Greg Diamond

Greg Diamond is a jazz guitarist, composer, and crossover classical artist whose work

bridges modern jazz, Latin American traditions, and contemporary classical performance. An

active performer in New York, Miami, and internationally, Diamond has emerged as a distinctive

voice whose music reflects both deep harmonic sophistication and rhythmic vitality. Latin Jazz

Network describes him as a “composer of great maturity and genius,” while Acoustic Guitar

magazine praises his “deep harmonic language and unerring sense of groove.”

Born in New York City to a musically inclined family of mixed Eastern European Jewish

and Colombian heritage, Diamond’s artistic identity reflects a broad cultural spectrum. His

father, a Juilliard-trained pianist, immersed him early in the works of Bach, Chopin, and

Rachmaninoff, while the tropical rhythms of cumbia and Latin American popular music formed

an equally powerful backdrop at home. This dual foundation continues to inform his writing and

performance style.

Diamond has performed at major venues including The Blue Note New York, Iridium,

Joe’s Pub, Smalls, Zinc Bar, and Nublu, and has appeared at international festivals such as the

Madrid International Jazz Festival, Barranquijazz, Jimmy Glass Jazz Festival, Jazz Ahead

Bremen, Medejazz Festival, Jazz Al Parque, Teatro Libre Jazz Festival, UniAndes Jazz

Festival, Nublu Jazz Festival, the NCPA in Mumbai, and Plaza Mayor in Salamanca, Spain.

He was a semifinalist in the 2007 Gibson International Jazz Guitar Competition at the

Montreux Jazz Festival, performing before George Benson.Diamond has collaborated with leading voices in jazz and Latin music including Seamus

Blake, Steve Turre, John Benitez, Hector Martignon, Jose Armando Gola, Emilio Solla,

Sachal Vasandani, Nicole Henry, Stacy Dillard, Henry Cole, Asha Puthli, and many others.

Diamond also co-leads, alongside grammy-nominated pianist Mike Eckroth, Deftrio, an organ

trio project that blends modern jazz language with varied grooves and exploratory improvisation.

In addition to his work on jazz guitar, Diamond has developed a parallel career as a solo

acoustic and crossover classical guitarist. His 2022 release Calera Solo Sessions, recorded in

Colombia, features original compositions, contemporary works, and reimagined standards

performed on nylon-string guitar. The recording draws on classical technique while retaining a

strong improvisational voice. These performances often traverse jazz, new age, and Latin

American influences, reflecting his broader artistic vision and commitment to expanding the

expressive possibilities of the guitar.

Diamond holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts (DMA) in Instrumental Jazz Performance

from the University of Miami and currently serves as an adjunct professor of jazz guitar at

Florida International University’s Wertheim School of Music, and adjunct professor of

electric guitar at Florida Atlantic University’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and

Letters. In recognition of his international artistic and educational engagement, he is currently

on the Fulbright Specialist roster, contributing to cross-cultural collaboration and global jazz

education initiatives.

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“Diamond’s music is the Music of Today. It evokes emotions and is packed with energy of

different types: breakneck, soothing, insistent, impassioned and wistful…”— George Colligan (renowned jazz pianist and educator)

Since 2008 he has released five albums in various formats. His work encompasses a broad spectrum of genres such as, contemporary and Afro-Latin jazz, blues, Americana, Latin American folk traditions, classical, funk, hip-hop, and jamband among many others.

He has presented his group at numerous premier venues, such as The Blue Note, Iridium Jazz Club, Joe’s Pub, Smalls Jazz Club,  and Zinc Bar —not to mention numerous international festivals such as, The Madrid International Jazz Festival, Barranquijazz Festival, Jimmy Glass Jazz Festival, Teatro Libre Jazz Festival, Medejazz Festival, Jazz al Parque Festival, and the Nublu Jazz Festival. In 2007 he was a semi-finalist at The Gibson International Jazz Guitar Competition hosted by The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. 

 In the past two decades he has collaborated with  numerous noteworthy artists such as, Seamus Blake, Hector Martignon, John Benitez, Steve Turre, Bob Belden, Mark Shim, Henry Cole, Stacy Dillard, Samuel Torres, Oscar Stagnaro, Emilio Solla, Antonio Hart, Michael Philip Mossman, Don Friedman, Gretchen Parlato, Asha Puthli and others.

Diamond has a DMA in Instrumental Jazz Performance from the University of Miami and currently resides in the city of Miami.

Awards

Semifinalist 2007 Gibson International Guitar Competition in Montreux

Fulbright Specialist Roster 2025-2028

Gear

Guitars:

2016 Collings SoCo Deluxe

2017 Colling OMH T-Series (Acoustic)

2020 Collings LC Deluxe

2023 Westville Unity Archtop

2026 Carvalho Serie Especial Classical Guitar

2021 Taylor 214 CE-N

Amps:

Headstrong L'il King-S Amp

Fender Reverb Deluxe '65 Reissue (modded)

DV Mark Little Jazz