Clay Nordhill is a Rhode Island based guitarist, composer, and educator, as well as a recent graduate of the jazz performance program at the University of Rhode Island.​ Clay has studied with Jim Robitaille, Eric Hofbauer, Hal Crook, Jon Damian, Rez Abbasi, Adam Rogers, Dave Zinno, and Paul Nagel, as well as many others. 

 

As a student at the University of Rhode Island Clay studied under guitarist and composer Eric Hofbauer.   During his time at URI Clay began leading his own groups, working restaurant and club gigs throughout Rhode Island, Connecticut and southern Massachusetts. Clay was the recipient of the 2013 Kingston Chamber Music Festival Award and the 2014 Presser Scholarship.  In 2013 Clay was chosen to perform with the URI Big Band at the Newport Jazz Festival. In 2015 Clay recorded his debut album as a leader at Stable Sound Studios (to hear clips go to the Listen tab).



Clay Is the co-leader of the bands Puppet Club and Four Agreements, which have made appearances at venues in New York City and Boston, performed at the Discover Jazz Fest in Burlington, VT, opened for acts such as Snarky Puppy, Becca Stevens, and Oz Noy, and held a weekly residency at the Contemporary Theater Company in Wakefield, RI He can be found performing throughout New England with Dino Govoni, Dave Zinno, Marty Ballou, Eric Bloom, Marty Richards, John McKenna, and Ryan Loud. He is also and active pit musician, performing for professional, college, and community theatre productions.  Clay also teaches lessons and ensembles for Dean College, The Wheeler School, and the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School. Aside from teaching and performing Clay also enjoys running and rock climbing.

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