Nathan East
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Nathan Harrell East (born December 8, 1955, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a jazz, R&B and rock bass player and vocalist. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of California, San Diego (1978). He has recorded, performed and co-written songs with performers such as Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and Stevie Wonder.
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[edit] Career
[edit] Early life
Born to Thomas and Gwendolyn East, he is one of seven children (five boys and two girls) raised in San Diego, California, where the family moved when he was four. East first studied cello in seventh through ninth grades and played in his (Horace Mann) junior high school orchestra. At age fourteen he developed an interest in the bass guitar, playing in church (Christ The King) for folk masses with his brothers Raymond and David. He was active in his (Crawford) high school's music programs along with a local top 40 band called "Power". He has said his early influences included Charles Mingus, Ray Brown and Ron Carter on upright bass; and James Jamerson, Paul McCartney and Chuck Rainey on electric bass.
[edit] Musical experience
East has recorded, performed and co-written songs with Anita Baker, Babyface, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Quincy Jones, Al Jarreau, Kenny Loggins, and Herbie Hancock. He co-wrote the Number one hit song "Easy Lover" for Phil Collins and Philip Bailey. He performed on the Grammy award winning Unplugged album with Eric Clapton which featured the classic song "Tears In Heaven"(1992). East, a long-time member of Eric Clapton's studio and touring bands since the early 1980s also played on Clapton's "Change The World" which won Song of the Year at the 1997 Grammy Awards. Other DVDs and videos Nathan appears on include Babyface Unplugged (1997), Phil Collins' "Live & Loose in Paris" (1998), Eric Clapton's 24 Nights (1991), One More Car, One More Rider (2001), Crossroads Guitar Festival (2004), Fourplay "Live in Cape Town (2006), Andrea Bocelli's, Vivere Live in Tuscany (2007) & David Foster & Friends (2008).
Nathan appeared at the Barack Obama Inaugural Celebration Concert "We Are One" at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (2009)
East is one of the original members of the contemporary jazz group Fourplay, along with Bob James (keyboards), Lee Ritenour (later replaced by Larry Carlton) and Harvey Mason (drums). Their Grammy-nominated albums have earned platinum status, and have topped Billboard's contemporary jazz charts.
He has endorsed Yamaha instruments since 1981 and developed his own custom 5-string signature model in 1995, the BBNE2 (modeled after his early 1980s BB415 5-string bass), available worldwide. He has used a custom 6-string version of his signature bass since late 2003, along with a pair of 6-string TRB6P models finished in Faded Cherry Sunburst with gold hardware and Polar White with satin black hardware, both featuring a high-mass bridge with piezo saddles for acoustic upright tones and created with Yamaha the NE1 Parametric EQ Pedal, otherwise known as the "Magic Box".
Nathan also plays the Yamaha SLB200 Silent Upright Bass and endorsed Music Man and Fodera basses between 1988 and 1994.
[edit] Awards
East has received a range of awards from music industry associations including The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers & Authors most prestigious Ivor Novello Award for co-writing the Collins/Bailey classic hit "Easy Lover", Most Valuable Player (bass category) at the International Rock Awards and three time Bassist of the Year at the U.S. National Smooth Jazz Awards, N.A.R.A.S. MVP (bassist), ASCAP Awards for most performed work. In 2007, Nathan was honored by the United States Congress and awarded a Congressional Record for his contribution to the worldwide music community. [1]
[edit] Soundtracks
East is also credited on numerous soundtracks including Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Crossroads, Tarzan, Waiting to Exhale, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Preacher's Wife, Phenomenon, One Fine Day, Lethal Weapon 2, Rush, Escape From L.A., Something to Talk About, Brewster's Millions, Thelma & Louise and Footloose.
[edit] Recordings
Nathan continues to be one of the world's most sought after musicians with an impressive list of recording credits on over a thousand records. He can be heard on recordings by a wide range of top international artists such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Beyoncé, Michael McDonald, JJ Cale, Ry Cooder, Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion, Usher, The Bee Gees, Anita Baker ,Toni Braxton, Justin Timberlake, Lionel Richie, Madonna, Julio Iglesias, Eurhythmics, Kazumasa Oda, Joe Satriani, George Benson, Sergio Mendes, Mary J. Blige, Josh Groben, Taylor Hicks, Michael Bublé, David Benoit, Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti and Barry White. For a complete list of recordings Nate's on check out All Music Complete Discography.
[edit] DVD
East has produced an instructional DVD called "The Business of Bass" by Hal Leonard Publishing. East appears on many Eric Clapton concert DVDs, including 24 Nights, MTV Unplugged and One More Car, One More Rider.
[edit] References
- Smooth Jazz Notes Interview
- All Music Complete Discography
- The Business of Bass DVD
- Musician's Friend Exclusive Interview
- Mix Magazine Article
- Bass Player Magazine Article
- Wire Image Photos
- YAMAHA Artist
