Nir Felder (born December 30, 1982) is an American jazz and session guitarist, composer, and record producer. In addition to leading his own band, Felder has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists across the jazz and popular music genre spectrum. In both 2021 and 2023, he won DownBeat 's Critic's Poll for "Rising Star Guitarist."
Early life Nir Felder was born December 30, 1982, at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City's Washington Heights neighborhood. After living between Washington Heights, Harlem, and Manhattan's Upper West Side, his family moved to the New York City suburbs of Hartsdale, New York in 1987 and Katonah, New York in 1994.
He attended John Jay High School from 1997 to 2001 and the Berklee College of Music from 2001 to 2005.Hindin, Zach (March 27, 2014). Nir Felder: Putting Musical Storytelling Ahead of Chops. JazzTimes. Retrieved July 1, 2014. While at Berklee he was the recipient of the Billboard Endowed Scholarship, as well as the college's Jimi Hendrix Award, and Stephen D. Holland Award.
Career In 2010, Felder was lauded as the "next big jazz guitarist" by NPR. In 2013, Felder signed to Sony Masterworks and released his first solo album Golden Age under their Okeh imprint in 2014.Jackson, Josh. (September 2, 2010). Nir Felder: Introducing The Next Big Jazz Guitarist. NPR. Retrieved February 13, 2014.Barton, Chris. (January 21, 2014). Album Review: Nir Felder's 'Golden Age'. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
His second album II was released by Ropeadope Records in 2020, followed by another album, entitled III, released by La Reserve in 2024.
Educational Felder has been a faculty member at The New School's College of Performing Arts since 2016 and an associate professor at Berklee College of Music since 2020.
He has also taught at Italy's Fondazione Siena Jazz since 2012, at workshops at the Banff Centre and in Langnau, Switzerland and given masterclasses at Arnhem Conservatory, the Cultural Center de Belem, the University of Southern California, Los Angeles College of Music, the University of North Texas, Hunter College, Humber College, the University of Toronto, the University of Wisconsin–Parkside, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, the CENART National Center for The Arts in Mexico City, and many others.
Film, television, and Broadway appearances Felder appears in the Netflix special Ben Platt Live from Radio City Music Hall accompanying Ben Platt. He has also performed with various musical acts on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CBS Saturday Morning, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center, Good Morning America, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Late Show with James Corden, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Today Show, the US Open Tennis Championships, as well as in the house bands of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Maya & Marty shows.
He has played in the pit orchestras of the Broadway shows Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, The Book of Mormon and & Juliet, as well as participating in workshops for upcoming shows.
He also appears on NPR's popular video series Tiny Desk, accompanying Keyon Harrold, PJ Morton, and Robert Glasper.
Awards and honors In 2010, Felder was called "The Next Big Jazz Guitarist" by NPR. The station also occasionally uses Felder's song "Bandits" as theme music on several of its shows, including Fresh Air hosted by Terry Gross.
In 2013, Felder won a Grammy Award for his work as guitarist on Terri Lyne Carrington's Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue, awarded "Best Jazz Instrumental Album".
He has also played on multiple other Grammy-nominated recordings, including Keyon Harrold's Foreverland, and Rachel Eckroth's The Garden.
In both 2021 and 2023, he won DownBeat'''s Critic's Poll for "Rising Star Guitarist".
Equipment Felder mainly plays a 1995 Made-In-Mexico Tex-Mex Fender Stratocaster guitar, which he purchased in 1996 at age 13. He uses a custom pedalboard designed by Johnny Gomez in Los Angeles, and various Marshall, Fender, and Vox amplifiers. He is endorsed by Taylor Guitars, Paul Reed Smith Guitars, Yamaha, Moollon Guitars, F Bass, Richard Heeres, D'addario Strings, Moody Leather Straps, Universal Audio, and Jerry Harvey Audio.
Discography As leader Golden Age (Sony Masterworks, 2014) II (Ropeadope, 2020) III (La Reserve, 2024)
As sideman
Notes
References
Further reading Chinen, Nate. (July 12, 2013). Jazz. The New York Times. 162(56195): 15. Garelick, Jon. (January 28, 2014). Nir Felder, 'Golden Age'. The Boston Globe. Katzif, Michael. (February 4, 2014). Watch Jazz Guitarist Nir Felder Play Live At Rockwood. Soundcheck. WNYC. Lockwood, Wayne. (February 4, 2014). Record Store Tuesday: Guitarist Nir Felder forges his own "Golden Age" with debut CD. Daily News. Retrieved February 14, 2014. Orr, Dacey. (November 21, 2013). Song Premiere: Nir Felder – "Lights". Paste. Simon, Travis. Kogan, Josh. (March 5, 2014). Undergrowth Episode 36 – Nir Felder. The Undergrowth''.