Nate Smith

Nate Smith (2017)

Ira Nathaniel "Nate" Smith (born December 14, 1974 in Chesapeake , Virginia ) is an American jazz musician ( drums ) and film composer .

Live and act

Smith began playing the drums at the age of eleven after taking rudimentary piano lessons; initially influenced by rock and funk music. He came to jazz under the impression of an album by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers . After graduating from high school in 1992, he studied media arts and design at James Madison University . During this time he performed with his ensemble at the conference of the International Association of Jazz Education in Atlanta. There Betty Carter invited him to joint appearances, u. a. at the Blue Note in New York City. After graduating from college, he studied at Virginia Commonwealth University . There he met Dave Holland , who brought him to his quintet in 2003, to be heard on the albums Critical Mass (2005) and Pathways (2009).

In addition, Smith worked as a film composer, songwriter and music producer. He wrote music for several documentaries for The Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel ; he has also worked with R&B and smooth jazz musicians such as Marcus Johnson, Moifah, Jareed Arosmana and Alyson Williams. He heads the production company Water Baby Music, Inc. For Michael Jackson he produced the song Heaven Can Wait ( Invincible , 2001). In the field of jazz, he was involved in 25 recording sessions between 2000 and 2018, including a. with Chris Potter , Patricia Barber , Nir Felder , Monday Michiru , Alex Sipiagin , Paul Simon , José James and Walter Smith III In Common 2 (2020). In 2017 he released the album Kinfolk: Postcards from Everywhere (RopeaDope Records).

Web links

• Nate Smith website
• Nate Smith interview
• Nate Smith at Discogs (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Portrait at drummerworld
2. ↑ Tom Lord : The Jazz Discography (online, accessed May 17, 2015)