Guitarist, Composer & Educator

Nelson Dougherty is a Washington, DC-based jazz guitarist, composer, and educator with a career spanning over 20 years. Known for his unique ability to blend diverse musical genres, Nelson often uses guitar pedals to create expansive soundscapes. He co-leads the innovative jazz group ¡FIASCO!, which has released three acclaimed albums: "Arson" (2020), "Post-Truth" (2021), and "Anger Artist" (2024). The first two albums topped Capitol Bop’s Best D.C. Jazz Albums list in their respective years, while the third was released on the renowned Swiss label Unit Records.

Nelson's collaborative work with saxophonist Tyler Cassidy has resulted in the albums "Found Audio" and "Domestic Sunsets," both exploring ambient and soundtrack-like textures under the name Tyson. His latest project, Dream Feeder, featuring saxophonist Brad Linde and drummer Keith Butler Jr., released their debut album "Everything at Once" on Bleebop Records in July 2024. This project showcases strong individual compositions from each member while embracing the spirit of improvisation.

Nelson is a Professor of Music at George Washington University, where he is an applied music instructor in Classical and Jazz Guitar. He also teaches at Middle C Music and offers private lessons. Nelson received a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in Jazz from Brevard College and attended Berklee College of Music's prestigious program. With over 15 years of teaching experience, he is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of musicians and offers both in-person and Zoom.