Nick Finzer portfolio of Activities

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University of North Texas

Assistant Professor of Jazz Trombone (2018 - Present)

  • Jazz Trombone Studio, Lessons, Departmental

  • Director, UNT U-Tubes; Award Winning Jazz Trombone Ensemble

  • Jazz Improvisation 2

  • Jazz Performance Fundamentals for Jazz Trombonists

  • Artistic Director and Founder, UNT JTBN Day & International Jazz Trombone Competition

  • Director, Three O’Clock Lab Band (2019 - 2021)

  • Chair of Music Business Search Committee (Spring 2022)

  • Director of North Texas Jazz (UNT’s in-house record label for releasing student recordings)


Syllabi for Courses Taught

To see the curriculum transformation by the “Improvisation Curriculum Committee” see the prior class format by reviewing this older syllabus.


Florida State University

Visiting Professor of Jazz Trombone (2014 - 2016)

  • Designed and Implemented Graduate Jazz Improvisation Class

  • Led Jazz Orchestra II

  • Jazz Trombone and Composition Lessons/Studio

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Albums as a Leader

J.J. Johnson was a true force of innovation on the trombone. As my mentor Steve Turre mentioned many times, J.J. did for the trombone what Charlie Parker did for the saxophone. J.J. translated the clarity, precision, and velocity of bebop onto the trombone - all while maintaining a great SOUND on the horn. Aside from his playing, J.J. was a master composer, writing countless tunes and arrangements for albums, and later in his career many expanded works for movie scores and large brass orchestras. His range of output is truly astounding.

Recorded at the Legendary Rudy Van Gelder Studios in Englewood, NJ. The site of many of JJ’s recordings. Produced by GRAMMY-winning producer, Arranger, and leader of the Gil Evans Project: Ryan Truesdell

Black and white photo of a man playing the trombone, wearing headphones, in a room with a wooden ceiling. It is the cover of Nick Finzer's album "Legacy"

Legacy (2024)

Collage with a man's profile, abstract shapes, a mountain landscape, and ocean waves, including the words "Dreams," "Visions," "Illusions." It is the cover of Nick Finzer's album "Dreams Visions Illusions"

Dreams, Visions, Illusions (2023)

The new album project Dreams, Visions, and Illusions from Trombonist Nick Finzer is a culmination of over ten years of leading his sextet “Hear & Now” (whose first album, “Exposition” was released in January 2013) featuring Lucas Pino on Tenor Saxophone and Bass Clarinet, Alex Wintz on Guitar, Glenn Zaleski on Piano, Dave Baron on Bass, and Jimmy Macbride on drums. The new album is the result of a Chamber Music America “New Jazz Works” grant received by the ensemble in 2020. The album set out to explore the role of the muse in a creative life. The ups and the downs, a sense of searching for the unknown, and navigating a world in which the future is so often veiled and confusing.

Each of us responds and develops along our journey with the influence of the people we meet along our path. We follow, we depart, we react, and we grow in myriad ways based on the experiences we encounter. Our expectations of reality are often met with a different truth. We laugh, we cry, we celebrate, we learn, and we forge our own path on the shoulders of those who came before us. We are both the sum of our experience and the product of our influences. We are who we choose to embrace. The new album from Nick Finzer and Hear & Now explore the characters and the journey that make us who are...

Animated illustration of six diverse characters in a grid, with the caption 'CAST OF CHARACTERS' at the top. The characters include women and men with distinct styles, set against colorful backgrounds.

Cast of Characters (2020)

When 2020 shook his plans up, jazz trombonist Nick Finzer decided to make the most of the time to work on his craft in a new way. Via remote collaboration, Nick recorded several new arrangements of some favorite compositions including the Jazz Classic and Hoagy Carmichael essential "Stardust", Pat Metheny's iconic "Bright Size Live", Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo" & "Star Crossed Lovers", as well we new solo takes on several jazz standards. "Out of Focus" features Finzer's arranging and improvisation prowess, with groups from solo trombone, to a classic jazz quartet, to a 15 trombone collaboration - leaving something for every listener on this one.

Album cover for Nick Finzer's album 'Out of Focus' featuring colorful blurred lights against a dark background.

Out of Focus (2021)

Musicians performing live on stage in a dimly lit venue with purple and blue lighting. Cover of Nick Finzer's Hear & Now Live in NYC

Hear & Now Live in NYC (2018)

Live versions of Nick’s album “No Arrival” from Subculture in New York City featuring Lucas Pino, Glenn Zaleski, Dave Baron, Alex Wintz, and Jimmy Macbride

Trombonist Nick Finzer reaches for the beauty of new vistas and explores the mysteries of unexpected destinations with his new album No Arrival. Finzer's sound is solid and extraordinarily well-centered, his articulation sharp, and his command of the idiom is complete. The depth of his artistry is considerable, and while the music is definitely straight forward and rooted in the tradition with some hard swinging highlights, the session is also elegantly lyrical and evocative of a more modern jazz sensibility. Listeners will enjoy the wide emotional range of Finzer s brilliant original compositions and arrangements as they are presented with the able and captivating assistance of a solid group of musicians, including reedman extraordinaire Lucas Pino, guitarist Alex Wintz, pianist Victor Gould, bassist Dave Baron and drummer Jimmy Macbride.

