Guest Artist Recital: Nick Finzer on Trombone

Jazz trombonist Nick Finzer will give a guest artist recital in Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall on Monday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. Finzer will be joined by J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences Department of Music's Jake Hertzog on guitar and Chris Teal on drums with Drew Packard on bass.

The concert is free and open to the public, and will include works by Stevie Wonder and Duke Ellington along with compositions by Finzer.

An award-winning composer, arranger and trombonist, Finzer aims to bring the joy and power of Jazz to both traditional fans and modern 21st century audiences. 

Born into the musical world (Mom Sherry Finzer is an international flutist), Finzer developed a fascination for the music of Duke Ellington and found himself, in high school, performing at the annual Essentially Ellington competition of Jazz at Lincoln Center. It was then that he decided to pursue a life in music himself. His budding talent was recognized by Wycliffe Gordon who began a life-long mentorship by writing four pieces for the young Finzer while he attended the Eastman School of Music. Nick went on to get his masters at Juilliard's prestigious Jazz program where he was mentored by the trombone legend Steve Turre. 

In 2011 Finzer was the winner of the Eastern Trombone Workshop's National Jazz Trombone Competition and was a finalist in the 2010 International Trombone Association's Carl Fontana Jazz Trombone Competition. 

In January of 2013, Finzer released his recording debut as a bandleader and composer with "Exposition" (Outside In Music). Two tracks appearing on the album garnered Finzer a pair of accolades: The prestigious American Society of Composers and Performers (ASCAP)'s Herb Alpert Award for young composers (2013 & 2015). 

In 2014, Nick composed a new album-length work, "The Chase." Nick's sophomore album debuted in July of 2015 on Origin Records to rave reviews, a feature article in Downbeat Magazine, and peaked at No. 6 on the JazzWeek Charts. 

Famed trombonist and mentor Wycliffe Gordon called Finzer, "a new voice [in] the pantheon of upcoming trombone greats in the making," and added, "Nick's CD is a glowing example of things to come." 

When away from NYC, Finzer can be found touring the globe not only with his own projects, but as part of YouTube sensation, Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox. Finzer has joined the group on television, in viral videos with millions of views, and on tours across North America, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.  

Finzer has performed at top Jazz clubs and concert halls with Wynton Marsalis' Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Lucas Pino's No Net Nonet, Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Project, Bob Stewart's Double Quartet, Frank Wess, Terrell Stafford, Lewis Nash, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Walt Weiskopf, Slide Hampton, Frank Kimbrough, Carl Allen, Steve Turre and many more.