Nick Finzer portfolio of Activities
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
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
Legacy (2024)
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...
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.
Out of Focus (2021)
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.
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.
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
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.
Exposition (2013)
Live at Pinch Recording (2019)
Nick Finzer and Chris Ziemba live from Pinch Recording in Long Island City, Queens.
Live in NY (2017)
Nick Finzer & pianist Chris Ziemba play favorite standards and originals from their repertoire
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
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
Create, Connect, Repeat (2022)
Building an Artistic Business in the 21st Century
Get Ready (2019)
A Focused Warm-Up Routine for the Developing Trombonist
Get Ahead! (2013)
A Practical Guide for the Developing Jazz Trombonist
GO! (2022)
A 20 Minute “Growth Mindset” Warmup Routine
Get Set (2020)
22 Etudes to study jazz improvisation
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
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.
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.