers; with Mike Walker (electric guitar), Mark Lockheart (saxes), Steve Watts (bass), James Maddren (drums), Norma Winstone (vocals)[7][8]
2012 Hush Basho Trio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Jeff Williams (drums)[9]
2002 Everything I Love Basho Trio, with Duncan Hopkins (bass), Anthony Michelli (drums)[10]
2002 Veils Symbol Quintet, with Stan Sulzmann (soprano sax, tenor sax), Mike Outram (guitar), Mike Hutton (bass), Anthony Michelli (drums)[10]
1998? Snap RFM As Foolish Hearts (Iles, Steve Berry, Paul Clarvis, and Anthony Kerr)
1997? Change of Sky 33Jazz Duo, co-led with Tina May (vocals)[11]
1997 The Tan Tien FMR with Martin Speake

As sidewoman

[edit]

With Anthony Braxton

With Mike Gibbs

  • By the Way (Ah Um, 1993)[13]

With Ingrid Laubrock

  • Some Times (Candid, 1998)[10]

With Tina May

  • One Fine Day (33Jazz, 1999)[10]
  • I'll Take Romance (Linn, 2002)[10]
  • More Than You Know (33Jazz, 2004)[10]
  • A Wing and a Prayer (33Jazz, 2005–06)[10]

With Sylvan Richardson

  • Pyrotechnics (Blue Note, 1992)

With Geoff Simkins

  • Don't Ask (Symbol, 1999)

With Martin Speake

  • Secret (Basho, 2000)[10]

With Stan Sulzmann

  • Treasure Trove (ASC, 1995)[10]

With Dick Walter/Jazz Craft Ensemble

  • Secret Moves (ASC, 1999)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Nikki Iles". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Chilton, John (2004). Who's Who of British Jazz (2nd ed.). Continuum. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-8264-7234-2.
  3. ^ "Ivors Academy Awards 2021". Ivors Academy.
  4. ^ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N32.
  5. ^ "NDR Bigband Begins 2025–'26 Season with Nikki Iles as Principal Conductor". Downbeat magazine. 8 April 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Face to Face Album". Edition Records. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  7. ^ Fordham, John (7 May 2015). "The Printmakers: Westerly Review – American Cool to Rural England". The Guardian.
  8. ^ "Westerly: The Printmakers". bashorecords.com. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  9. ^ Lindsay, Bruce (2 April 2012). "Nikki Iles: Hush". All About Jazz.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. pp. 746, 869, 963, 1329, 1354. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
  11. ^ Nathan, Dave. "Nikki Iles / Tina May: Change of Sky". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  12. ^ Eyles, John (18 March 2006). "Anthony Braxton with the Creative Jazz Orchestra: Composition No. 175 & Composition No. 126: Trillium-Dialogues M". All About Jazz.
  13. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1996). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD (3rd ed.). Penguin. p. 497. ISBN 978-0-14-051368-4.
[edit]