Jim Kelly

Jim Kelly is a professor of guitar at Berklee College of Music. One of the cornerstones of the guitar faculty, Jim has traveled the world, teaching and performing throughout Europe, South America, and Japan in the college’s “On the Road” series of clinics. Since 1974, Jim has worked closely with several thousand aspiring guitarists, building their technique, feel, and confidence. For many years, he has been one of the most requested guitar teachers on the faculty.

Jim plays in a variety of settings that helps give a diverse but practical edge to his teaching. He has performed with swing blues guitarist Dulce Robillard, the contemporary musical Rent, rock singer Peter Wolf, and many great Berklee alumni including Makoto Ozone, Stu Hamm, Bill Frisell, Gary Chaffee, John Abercrombie, and Gary Burton. The band on the recordings is his group the Sled Dogs, which has long been an outlet for his compositions and guitar playing, including The Music of Jim Kelly (RAM Records). Jim’s most recent release is the acoustic solo guitar recording Would Be Soundtracks, available on iTunes.