Nate Birkey, trumpet and vocals; others vary depending on the coast... (East) Marko Marcinko, drums; Tony Marino, bass; Jim Ridl, piano; Steve Rudolph, piano; Bill Moring, bass.
(West) Cougar Estrada, drums; Jim Connolly, bass; Jamieson Trotter, piano; Justin Claveria, sax.
Influences
Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Clifford Brown, Louis Armstrong, etc..., Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Johnny Hartman, Wayne Shorter, Sarah Vaughn, Cassandra Wilson, Keith Jarrett, Dave Douglas, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Tom Waits, Bill Frisell, Willie Nelson, Cal Tjader, Stravinsky, Mahler, Bach... and many, many more.
Sounds Like
NEW CHRISTMAS CD AVAILABLE HERE
NEW CD NOW AVAILABLE!
NATE BIRKEY QUINTET: Shortest Day
His subtle vocal and trumpet approach has often been compared to that of Chet Baker and Miles Davis respectively; a sound poised and assured, powerfully stark and spare, it creates an atmosphere at once solitary and electric.
NATE BIRKEY QUINTET: The Mennonite
Nate Birkey's sense of the modern mainstream includes original compositions derived from straight-ahead jazz, Latin, and blues traditions, highlighted by moody trumpet daydreams and cohesive ensemble play.
NATE BIRKEY: Ballads
The timbre of his disarmingly soft voice is itself closely akin to the sound he gets out of his trumpet, and it is precisely these melancholy vocals that - combined with his effortless skill on the horn - have critics comparing him to Chet Baker.
"Nate Birkey, he of mysterious charisma, subtle gossamer trumpet lines and understated voice, hunches over the microphone and leans into his phrases, shutting out the world." - Josef Woodard, Los Angeles Times
Hiya Nate, how is summer treating you down there? (we've obviously not had summer here yet..hehe). Been busy painting the interior of the house in an attempt to bring it out of the 1960's! Slowly but surely... Hope you have been having a fun but busy time. Stay warm, Sally xx
HEY NATE! MY ALBUM IS FINALLY AVAILABLE! COME BY AND HAVE A LISTEN. ALWAYS LOVE YOUR SOUNDS AND HOPE OUR PATHS CROSS AGAIN SOON! MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT, MILYN
Hope all is well down there and you are getting a decent spring now. We have had a weird one, and to think summer is around the corner. Wish it would warm up a bit!
Hey Nate,
Spring is here today, and for a few more days before it goes cooler again :( I keep checking my daffodils to see if any of them have the courage to bloom! Hopefully next week - I need some colour in the garden!
Busy here still sorting out things to do with the family estate - but it is slowly coming together and then we can concentrate on other things.. like MUSIC :) We finally got all the bits set up downstairs, so itching to get back into it all before I forget all that I learned last year.
Hi Nate, thought I would drop in to say hello. Still enjoying your CD - and singing along :) Hope all is well down there - and you aren't buried under more snow or tons of rain!!!
Hiya Nate, so I visit your page and find out you have been in Montreal again! So close.. lol! At least the snow would be about the same? Do you ever go to or appear in the Montreal Jazz festival?
Hope all is well and you are having a fab weekend,
Hiya Nate, the CD arrived today :) It's fantastic! A good selection of tracks and 'moods'. Just love Tuesdays On The Ridge! Then again, I like all the tracks ..hehe..
Sing To Me is wonderful - can just imagine dancing to that in some dimly lit club :)
OK, enough blabbering..
Thanks for the note, and yes, one of these days I hope to see you 'live' - even if I am in a wheelchair and slightly deaf by then!
