Nathan Borton
Programs
Jazz Institute
Nathan Borton is a Colorado-based jazz guitarist rooted in the rich traditions of Midwestern bebop and blues, with origins tracing back to Wichita, Kansas. A dynamic performer and recording artist, Borton has shared stages and studios with luminaries like Rodney Whitaker, Michael Dease, Janis Siegel, and Diego Rivera, and has graced prestigious festivals nationwide, including the Detroit Jazz Festival, Five-Points Jazz Festival, and Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival.
In 2022, he released his critically acclaimed debut album, Each Step (OA2 Records), produced by Randy Napoleon. Praised by icons like Michael Dease and Howard Paul, the album soared into JazzWeek’s Top 100 radio charts, cementing his place among jazz’s rising stars. Some of Borton’s accolades include three DownBeat Awards (Best Engineering/Production, 2023; Best Graduate Jazz Soloist and Live Engineering/Production, 2019), the 2020 Paul Carr Discovery Act Award with the Sencalar/Glassman Quintet, and back-to-back honors at the Wilson Center International Guitar Competition (2018 Finalist, 2019 Top 3 Winner).
An impassioned educator, Borton is pursuing his Doctorate at the University of Northern Colorado. He has taught at Aquinas College, Hope College, and Michigan State’s Community Music School, while mentoring at renowned programs like the Brevard Jazz Institute and Spectrum Music Camp. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he launched a YouTube channel that blossomed into a global jazz education hub with over 30K subscribers and 2.5 million channel views, collaborating with elite educators such as Jens Larson and Christiaan Van Hemert to inspire students worldwide.
Nathan is a proud endorser of Benedetto Guitars and Stringjoy Strings.