trombonist.composer.educator

Hailed by Slide Hampton as “an important future voice in jazz trombone” and “modern, forward thinking, and powerfully melodic” by JazzEd, Nick Grinder is a versatile trombonist and low brass musician in New York City. 

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Originally from San Francisco, CA, Nick has enjoyed a varied career since moving to New York in 2011. He has shared the stage or recording studio with artists such as Lorde, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Patti Labelle, DMX, St Vincent, Paquito D’Rivera, Darcy James Argue, Arturo O'Farrill, and many others. He has performed in over two dozen Broadway pits, both as a substitute and chair holder, and most recently played trombone, bass trombone, tuba, and euphonium at Parade on Broadway, the winner of the Tony Award for Best Revival. Other chairs include Beautiful, The Carol King Musical, Mr Saturday Night Feat. Billy Crystal and the upcoming Water For Elephants. Nick has also alternated between both bass and lead trombone chairs in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra since 2019.

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In television and film, he has recorded the soundtracks to The Marvelous Ms. Maisel, John Mulaney's Sack Lunch Bunch, Fosse/Verdon, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The CBS Evening News Theme, PGA Fedex Cup, ESPN's 30 for 30, Enemy, In The Heights and others.

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In the jazz world, he has performed in the Grammy award winning big bands of Arturo O'Farrill, Alan Ferber, Darcy James Argue, John Daversa, and the Mambo Legends, and has recorded as a sideman on over 40 albums. He has released two records of original compositions, Farallon and Ten Minutes, which have been described as "joyful yet intricate" by Jazziz, "highly imaginative and genuinely sincere" by Just Jazz, and having an "unassuming potent beauty" by All About Jazz. He has performed internationally with various jazz groups in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

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Nick benefits from the upbring of two artists - a ballet dancer and camera and visual effects engineer, and  was encouraged at an early age to pursue his artistic interests as often as possible. He began gigging on both trombone and acoustic bass when he was 15, and quickly realized music would play an outsized role in his life. 

 

From 2007-2011, Nick studied at Cal State Northridge in Los Angeles with jazz virtuoso Bob McChesney and studio stalwart Andy Malloy, and in 2011 he made the move to New York City, where he was offered full scholarship to NYU. At NYU he was an adjunct faculty member during his pursuit of a master’s degree, teaching both private trombone lessons and jazz ensemble classes. 

 

Nick's two albums of original compositions for small group - Ten Minutes, in 2014, and Farallon, in 2019 - have garnered positive reviews by JazzTimes, JazzEd, All About Jazz, and many other international periodicals and blogs. He has given clinics and masterclasses in composition and performance at colleges such as NYU, Sonoma State University, and CSU Northridge, as well as high schools throughout the United States. 

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For all contact, booking, lesson, or recording inquiries, please use the Contact section. Nick is available in the New York City area or worldwide for remote recording and teaching.