Sam Nakamura is a New Zealand–based session guitarist and composer whose playing sits at the intersection of jazz, R&B, soul, and modern guitar music. He began learning piano at a young age before discovering guitar in his teens, quickly developing a style rooted in harmony, feel, and musical storytelling. Deeply influenced by jazz guitar & gospel phrasing, Sam’s approach prioritizes musical intention over flash.

With a distinctive tonal palette that spans reverb-soaked, saturated cleans to soaring, gritty lead lines, Sam’s playing is characterised by rich chord-melody work, Japanese/Eastern inflections, and melodic use of harmonics. A graduate in jazz performance, Sam has built a diverse career performing and recording with a wide range of artists – Janine, Teeks, Guy Sebastian, Shing02/Nujabes & Aaradhna just to name a few.