About Nathan…
Hailing from Wichita, Kansas, Nathan Borton is a Colorado based Jazz guitar player that draws heavily from the mid-western tradition of bebop and the blues. Nathan has played and recorded with names such as: Rodney Whitaker, Michael Dease, John Webber, Diego Rivera, and Tom Knific. He has also performed at various music festivals including: the Five-Points Jazz Festival, the Detroit Jazz Festival, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, the East Lansing Jazz Festival, the Michigan Jazz Festival, and the Wichita Jazz Festival.
Nathan released his debut album, “Each Step” through Origin Records in 2022. The record, produced by Randy Napoleon gained praise from Michael Dease and Howard Paul, received many reviews, and reached the top 100 JazzWeek radio charts. Nathan was also a winner of the 2019 Wilson Center International Guitar Competition located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as placing as a finalist in 2018. He has won three Downbeat awards, one in 2023 for Best Engineering/Production, and two in 2019 for Best Graduate Jazz Soloist and Best Live Engineering/Production. He also won the Paul Carr Discovery Act Award in 2020 with the Sencalar/Glassman Quintet.
Nathan is an avid educator of music. He currently is pursuing is Doctorate degree at the University of Northern Colorado. In the past, he has taught at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI, at Hope College, in Holland, MI, and at the Michigan State Community Music School in Detroit, MI. Nathan has also taught and mentored at various camps around the nation such as: The Brevard Jazz Institute in Brevard, North Carolina and The Spectrum Music Camp in East Lansing, Michigan. Durning the COVID-19 lockdown Nathan started an educational YouTube channel, which has sense grown into an international Jazz hub providing information for students around the world. He has collaborated with many famous educators includes Jens Larson and Christiaan Van Hemert.
-Nathan is a proud endorser of Benedetto Guitars in Savannah, GA.
“Borton makes being a hip, swinging, soulful guitar player, relevant again.”
-MICHAEL DEASE
“Nathan is a rare talent who has mastered jazz pedagogy, technique, tone and that oh-so-hard-to-capture feel that makes him a complete guitarist. Nathan is exactly the kind of young guitarist that Benedetto seeks to usher in the next generation jazz guitarist.”
-HOWARD PAUL
“Nathan has the patience and maturity of a player many years his senior. His phrasing is excellent and he isn’t afraid to let his beautiful tone ring out. The future of this music is in good hands if Nathan is any indication.”
-XAVIER DAVIS
EXPERIENCE
University of Northern Colorado — Greeley, CO — Doctorate Teaching Assistant: Teaches Applied Jazz Lessons and Combos, Festival Coordinator for J.E.N Student Board, Recording Assistant with Socrates Gracia. 2022-23
Hope College — Holland, MI — Jazz Guitar Professor: Taught Applied Lessons, Guitar Methods Class, Jazz and Latin Jazz Combos. 2020-22
Saint Thomas Aquinas College — Grand Rapids, MI — Jazz Guitar Professor: Taught Applied Lessons, Yearly Jazz Summer Camp. 2019-22
Michigan State University Community Music School — Detroit, MI — Jazz Guitar Faculty: Taught Group Lessons, Transcription Class, and Combos. 2021-22
HIGHLIGHTED RECORDINGS
Nathan Borton — Each Step, Featuring: Xavier Davis - Piano, Rodney Whitaker - Bass, Keith Hall - Drums, Diego Rivera - Tenor Saxophone, Chris Glassman - Bass Trombone. January 2022.
Sencalar/Glassman Quintet — Realization, Altin Sencalar - Tenor Trombone, Chris Glassman - Bass Trombone, Nathan Borton - guitar, Addison Frei - paino, Rodney Whitaker - bass, Zachary Adleman - drums. October 2020.
Sencalar/Glassman Quintet — The Solitude Sessions, Altin Sencalar - Tenor Trombone, Chris Glassman - Bass Trombone, Nathan Borton - guitar, Addison Frei - paino, Luther Allison - paino, Brandon Rose - bass, Zachary Adleman - drums
EDUCATION
University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO — Doctor of Music and Arts (DMA) 2022-Present
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI — Master of Music (MM) 2017-2019
Friends University, Wichita, KS — Bachelor of Music (BM) 2011-2016
Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA — Completed multiple semesters of course work 2014-15
APPEARANCES WITH
Rodney Whitaker Debut record ‘Each Step’ and Sencalar/Glassman performances and recordings
John Webber Lisa Sung’s ‘Half Moon’ and Live Performances
Diego Rivera Debut record ‘Each Step’ and Diego Rivera Quartet
DISTINCTIONS
Endorsing Artist, Benedetto Guitar, Savannah, GA. 2020-23
Endorsing Artist, Origin/OA2 Records, Seattle, WA. 2021-23
3rd Place Winner, Wilson Center International Guitar Competition, Milwaukee, WI 2019
Paul Carr Discover Act Winner, with Sencalar/Glassman Quintet
Downbeat Student Artist Award, “Outstanding Performance-Jazz Soloist” 2019