San Francisco Native Nick Montes is a professional guitarist with 25 years of performance and educational experience. Son of professional drummer Bob Montes (The Hues Corporation 'Don't Rock the Boat' and many others) Nick began playing guitar in 2000 and started performing professionally in 2003.
After cutting his teeth working with many local Bay Area bands and performing through out California for several years, Nick sought to become a top-tier player and attended an intense course of study at the highly-regarded and competitive Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) at the world-renowned music school Musician's Institute in Hollywood, CA .
While at GIT, Nick had a unique opportunity to focus on music theory, performance, and composition under many professional studio session and touring musicians, including Scott Henderson, Oz Noy, Carl Verheyen, Allen Hinds, Sid Jacobs, Bruce Buckingham, Jinshi Ozaki, Keith Wyatt, Ross Bolton and many others. Upon graduating from the GIT Program with a degree in guitar performance, Nick returned to the Bay Area where he brought his passion for music to Lafayette by opening his own lesson studio, the Montes Music Academy.
Prior to receiving his degree from Musician's Institute, Nick was a student at Diablo Valley College where he was mentored by Steve Sage, a well-regarded guitar player, professor, GIT Alumnus in the Bay Area.
Nick began teaching in 2007 before deciding to further his craft, and follow in his mentor's footsteps by attending GIT. A life long dream of his to study guitar with the best guitarists in the world.
As a performer Nick has shared the stage with Orestes Vilato (Santana, Fania All-Stars), Joaquin Solorzano (Malo, FLO-Funky Latin Orchestra), Rustee Allen (Sly and the Family Stone, Robin Trower), Mic Gillette (Tower of Power, Cold Blood), Rick Stevens (Tower of Power), Bill Ortiz (Santana, Tony! Toni! Toné!), Johnnie Bamont (Huey Lewis and the News, Boz Scaggs), Tortilla Soup, Kaye Bohler band, Six Peace, the Nick Montes Group and many others.
After cutting his teeth working with many local Bay Area bands and performing through out California for several years, Nick sought to become a top-tier player and attended an intense course of study at the highly-regarded and competitive Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) at the world-renowned music school Musician's Institute in Hollywood, CA .
While at GIT, Nick had a unique opportunity to focus on music theory, performance, and composition under many professional studio session and touring musicians, including Scott Henderson, Oz Noy, Carl Verheyen, Allen Hinds, Sid Jacobs, Bruce Buckingham, Jinshi Ozaki, Keith Wyatt, Ross Bolton and many others. Upon graduating from the GIT Program with a degree in guitar performance, Nick returned to the Bay Area where he brought his passion for music to Lafayette by opening his own lesson studio, the Montes Music Academy.
Prior to receiving his degree from Musician's Institute, Nick was a student at Diablo Valley College where he was mentored by Steve Sage, a well-regarded guitar player, professor, GIT Alumnus in the Bay Area.
Nick began teaching in 2007 before deciding to further his craft, and follow in his mentor's footsteps by attending GIT. A life long dream of his to study guitar with the best guitarists in the world.
As a performer Nick has shared the stage with Orestes Vilato (Santana, Fania All-Stars), Joaquin Solorzano (Malo, FLO-Funky Latin Orchestra), Rustee Allen (Sly and the Family Stone, Robin Trower), Mic Gillette (Tower of Power, Cold Blood), Rick Stevens (Tower of Power), Bill Ortiz (Santana, Tony! Toni! Toné!), Johnnie Bamont (Huey Lewis and the News, Boz Scaggs), Tortilla Soup, Kaye Bohler band, Six Peace, the Nick Montes Group and many others.
