The foundation of Nate Jones’ development as a bass player was molded by a Sunday morning Gospel tradition familiar to most, finding his creative inspiration amongst a family of musicians and singers. As a youth in the South Bronx, driven by a desire to master the prolific bass guitar, he began his formal study at one of New York City’s leading community music schools, the Bloomingdale School of Music. An establishment that offers excellent instruction for children and adults, the school serves as a vital performance center for the Upper West Side, presenting concerts of classical and contemporary music from around the world. Nate’s time of study at the Bloomingdale School prepared him for success in high school where he was a member of the jazz band and played for the gospel choir, then eventually led to him receiving a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree in Jazz Performance from SUNY Purchase.
Throughout the years, Nate’s musical preparation afforded the opportunity to study and play with legendaries from Wynton Marsalis to Barry Harris, among other well known jazz artists. His educational experiences not only cultivated Nate’s musical proficiency but also encouraged him to teach bass and music theory, and he currently has a number of students in the New York City area. Though he’s been a student of music for most of his life, Nate continues to expand on his knowledge and skill as a bassist participating in musical workshops and private study from other notable bass players whom he admires.
Currently touring the U.S. with The BMW Pop Jazz Live Tour headlining Mike Phillips, as well as touring for the past year with Columbia recording platinum artist Lyfe Jennings’, Nate has been fortunate enough to perform and share the stage with some of the music industries most notable artists. This list ranges from Grammy Award winning luminaries Stevie Wonder and Donnie McClurkin, to the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire, and television’s Montel Williams, etc. He’s also played with distinguished artists such as The Roots, Doug E. Fresh, and other Hip Hop giants. His noteworthy TV appearances have included 106 & Park, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Bobby Jones Gospel Hour, The Jane Pauly Show, The Jerry Lewis Telethon, etc. With his musical dexterity as a bassist being influenced by popular culture, it isn’t uncommon for Nate to flawlessly blend a Hip Hop, rock, or jazz melody within whatever style of music being played. And though playing throughout the world has been an integral part of his career, performance up to this point has been the mere threshold of Nate’s success as a musician. When not touring, Nate’s band Da’Feel is featured every week at his Soul F’Real Open Mic in Brooklyn, yet the majority of his time is spent working with a number of music producers for studio recordings, and also collaborating on original compositions to be used for television and film scoring.
With his mind focused on attaining all that comes with hard work and diligence, Nate is continuing to make strides in his accomplishments as a bassist. His personal motto declares that— You can’t go to the top without The Bottom— which speaks not only to the essential presence of the Bass element in music, but also illustrates the clever confidence of a distinguished player fashioning his mark within the world of music.
For Contact of Bookings, Please call: 646.245.5695 or email: natejonesbass@yahoo.com
Also visit: www.myspace.com/NateJonesOnBass
