Graduated from G.I.T (Guitar Institute of Technology, Los Angeles, USA) in 1984, Nelson Faria studied with Joe Diorio, Joe Pass, Ron Eschete, Howard Roberts, Scott Henderson and Frank Gambale. While in L.A., he also attended private lessons with the chord melody master Ted Greene.

After graduation Nelson Faria went back to Brazil and became one of the most important names on call lists for guitar workshops, clinics, seminars, recording sessions and concerts. 

At the moment, Nelson Faria is working as artist in residence for 3 Universities in Sweden: Örebro Universitet, KMH and Ingesund University.

As an educator, Nelson taught for 12 years at the Universidade Estácio de Sá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and has taught clinics on Brazilian guitar at the Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA (2001 and 2002), IAJE /2001 (International Association of Jazz Educators), New York, NY; University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA; Guitar Institute of Technology, Los Angeles, CA; Göteborgs Universitet, Goteborg, Sweden; Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY; Codarts Conservatory (Rotterdam, NL), Amsterdam Conservatory (Amsterdam, NL), Malmo Universitet (Sweden), Stockholm Royal Institute of Music (Sweden), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto-Brazil, ABEM (Associação Brasileira de Educação Musical, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Curso Internacional de verão de Brasília, Oficina de MPB de Curitiba and others.

Faria has performed in many different countries around the world including Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Israel, Indonesia, Malaysia, USA, Canada, Angola, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, England, Turkey, Netherlands, Austria, Macedonia, Bosnia, Malta, Slovenia, Estonia, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Chile, Martinique, Czech Republic and others.

He has performed and/or recorded with artists like João Bosco, Till Broenner, Ivan Lins, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Lisa Ono, Milton Nascimento, Josee Konning, Karolina Vucidolac, Lars Jansson, Cássia Eller, Baby do Brasil, Zélia Duncan, Paulo Moura, Toninho Horta, Fatima Guedes,  Leila Pinheiro, Leny Andrade, Wagner Tiso among others.

In 2001 he joined the BMI Jazz workshops under the auspices of Bolsa Virtuose-Ministério da Cultura/Brazil studying with Manny Albam, Jim McNeely and Michael Abene. He also attended private lessons with Manny Albam. 

Nelson Faria also worked as arranger and guest soloist for The Orquestra Jazz Sinfonica (SP), KMH Jazz Orchestra (Stockholm), CODARTS Jazz Orchestra (North Sea Jazz festival 2007), Orquestra Bons Fluidos (abril cultural), UMO Jazz Orchestra (Finland), Hr-Bigband (Germany), Frost Jazz Orchestra (Miami University) and others.

Nelson Faria work:

9 CDs:

• "Ioiô" (Independent, 1993),

• "Beatles, a Brazilian Tribute" -w/ pianist José Namen (solo music, 1998),

• "Janelas Abertas" - w/ singer Carol Saboya (lumiar discos, 1999),

• "Três/Three" - w/ bassist Nico Assumpção and drummer Lincoln Cheib (2000).

• "Nelson Faria" - (2003).

• "Vento Bravo" - w/ Nosso Trio (Delira Musica, 2005).

• “Buxixo” - w/ pianist Gilson Peranzzetta (Delira Musica 2009)

• “Banda Pequi, Leila Pinheiro e Nelson Faria” (UFG 2010)

• “Nelson Faria & Frankfurt Radio Bigband live in Frankfurt” (Independent 2011)

 

2 DVDs:

• Toques de Mestre (Giannini SA, Instructional, 1990)

• Nosso Trio Live – (Delira Musica, 2006).

6 educational books: 

• "A arte da improvisação" (Lumiar ed. 1991),

• "The Brazilian Guitar Book" (Sher music Co. 1996  Arikita Music Japan 2003) ;

• "Escalas, Arpejos e Acordes para violão e guitarra" (Lumiar Ed.1999) 

• "Inside The Brazilian Rhythm Section" w/ Cliff Korman (Sher music Co. 2002

    ATN Japan 2003) 

• “Toque Junto – Bossa Nova” (Lumiar ed. 2008)

• “Harmonia Aplicada ao Violão e à Guitarra” (Vitale 2010)