Nioka Workman

BIONIOKA WORKMAN is an innovative cellist from a family of celebrated bassists, uncle Arthur Harper (J.J. Johnson) and  father Reggie Workman (John Coltrane). Nioka has developed a distinct, original style of her own on acoustic and electric cellos.  She performs regularly  with her band, Firey String Sistas. Appearing most recently at the Schomburg Center’s Women’s Festival 2020 featuring Dyane Harvey and Women Of The Calabash. Their recent CD, "That's What She Said" is still receiving national and international acclaim. Her work can be heard on the  CDs of R & B artist India Arie, Joe, Beyonce and DJ Rogers, to name a few. She has TV and film credits on Oxygen, Good Morning America, Saturday Night Live and for the Maid of Manhattan soundtrack. Nioka has a wide range of Jazz experiences from traditional to new music. She has recorded with Steve Coleman, Greg Osby, Miguel Zenon, Avery Brooks/Craig Harris and David Murray. On the new music scene, she has performed the work of  Anthony Braxton, Anthony Davis, Kitty Brazelton. Other highlights include a rare concert appearances with Butch Morris "Conductions" Turkey/Japan/NYC, AACM performances and at the Sons d’Hiver Festival, France with Cooper Moore’s Keyboard Project, voted Best Project in All About Jazz. Nioka has received several commissions to create live music for dance and theater. Most recently, the 2019 Bronx Council of the Arts, Art Fund Award, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, to compose music for the gHEM.in.I by Germaul Barnes.  www.niokakworkman.com