LEGACY QUARTET
Trombonist Nick Finzer celebrates jazz legend J.J. Johnson’s centennial with Legacy featuring Johnson’s long standing band members:
Renee Rosnes (piano), Rufus Reid (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums)
Outside in Music is thrilled to announce the release of Legacy, a joyous centennial celebration of the legendary J.J. Johnson by admired trombonist, composer, educator and label founder Nick Finzer. Known as one of jazz’s most profound luminaries, J.J. Johnson is considered one of the most influential and pioneering trombonists in jazz history. Legacy assembles Johnson’s original band members including pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Rufus Reid, and drummer Lewis Nash, and was recorded at the iconic Rudy Van Gelder studios in Englewood, NJ, where Johnson himself recorded many of his classic albums. Featuring a host of arrangements of Johnson’s compositions, pieces from his regular songbook, and Finzer’s own originals that exemplify Johnson’s distinctive style, Legacy is not merely a tribute album, but stands as a testament to the ever-present and transformative influence Johnson still has today.
Nick Finzer Quartet
Featuring some of NYC’s finest up-and-coming jazz greats in the making, Nick’s quartet has been featured across the globe from NYC to Los Angeles, Austin to Chicago, and across Europe.
Nick Finzer’s Hear & Now
Nick’s long-standing sextet, Hear & Now, features some of the finest rising stars of the New York jazz scene: Lucas Pino (saxophone and bass clarinet), Alex Wintz (guitar), Glenn Zaleski (piano), Dave Baron (bass), and Jimmy Macbride (drums). Together, this ensemble has defined a signature sound over more than a decade of collaboration.
The 2023 album Dreams, Visions, and Illusions is the culmination of this remarkable journey, marking over ten years since the release of their debut album, Exposition (2013). Funded by a prestigious Chamber Music America “New Jazz Works” grant awarded in 2021, this latest project is both a reflection on the ensemble’s growth and an exploration of the role of the muse in the creative process.
Through evocative compositions, the album delves into the emotional highs and lows of artistic inspiration, the perpetual search for the unknown, and the challenges of navigating a future that is often uncertain and obscured. Dreams, Visions, and Illusions is a testament to the enduring artistry and vision of Finzer’s music.
Listen:
Nick Finzer Big Band
Featuring some of New York City’s most promising rising stars, Nick’s Big Band made its debut at the renowned Birdland Jazz Club and is already garnering attention for its vibrant energy and artistry. With their first album slated for release in 2025, the ensemble is poised to make a lasting mark in the years to come.
To Dream a Bigger Dream
LAMENT
The Brass Orchestra
The Brass Orchestra is a groundbreaking project that reimagines the possibilities of large ensemble jazz by spotlighting the underappreciated legacy of trombonist and composer J.J. Johnson. Through performances of excerpts from Johnson’s seminal works, Perceptions and Poem for Brass, alongside newly commissioned works inspired by his innovations, this program explores the rich sonorities of the brass orchestra—a rarely utilized configuration at the intersection of jazz and classical music.
In collaboration with GRAMMY-winning composer, bandleader, and producer Ryan Truesdell, the project fosters collaboration between jazz and classical disciplines, bringing together musicians of many disciplines to celebrate and expand upon Johnson’s pioneering contributions to the “third stream” movement. The Brass Orchestra showcases the bold creativity and boundless potential of this unique instrumentation.