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With a childhood spent backstage with Mick Jagger, Billy Preston, Rufus and Chakakhan and later touring throughout North America, Nick Norton-Smith’s exposure to the music business began
at an early age.
An extensive playing career began with saxophone at 19 while studying for a Chemistry degree. This rapidly led to a signing to Go! Discs with with Dexy’s Midnight Runners founder Kevin Archer and recording an
album with legendary producer Pete Wingfield before extensive promotional touring and TV appearances.
A busy schedule as a composer and performer followed including the Cambridge Footlights house band with Patrick Marber and being awarded 'Best Musician' at Edinburgh International Jazz Festival.
International tours include Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, Croatia, Belgium, Germany, France, Ireland, Portugal, Greece, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, North America and Taiwan with extended engagements
in Monte Carlo, Berlin and Tokyo with a variety of artists including,
- Frank Sinatra
- The Brand New Heavies
- Shirley Bassey
- The Proclaimers
- The Temptations
- Rose Royce
- Pamela Anderson
- Marti Pellow
- Paul O’Grady
- Bryn Terfel
- Elaine Paige
- Midge Ure
- Ruby Wax
- Frances Ruffelle
- Paolo Conti
- Paul Young
- Ute Lemper
- Gareth Gates
- Bonnie Langford
- Madeline Bell
- Leo Sayer
- Fish ( Marillion)
- Tom Robinson
- Then Jericho
- Jayne McDonald
- Lorna Luft
- Charles Hazelwood
In addition to appearing with various support acts opening for,
- James Brown
- Diana Ross
- Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers
- Ronnie Scott
- Joe Cocker
Numerous TV appearances and recording sessions worldwide including the weird and wonderful: "Car Wash" on Blue Peter with Rose Royce vocalist Gwen Dickie, performing contemporary
classical music with Charles Hazelwood at the ICA London, miming on German TV with an oompah band, pop videos, Radio 2 broadcasts, numerous sessions including punk legends GBH and their dog(!), BBC1,
BBC 2, BBC3 ,ITV1, Channel 4, Russian, Japanese, Taiwanese and Norwegian TV appearances.
To date Nick Norton-Smith has performed in 16 West End shows including Michael Grandage’s Olivier award winning "Grand Hotel".
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