Nils

A German-born contemporary jazz guitarist, Nils Jiptner (aka Nils) is a successful solo artist and session player with a groove-based sound rooted in funk and fusion. Initially garnering attention in Los Angeles studios recording with artists like George Benson and the Temptations, Nils embarked on a solo career in the '90s. He broke through with the smooth jazz hit "Summer Night" off 2005's Pacific Coast Highway, and followed with 2007's Ready to Play and 2009's Up Close and Personal. He has remained a popular performer, topping the Billboard Smooth Jazz Albums chart with 2010's What the Funk?, 2020's Caught in the Groove, and 2023's Happy to C U. A native of Munich, Nils first started playing guitar in his teens, inspired by bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. Later, he discovered funk, jazz, and fusion and began expanding his skills as he investigated the music of Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, and Chic's Nile Rodgers. In the mid-'80s he relocated to Los Angeles, where he studied composition, arranging, and film scoring. He also found session work, playing with artists like guitarist George Benson, trumpeter Rick Braun, and the Temptations. As a solo artist, he debuted in 1998 with Blue Planet, which featured guest appearances by Benson, Nathan East, Chante Moore, and others. However, it was his next album, 2005's Pacific Coast Highway, which broke his career wide-open. The title track peaked at number ten on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart, and became a huge radio favorite. A second single, "Summer Nights," fared even better hitting number one. Nils followed up with several more well-received albums, including 2007's Ready to Play and 2009's Up Close and Personal. During this period, he furthered his studio work, producing music for film and working behind the scenes on TV shows like Weeds and Undeclared. He also continued to offer guitar instruction, teaching young musicians, and releasing videos and books. He returned to his solo work with 2010's What the Funk?, which included the top six smooth jazz single "Jump Start." He then delivered City Groove, featuring the number two charting Billboard contemporary jazz single "Let's Bounce." Alley Cat followed in 2015 and included contributions from Nate Harasim, Ricky Lawson, and others. In 2018, Nils delivered his eighth studio album, Play, which featured contributions from longtime associate, trumpeter Johnny Britt. The guitarist again topped the Billboard Smooth Jazz Albums chart with 2020's Caught in the Groove, which also featured trumpeter Britt. A year later, he released Cool Shades, which featured guest spots by saxophonist Steve Cole and keyboardist Jeff Lorber, while 2021's Play found him collaborating with trumpeter Rick Braun and bassist Brian Bromberg. Both albums also reached the Top Ten of the smooth jazz charts. In 2023, Nils released Happy to C U, which included guests saxophonist Mindi Abair and guitarist Paul Brown. It peaked at number one on the smooth jazz chart. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi