Nicholas Alexander Baker
DOB 01/09/1981
Glendale, AZ, USA

Nick has been into music almost from the moment he was born. At 6 months of age he was reaching to the keys of a piano and instead of pounding on them, as a typical baby of that age would do, he would touch them gently and very melodically. By age 2 he was playing simple songs like Happy Birthday. By age 5 his hands were large enough to start playing chords! That is when the fun really began. He called to me from the piano that "this is how Grandpa's clock chimes sound" and began to play the Westminster Chimes, the St. Michael and the Whittington chimes! He was playing some very familiar music one afternoon, some of the piano work of George Winston. I asked his teacher about the music and she said they had played the "Winter" CD at naptime that week!

Nick has perfect pitch, almost instant recall (he literally can hear a new piece of music one time and play it perfectly). He has an infinite catalog of songs in his head. Very few times can he be stumped when someone names a tune- he almost always knows it and can even tell you who first recorded it, when it was on the Top Ten, etc.

He started writing original music about three years ago. He wrote the piece Bad Behavior Blues as an apology for the bus incident he sings about. Think Positive was written for his father, Mark Baker. His dad was one of his strongest supporters. Before he died in Feb. of 2001 he got to hear those two songs recorded. Nick seemed to kick into high gear after his dad passed. He has used the song writing as a way of dealing with his grief and loss.

Nick has an older brother, Michael Baker (26) and a half brother Daniel Passage (16). He lives with his mom, Kathy and his stepfather Raymond Passage in Edmonds, WA.

Nick has pursued music, both in vocal and jazz instrumental groups through out his school years. In Arizona, his Mountain Sky Jr. High Jazz Ensemble was invited to perform at Disneyland's Carnation stage in CA two years in a row. His family moved to Washington State in the fall of 1995.

Nick was overjoyed to visit at the Washington State School for the Blind and find out about the music department! Craig Russell, the Music teacher at that time, even had a recording studio at the school. This was the perfect environment for Nick to polish and improve his wonderful natural talent. Nick was very active at WSSB in both the Jazz band - Out of Sight and the Honors Choir- In Harmony, now under the direction of Jennifer Hervey. In Harmony has released a CD, Acapella, which features Nick in several solo parts and on the piano. Nick has won several awards for both vocal talent and playing piano at state music competitions for WSSB.

Nick worked with his former instructor, Craig Russell, in his recording studio for the last year to create his new solo CD, Think Positive, Songs With A Message. His music can be enjoyed on many levels and everyone finds meaning in his words.

Nick's next effort is a song tribute to events on 9/11/02 called Here's to Our Heroes. Nick was inspired to write this song by his visit to the East Coast in the spring of 2002 with 'In Harmony'. A 13 day concert tour starting in Baltimore, MD, ending with a concert at Kennedy Center. In between the members of 'In Harmony' and their chaperones visited our nation's capitol, New York City, Ground Zero, performed for the NYFD at Metro Tech facility in Brooklyn, NY, sang at the Pentagon and visited several Schools for the Blind in Maryland, New Jersey and Philadelphia, PA.

Nick is currently enrolled at Shoreline Community College, Music department. His music instruction classes have earned him honors in both Classical Voice and Classic Piano Juries this year. He would tell you that his favorite class is Funk n Groove under the direction of Bruce Spitz! In addition to performances on campus, this ensemble of elite musicians performs at local clubs like Goldie's in Shoreline and About the Music in Seattle. Nick has also performed at functions for both the MS Society Helping Hands and the Western Region Lions Clubs.

Nick hopes to visit local schools and share his music with students. He enjoys community service work, playing piano at South County Senior Center. He has been a guest pianist at Faith Community Church here in Edmonds. He is a very versatile individual.

Regards,
Kathy Passage, Nick's mother

Website: www.nickbakermusic.com
Music available on CD BABY, artist Nick Baker

Here is a recent interview with Nick Baker featuring his music with Wayne Potter on The Golden Hours Radio Network at Oregon Public Broadcasting. The program ends with "Here's To Our Heroes" (9/11 Tribute Song). It is split into 2 approx 30 minute programs.
Part 1 and Part 2