Album cover featuring a close-up of Nick Finzer playing the saxophone, with the title 'No Arrival' and the artist's name in blue and orange text.

No Arrival (2018)

Hear & Now expresses the energy and emotions of the early 21st century human experience. There is an inherent dichotomy to life today. The income gap is widening, digital and real-life are becoming more integrated, and at the same time are more isolating. All the while, there is a looming feeling of history's tragedies rearing their ugly, cyclical, heads. The compositions on Hear & Now" take the listener on a journey from high energy, to self- reflection, and looking ahead to a brighter future.

Man in a suit holding a trombone against a light gray background, with text for Nick Finzer's album 'Hear & Now' and listing contributing artists.

Hear & Now (2017)

With a wide-ranging resume that includes performances with Frank Wess, Lew Tabackin, and Terrell Stafford, tours with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Carnegie Hall with Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Project, New York trombonist/composer Nick Finzer brings a wealth of defining musical experiences to his second recording as a leader. The Juilliard-trained composer's 10 original compositions are brought to life by some of the city's best and brightest young improvisers: saxophonist Lucas Pino, pianist Glenn Zaleski, guitarist Alex Wintz, bassist Dave Baron, and drummer Jimmy Macbride

Album cover for Nick Finzer's 'The Chase' featuring a man holding a trombone, standing on a road with trees in the background, overlaid with abstract red and orange artwork and a world map.

The Chase (2015)

With the release of Exposition trombonist Nick Finzer delivers a debut album announcing in no uncertain terms the addition to the international jazz community of a virtuoso instrumentalist, versatile improviser and a composer with the ability to pay tribute to the illustrious jazz heritage that inspires him while expanding the tradition's stylistic horizons.

A man in a suit holding a trumpet, standing outdoors with the sun behind him. Text on the image reads 'Nick Finzer Exposition.'

Exposition (2013)

A blue and white album cover for Nick Finzer & Chris Ziemba's live recording at Pinch Recording, featuring two large circles and barcode designs.

Live at Pinch Recording (2019)

Nick Finzer and Chris Ziemba live from Pinch Recording in Long Island City, Queens.

A graphic with a blue cityscape background, featuring the names 'nick finzer' and 'chris ziemba' in white and light blue text, and the phrase 'live in New York' in white and blue text.

Live in NY (2017)

Nick Finzer & pianist Chris Ziemba play favorite standards and originals from their repertoire

The cover of a music album titled 'Live in Memphis' by Nick Finzer and Chris Ziemba, featuring colorful text and an image of a person in a dark setting.

Nick Finzer & Chris Ziemba Live in Memphis (2016)

Nick Finzer & pianist Chris Ziemba play favorite standards and originals from their repertoire, live from Memphis Tennessee

A jazz band performing live in a studio, with multiple musicians playing saxophones and other instruments, and a banner in the background reading '#HEAR&NOW Live at Bunker Studios.'

Live at Bunker Studios (2018)

Nick Finzer’s Hear & Now plays live versions of several classics from the band’s repertoire. Featuring Lucas Pino, Alex Wintz, Glenn Zaleski, Dave Baron and Jimmy Macbride.


Video Projects

Each video below is linked a YouTube Playlist of all videos associated with each project.

Dreams Visions Illusions (In-Studio)

Out of Focus (Album Project and Live Streams)

Cast of Characters (In Studio)

Cast of Characters Live from Denton (Live Album)

Nick Finzer & Chris Ziemba Duo (In Studio Album)

Hear & Now Live in New York City (Live Album)

Hear & Now Plays Chick Corea’s Now He Sings, Now He Sobs

Hear & Now Plays Herbie Hancock’s Speak Like a Child

Hear & Now (from Album, In-Studio Videos)

Hear & Now plays The Chase Live in Studio

Nick Finzer’s Ten Year Suite (Live from Shapeshifter Lab NYC)

commissioned by the Institute for Creative Music

Nick Finzer & Chris Ziemba Duo (Live in Memphis and more)


selected Albums as a Sideman


Publications

Books

Book cover titled "Create Connect Repeat!" by Nick Finzer, with subtitle "Building an Artistic Business in the 21st Century," featuring a grid of colorful geometric shapes in blue, purple, and green.

Create, Connect, Repeat (2022)

Building an Artistic Business in the 21st Century

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Get Ready (2019)

A Focused Warm-Up Routine for the Developing Trombonist

get ahead 8.5x11_Front_Cover.jpg

Get Ahead! (2013)

A Practical Guide for the Developing Jazz Trombonist

Book cover titled "Go! Go! Go!" with subtitle "A 20 Minute Growth Mindset Warmup Routine" by Nick Finzer, featuring colorful distressed text on a dark background.

GO! (2022)

A 20 Minute “Growth Mindset” Warmup Routine

Orange and yellow book cover titled 'GET SET! 22 Etudes to study improvisation' by Nick Finzer, featuring abstract graphics and musical imagery.

