Utica High School senior named one of state’s top student jazz musicians

UTICA — Utica High School senior drummer Nick Frazier was named an Outstanding Jazz Musician at this year’s Michigan State Band and Orchestra Jazz Festival.

The Michigan State Band and Orchestra Jazz Festival, held on March 25 this year, is a part of the Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association’s various programs and competitions. The association’s jazz festival provides opportunities for students to perform with their respective bands and be evaluated by judges on their sight-reading abilities and general performance skills.

This is the second straight year that a Utica High School student has been honored as one of the state’s best jazz players. UHS 2025 graduate Matt Elechicon was honored last year for his performance on the piano. Also, the entire Utica High School band received the top rating from the three judges — a first division rating and all A’s.

“So, we go to the state jazz band festival for the MSBOA. . . . We play three or four pieces and then at the end of the night, the judging panel gets together and says which kids at this would we consider to be . . . the best of the best in the whole state — kids that deserve special recognition,” Utica High School band teacher Brett Bays said. “So, Nick got to play a couple of features on the drum set as part of our three pieces, and so they chose him as one of the standouts from our site.”

Frazier joined the UHS drum line four years ago and has been performing in the jazz band for the past three years. He has been performing music since he was 5 years old, starting on the piano before he transitioned to the drums four years ago and became involved in performing jazz.

“I started when I was, like, 5- or 6-years-old with piano, and then, over time around ninth grade, I joined the Utica drum line too, and then I just got a fascination towards jazz too, and I just started that up pretty quick,” Frazier said.

He lists his favorite drummers as Stuart Copeland, of the Police; Neil Peart, of Rush; and Chad Smith, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Frazier said that he likes the creativity of being a drummer and being able to do whatever he wants to during drum solo parts of musical pieces, especially in terms of controlling the tempo.

“My primary, I like to listen to rock. but I don’t mind jazz drumming for the most part of it,” Frazier said.

Frazier said he plans to continue performing in small jazz groups, even as he begins to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. He said he plans to focus on the mechanics of sound.

For more information, visit uticak12.org.