Alex Nollan

Alex Nollan is an exciting up-and-coming jazz pianist and composer fortunate to have studied for five years with the legendary Donald Brown– the multiple-Grammy-nominated composer and musician who will be producing his first album. Brown continues to be his inspiration and mentor. Among the cities in which Nollan has performed are Pensacola, Gulf Shores, New Orleans, Orlando, Chicago, Memphis, Lubbock, and Knoxville.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee in the heart of the soul, blues, and rock scenes, Nollan began studying classical piano at the age of eight at the Rhodes College Music Academy. In high school at St. Benedict at Auburndale he discovered his affinity for jazz: he was accepted into J. Thomas Link’s SBA Jazz Ensemble course, which met five days a week for four years. The SBA Jazz Ensemble performed regularly in the high school’s professional concert series each year, winning several international awards in Downbeat Magazine’s competitions—including Best Pop, Rock, Blues Band.
During these years Nollan started studying with his first private jazz teacher, international performer and recording artist Michael Jefrey Stevens, who was instrumental in encouraging him to apply to Middle Tennessee State University for Jazz Studies. There Nollan had the privilege of being in the same department as Don Aliquo and Tom Giampietro. After one year he transferred to the University of Memphis, where he studied jazz piano with Gerald Stephens and also with the great Tim Goodwin. Eventually he transferred to Rhodes College, where he continued studying with Stephens. There he played in the Rhodes Big Band, led by professor and guitarist John Bass. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music (concentration in Jazz Studies) in 2013.
After graduation Nollan took one year off to do additional work in jazz. He studied with Stax Academy teacher Stephen Lee, traveled regularly to Knoxville for lessons with jazz master Donald Brown, and had lessons each week in Memphis with the famous Tony Thomas (who had played with the Temptations!).
Among the highlights of Nollan’s music studies was a personal invitation to him and his family by Sergei Rachmaninoff’s grandson, Alexandre Rachmaninoff, to be his guests at the Ravinia Concerts in July, 2004. He kept his classical piano studies alive with lessons with Kate Stimson of Rhodes College, Samuel Viviano of the University of Memphis, and Angeline Case-Stott of the University of Memphis. In Chicago he played twice for jazz great Willie Pickins, received some coaching from Pickins. He has traveled internationally and within the U.S.: he has been to Italy, Germany, and Russia several times, and in the U.S. journeyed to many states in the union.
In 2014 Nollan was accepted into graduate school in the School of Music at the University of Tennessee. He took Master’s level courses in Jazz Studies for four years, training intensively with Donald Brown. Nollan’s first album (see News Stories) will include two of his original compositions, as well as performances by Don Aliquo, Michael Jefry Stevens, Renardo Ward, and Neal Bowen.
Nollan will be based in Lubbock for the foreseeable future. He has formed the jazz ensemble The Memphis-Lubbock Underground (see News Stories), which consists of himself on piano / keyboard, James Pendell on drums, and Dustin Pedigo on string bass.