University of North Texas professor's record label earns 2 Grammy Award nominations
The countdown to music's biggest night is on.
The Grammy Awards air Sunday on CBS — and a standout talent from North Texas is among the nominees.
Nick Finzer is a jazz trombonist, educator and entrepreneur at the University of North Texas. His independent record label, Outside In Music, earned two Grammy nominations in the jazz category.
Finzer, a lifelong musician, fell in love with the trombone at a young age — a passion that has taken him worldwide and onto stages alongside some of the biggest names in jazz.
"I fell in love with the sound of the instrument," Finzer said, recalling the first time he played the trombone. "I was like, 'Whoa, what's that? It's amazing.'"
Beyond performing, Finzer is dedicated to shaping the next generation of jazz artists as a professor at UNT.
"Having a mentor, someone you can go to, is an essential part of being a jazz musician," he said.
However, Finzer's influence extends beyond the classroom. He founded Outside In Music to support top-tier jazz artists and help them develop their voices and careers.
"In jazz, it's about developing your individual voice and expressing that," he said. "That was what drew me in and kept me going."
This year, his label released two albums that caught the Recording Academy's attention.
This year, his label released two albums that caught the attention of the Recording Academy. "Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence" by the Dan Pugach Big Band is nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, while the same band's track "Little Fears" is up for Best Jazz Performance.
"I am very excited for the artists and to help them build their careers at the next level," Finzer said.
Last year, his label took home its first Grammy for Best Vocal Jazz Album, and he hopes to achieve similar success this year. Still, for Finzer, simply being nominated is already a victory.
"It's already been a win," he said. "If it works out, this would just be icing on the cake."