Blues in Blueprint presents a personal exploration of the blues as a foundational. Subtitled as "12 Variations on the Blues," the album draws on awide range of forms, grooves, and eras, bringing together traditional material, modernjazz compositions, and Nicolas's own originals into a coherent, owing program. Recorded in New York by engineer James Farber, the trio features Larry Goldings in arare acoustic piano setting alongside drummer Carl Allen, with Nicolas anchoring thegroup as bassist and leader. The repertoire moves freely from Duke Ellington andSidney Bechet to Ornette Coleman and a 19th-century hymn, emphasizing swing andinteraction while reexamining the blues through multiple perspectives. Rooted in tradition yet open in form, Blues in Blueprint presents a thoughtful, contemporary statement by an artist deeply engaged with the lineage and ongoing evolution of Jazz music.