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Jorge Nila

Class of 1973 - Inducted 2019

Jorge was inducted into the SHSAA Hall of Fame in 2019.

While attending South, Jorge became one of the original members of the Musical Group “TRAVIS”.  The group/band was the brain child of then Band Instructor Red Travis.  Jorge played tenor saxophone, flute and handled the lead vocals.  The band played clubs, homecomings, proms and concerts all over the Midwest.  In 1978, Jorge moved to New York City and performed there for 15 years, playing with Paul Simon’s “Capeman” project, the Six-time Grammy Winner Eddie Palmierie’s Latin Jazz Band, and was part of the B-52’s “The Love Shack” smash hit video. 
 
After returning to Omaha in the mid-1990’s Jorge has played every major festival in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado and Texas; as well as appearing at clubs and concerts.  Most recently, he recorded his new CD “Tenor Time” which peaked at #12 on the Jazz Week Charts.  The CD is still in the top 50, which is the standard for the polls in the industry, for 12 weeks and counting. 
 
Jorge was inducted into the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame this past summer.  
 
Along with Emmanuel Mike Vlassakis-1975 and Frank Madrigal-1976 and other musicians, Jorge has become engaged in the re-entry of the band Travis to Omaha.  They unveiled their new group to a very warm welcome at the GI Forum on 7/7 as a fundraiser for GI Forum scholarship fund.  Their second performance was at the Septemberfest on Sept. 2. 

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