Slow-Blues.com — Global Blues Encyclopedia
Back to artists
Nico Wayne Toussaint
Foto: Eric Traversie (via kbkc-artistes.com, offisiell pressefoto)
Modern

Nico Wayne Toussaint

Born: 1973• France• Active: 1998–
Chicago BluesHarmonica BluesSouthern Blues

French blues harmonica player from Toulon, a Dixiefrog Records mainstay who cut his teeth jamming with Chicago blues veterans in Minneapolis in the early 1990s.

Instruments
Harmonica, Vocals
Labels
Dixiefrog
from
Pau, Béarn, Frankrike
Born
1973
Nico Wayne Toussaint was born in Toulon in 1973 and discovered blues at 15 through Muddy Waters' "Hard Again," picking up harmonica at 18 (Source: Last.fm; nicowaynetoussaint.com). His nickname "Wayne" comes from his American godfather in Minnesota. Regular trips to the US from 1992, including a spell as a French-language teaching assistant near Minneapolis, put him on stage with Chicago blues names like Jimmy Johnson, Billy Branch and Luther Allison (Source: nicowaynetoussaint.com). Professional since 1998, he has recorded 14 albums under his own name, 12 of them on the French blues label Dixiefrog, and was voted best blues harmonica player at the 2003 Trophées France Blues (Source: nicowaynetoussaint.com; jazzradio.fr).

Musical Influence

As one of Dixiefrog's most recorded artists, Toussaint has helped anchor a genuinely Chicago-rooted harmonica tradition within French blues, learned directly from American veterans rather than at second hand (Source: nicowaynetoussaint.com).

Formative experiences

  • •1992: First trip to the United States (Source: nicowaynetoussaint.com).
  • •March 1997: Recorded debut album "C'est Si Bon" in Minneapolis (Source: nicowaynetoussaint.com).
  • •2003: Voted best blues harmonica player at the Trophées France Blues (Source: jazzradio.fr).
  • •2011: Collaborated with Fred Chapellier and Neal Black (Source: fredchapellier.fr).

Watch & Listen

Featured

NICO WAYNE TOUSSAINT QUARTET - live Festival Coutras Jazz Vibration

Sabine SIMONNET

Watch & Listen

Henter videoer fra YouTube…

Press & quotes

"Ce nouvel opus se vit pleinement et réchauffe le coeur"
rocknforce.com · Music publication — rocknforce.com
"Sans doute l'une de ses meilleures productions, et aussi l'une de ses plus personnelles à ce jour."
Patrick Dallongeville · Music journalist — Paris Move
"Proche d'un James Cotton, le frenchy aligne ici ses nouvelles compos dans une ambiance juke joint enfumé"
Philippe Langlest · Music journalist — Rolling Stone
"Son Big Band fait sonner les harmonies et tout sonne authentique."
Stéphane C. Jonathan · Music journalist · 2024 — Sud Ouest Dimanche

Discography

YearTitleProducerStudioLabelChartSalesMusiciansYouTubeNotes
1997C'est Si Bon——Dixiefrog———Debut, recorded in Minneapolis. Source: nicowaynetoussaint.com.
1998My Kind of Blues——Dixiefrog———
2007Southern Wind Blowin'——Dixiefrog———Tribute to Southern US music. Source: absmag.fr.

Famous songs

01C'est Si Bon (1997, debut album, recorded in Minneapolis)
02My Kind of Blues (1998)
03Southern Wind Blowin' (2007)

Awards & Recognition

2003
Trophées France Blues
Best blues harmonica player
2021
France Blues Hall of Fame
Inducted

External links

Booking / Contact

Booking agency
Not publicly available
Agent/management
Not publicly available
Booking email
Not publicly available
Booking phone
Not publicly available

Kontakt/booking via offisielt kontaktskjema. Ingen offentlig booking-e-post/telefon funnet.

Source

Are you the artist, or do you represent the band or booking agency? We want the booking information here to always be accurate and current. Please send us the correct details via our contact form, and we'll update the profile as soon as possible. Go to the contact form

Sources

Keep SlowBlues independent. Official merch — wear the blues.

Shop merch