Bass Musician Magazine - SPECIAL March 2014 Issue | Page 9

butt. But we bassists know full well who
Nathan is, his background and his long
musical history, and what he’s achieved
in his career. Daft Punk is only the latest
chapter in a long book, and there is much
more to be written– starting with the
imminent release of his debut on March
25th on the Yamaha Entertainment Group
label, entitled simply… Nathan East.

as is an A-team of session players who
all work their magic. Notably, the studio
group includes the great drumming of
Ricky Lawson in one of his final outings;
his sudden and unexpected passing was
just two months ago. But what a way to
go out, and what a performance he gives.
Nathan dedicates the album to Ricky.
Throughout the whole affair, it’s always
Nate’s superlative bass work that glues
it all together, whether he’s playing his
Yamaha 5-string, 6-string, or upright. As
always, he has an uncanny knack of finding
not only the perfect part to play, but the
right sound to communicate it. Sure, I
could try and elaborate on what makes
him the great bassist he is, but I thought
why not ask two of his longtime musical
friends– both of whom contributed to this
record– to describe Nathan’s uniqueness
from their first-hand perspective.

If you have any preconceived notions
of what a Nathan East solo album might
sound like, you may be in for a surprise. The
record is a daring, head-turning, cinematic
journey from start to finish, and will take
you places you weren’t expecting. Coproduced by Chris Gero, it’s a remarkable
collection of originals and well-known
covers, wrapped in dramatic arrangements
that at times feature a 26-piece orchestra,
a big band, even a string quartet. Special
guest artists turn up all over the place,
a testament to the many musical friends
Nathan has made over the years; Michael
McDonald, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton,
Bob James, Sara Barielles are on hand,

“He represents all the highest qualities
that you could ever hope for,” says Bob
James. “A true and loyal friend first of
all, but also a consummate musician who
serves the music and never loses sight of
the big picture. He has seemingly unlimited
virtuosity covering an amazingly wide
range of musical styles, but only uses it
when the music requires it. He’s not afraid
to give a compliment when he feels it, and
when I’ve been lucky enough to get one,
it has been a big boost to my confidence.
I’m excited that he’s finally gone public
with his first solo project, and very happy
to be included on it.”
MAR 2014 / BASSMUSICIANMAGAZINE.COM