Get Set (2020)

22 Etudes to study jazz improvisation

Cover of a book titled 'Get Language' by Nick Finzer, featuring a blue background and the subtitle '150 language ideas in 5 levels.'

Get Language (2020)

Bebop language ideas developed across five levels of harmonic complexity.

Currently in draft stages for Fall 2023 Publication: “Frameworks for Jazz Improvisation: The Essence of Bebop Language Volume 1” a textbook to accompany the UNT Jazz Division Improvisation 2 class.


Online Courses

The Drone Course

The Rhythm Changes Series 1 Course will teach you all of the essentials around the Rhythm Changes through real-world practices! Learning tunes, learning to improvise using the tools in the melodies, and learning idiomatic jazz language 1 on 1! If you've struggled to learn or feel comfortable improvising over the Rhythm Changes, this course will be a great jump start for your journey!

Exploring the diminished sound is an essential part of the bebop language and vocabulary. In this course, Nick dives deep into what the diminished is, how to use it, and why it is an essential element to your life as a jazz improvisor.

The Blues (part 1)

A 5 Day intensive program where Nick guides students through a strategic roadmap to build brand, awareness, and marketing of their artistry.

Music Marketing Roadmap

I created this course to take a deep dive into both the fundamentals of intonation and the practical usage of that good intonation to internalize and improvise in the modes of Major and Melodic Minor (which make up a LOT of the music we play in all musical worlds).

The Course is a resource for deepening your relationship with SOUND and using your ears as your guide. You will not only improve your intonation in all keys, but you’ll also learn to externalize the sound of the modes of the Major and Melodic Minor scales.

The course is made up of deep dives into all of this information, as well as practical exercises that you can work into your daily routine - whether you are an improviser or not!

Rhythm Changes Vol. 1

The dynamic online course companion to the 2013 book, “Get Ahead” Nick walks the students through each part of the learning process, and provides guidance on how to best utilize the material within the course.

Get Ahead Course

The Diminished (part 1)

In this course, Nick walks the students through the many variations of the blues. Students learn tunes by ear, and strategies to make each blues improvisation unique to the context of each composition.

King Trombones Masterclass

In this collaboration with Conn-Selmer/King Trombones, Nick teaches some basics of jazz improvisation.

In this course, Nick walks students through his process for establishing goals, and making plans to see them through. This can be done at the start of the academic year or calendar year, both prove extremely fruitful.

Goal setting course


Initiatives

A man sitting on a chair, holding a microphone and headphones, with promotional text for Nick Finzer's audio experience, including his name, events, and lessons.

The Nick Finzer Audio Experience is Nick’s podcast initiative to reach listeners with a variety of informational and entertaining content. The episodes highlight performances, interviews, and educational discussion on a wide variety of topics including jazz improvisation, trombone, music business, career advice, and more.


Black and white photo of a man in a suit sitting on a chair, holding a trombone and a trumpet, promoting Jazz Trombone Bootcamp 2022 from June 13-17 with guest masterclasses, fundamentals, improvisation, and more.

Nick’s Jazz Trombone Bootcamp is a virtual event held annually from 2020 - 2022 bringing together young jazz trombone artist with legends of the instrument to facilitate their artistic development in a one week intensive. Each day featured masterclasses, warm up sessions, special topic lectures, listening sessions and individualized feedback as well as guest artists. Artists who have appeared at the camp include Wycliffe Gordon, Andre Hayward, Andy Martin, Michael Davis, Vincent Gardner, Jennifer Wharton, and more!


Trade-Alongs - in this video series I take iconic jazz tunes, and record versions where students are able to play along with me. Specifically each tune is a “trade along” meaning that we will create a “call and response” dialog between the viewer and myself - an essential skill we work on during in-person lessons.


AskNick - In this video/livestream series, I answer student and viewer questions as they pertain to building a career, improvising in jazz, learning jazz and trombone, music marketing, music business, and other fun questions along the way. What started as a pandemic project, as turned into a nice video series on my channel and is up to 113 episodes.


Jazz Trombone Video Lessons - In this rebranded version of my educational video series (perviously called “Trombone Tips”), we talk about all things jazz trombone. From technique, to improvisation, range, and more.

Trombone Tips - my original series of jazz trombone lesson videos on my YouTube channel. This series features my top viewed videos on “The Major Scale Workout” and “Trombone High Note Tips”

Create, Connect, Repeat - In this video series, Nick discusses best practices in music marketing, music business, and more. This video series led to the development and publication of his 2022 book, of the same name.


UNT JTBN Day & International Jazz Trombone Competition

The fall of 2019 saw the inaugural UNT JTBN Day, an event developed to support the UNT Jazz Trombone Studio’s recruiting efforts, create unique educational opportunities for our students, and to foster UNT’s preeminent position in jazz education. My role has been to create, manage, facilitate sponsorships, and run the International Jazz Trombone Competition for ages 30 and under. The event brings some of the best and brightest young jazz trombone talent to UNT to connect with our students. This event has been sponsored by BAC Musical Instruments, Yamaha, Conn Selmer, Hirschmann Mutes, A&R Resonance Mouthpieces, Markiniewicz, and Butler Trombones over the first four editions of the event.