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The Jazz Orchestra Volume 1

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Nick Finzer

Label: Outside in Music
Released: 2025
Views: 223

Tracks

Say When; The Guru; Lament; We the People; Again and Again; Just Passed the Horizon.

Personnel

Additional Personnel / Information

Michael Thomas: Alto Saxophone; Jordan Pettay: Alto Saxophone; Evan Harris: Tenor Saxophone; Tony Lustig: Baritone Saxophone; Augie Haas: Trumpet; Anthony Hervey: Trumpet; Nadje Noordhuis: Trumpet; Chloe Rowlands: Trumpet; Rob Edwards: Trombone; James Burton III: Trombone; Sara Jacovino: Trombone; Altin Sencalar: Bass Trombone.

Album Description

Trombonist, composer, and bandleader Nick Finzer is proud to announce the release of his first full-length big band album, The Jazz Orchestra Volume 1, on August 22, 2025. Featuring an all-star lineup of New York’s finest rising star jazz musicians, the album pays tribute to the rich history of the jazz orchestra while offering a fresh, contemporary voice in the large ensemble tradition. Finzer’s journey toward a big band recording was organic rather than intentional, stemming from years of composing and arranging for the format. “I never set out to make a big band album,” he reflects, “but over time, I realized that I had built a collection of pieces that I truly loved for the jazz orchestra. Duke Ellington was my earliest and biggest inspiration to get into this music — and his ability to write for individual players rather than just instruments is something I’ve always admired and aspired to as a bandleader.” This recording is a product of the post-pandemic era, captured in a single-day session in 2022 through a grant from the University of North Texas. With a carefully curated ensemble of top-tier musicians, the project came together in a fast-paced single day setting that captured the raw energy and spontaneity of the music. The album’s title, The Jazz Orchestra Volume 1, reflects Finzer’s conscious effort to contribute to the innovative and ever-evolving trajectory of large ensemble jazz. “The term ‘big band’ still carries associations with dance music from the ’20s and ’30s,” he explains. “While I love that history, this music isn’t about nostalgia—it’s about continuing to evolve the jazz orchestra tradition.” This release also marks the beginning of an ongoing journey, as the “Volume 1” in the title suggests. “I hope this is the first of many big band recordings in my catalog,” says Finzer.