Ted Nash

Musician and composer Ted Nash is a vital force in contemporary jazz, known for versatility, imagination, and a deeply personal approach to music-making. A longtime member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Nash has made significant contributions to modern large ensemble writing, particularly with works like Portrait in Seven Shades and Presidential Suite: Eight Variations on Freedom, which won him two Grammy Awards. His compositions often explore themes beyond music—art, politics, and personal identity—engaging a much broader cultural conversation.

Nash’s musical path is rooted in a rich family tradition. He is the son of trombonist Dick Nash and the nephew of the original Ted Nash, a respected saxophonist and woodwind virtuoso from the golden age of Hollywood studio orchestras. This lineage informs Nash’s sense of legacy and craft, but he has also forged his own mythology through constant reinvention and an abiding curiosity. Whether exploring classical influences, modern jazz language, or political narratives, Nash brings a storyteller’s sensibility to every note.