Jazz pianist and composer Nelda Swiggett has been active on Seattle’s music scene since the early 90’s. Her first band, Room to Move, featured a three-horn frontline performing her original compositions. Other bands followed, including the Nelda Swiggett Quartet, the Nelda Swiggett Trio, Nelda Swiggett’s Stringtet (with viola and cello), the Megabopolis sextet, and most recently, her chamber jazz quintet with trombone and violin. She has headlined her own group performing her original music at many of the Northwest’s top jazz venues, including Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Bumbershoot, the Bellevue Jazz Festival, and the Earshot Jazz Festival.
Nelda is an award-winning composer and OA2 recording artist. Her multiple CD recordings have received rave reviews and extensive airplay around the globe. Nelda’s melodic originals draw from a long list of influences, from jazz to Afro-Cuban, to gospel, classical and more. In 1998, her talent for composition was recognized by an Artist Trust Fellowship funded by the Washington State Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2015, Nelda won the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra’s international Jazz Composition Contest for Women Composers, and her big band chart, “Cat Dreams,” debuted at the 2015 Earshot Jazz Festival. Nelda’s big band arrangements have been performed by Seattle’s nationally recognized Garfield High School Jazz Band I, the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra (SWOJO), and others.
Nelda met her future husband Clif Swiggett (and fellow Jazz Night School instructor) at a Halloween party in 1987. They’ve been playing music together ever since. Their current duo, Clif & Nelda’s little BIG Band, features Nelda on piano and vocals and Clif on trombone and percussion. Nelda’s current special project, the Alaska Suite, is inspired by the impacts of climate change, and features the emotional power of multiple mediums — her original music performed by a five-piece chamber jazz ensemble, spoken words, images and poetry.
Nelda is an award-winning composer and OA2 recording artist. Her multiple CD recordings have received rave reviews and extensive airplay around the globe. Nelda’s melodic originals draw from a long list of influences, from jazz to Afro-Cuban, to gospel, classical and more. In 1998, her talent for composition was recognized by an Artist Trust Fellowship funded by the Washington State Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2015, Nelda won the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra’s international Jazz Composition Contest for Women Composers, and her big band chart, “Cat Dreams,” debuted at the 2015 Earshot Jazz Festival. Nelda’s big band arrangements have been performed by Seattle’s nationally recognized Garfield High School Jazz Band I, the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra (SWOJO), and others.
Nelda met her future husband Clif Swiggett (and fellow Jazz Night School instructor) at a Halloween party in 1987. They’ve been playing music together ever since. Their current duo, Clif & Nelda’s little BIG Band, features Nelda on piano and vocals and Clif on trombone and percussion. Nelda’s current special project, the Alaska Suite, is inspired by the impacts of climate change, and features the emotional power of multiple mediums — her original music performed by a five-piece chamber jazz ensemble, spoken words, images and poetry.
For sound clips, videos and more, visit www.neldaswiggett.com.
