Nathan Kaye
Melbourne, Australia | Established. Jan 01, 2004 | INDIE
Music
Press
“I dropped in for a coffee at the Upfront Club last Sunday night and was blown away by the powerful sounds of a funky, young grassroots trio, fronted by Nathan Kaye. Behind his stunning guitar work, Nathan extracted layers of textured melodies from a Slide-didge. A seasoned performer, he sang insightful, original songs of love, family, political and social injustice. By sliding the didge up and down, it created an unusual range of tones, rather like a trombone, which accompanied his reggae-funk grooves and Middle Eastern melodies. Supported by Kazz Nakahara (ex-Machine Translations), on his self-crafted upright bass and Pete Wilkins (Blue King Brown) on drums, the trio was tight and powerful. The crowd went a little crazy when Nathan orchestrated them both into a couple of tasty solos. Singing from the heart with an emotional honesty that touches your very soul, Nathan is a man of many talents. His last two songs reached a peak of infectious grooves, while playing a Middle Eastern groove over the didge. The finale was a very earthy, reggae roots tune. You couldn’t help but want more.”
Deb ROCKDIVA Swain - Tsunami Magazine: SE QLD Music & Culture Street Press
“Nathan Kaye has he’s got something very special going on. Much more than a one-man band, he’s a body popping, beat-boxing, didj playing, guitar slinging, jaw harping, singing, dancing superstar, with wit and spirit…. How could I describe Nath’s sound, mmm, it’s sorta like John Butler on pills, Michael Franti on mushrooms and The Umbilical Brothers on fire.” - Rip-In Magazine (Cathy Gavronich)
Discography
Illumination (2000) - full length album
Don't Just Do Something... Sit There! (2004) - full length album
Burning The Candle EP (2006) - 5 tracks + film clip
Lucky Man (2011) - full length album
Nathan's songs receive airplay on many radio stations including Australian national station, JJJ.
Photos
Bio
IMPORTANT: WATCH THE LIVE PROMO VIDEO!
Part of the Australian blues and roots scene, Nathan Kaye, the globe-trotting one-man-band who thumps out his songs on slide guitar, slide-didge & electronic footdrums at festivals, bars and has even been known to smash out 5 hour sets in outback hotel rooms on mushrooms.
Similar to a lot of Blues and roots musicians, he’s a bit of a hippie activist, with many of his songs dealing with subjects like setting aside time from the hustle ‘n’ bustle of modern life to children being locked in detention centers. But he’s also quite the larrikin and loves to spin funny yarns about his adventures on the road, like his Lucky Man Story about the hilarious reactions he got from blokes in the USA to his (ex)girlfriend as they walked down the street.
Unlike other one-man-bands, Kaye pulls out some extremely left-field stuff that defies genre pigeon-holing, but more than pulls it off. Such as his hilarious beatbox routine where he improvises a bunch of audience-chosen requests of cheesy songs and mixes them up like a DJ.
Nathan has maintained a fiercely independent DIY approach to his original music and has managed to carve out a solid career, even if it sometimes meant going from playing to thousands at festivals with Triple J airplay to small numbers at organic cafes. As long as he’s bringing people together playing live music and earning a living, he’s a happy man.
Kaye's music will draw you in and make you think, make you laugh and make you move.
NK is a one-man band and a talent packed show that has to be seen to be believed. Trust us, you’ll be better for it.
It’s the best sweaty, dirty, sexy, good-vibed foot-stomp you'll get from one man.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Performed with Jason Mraz at The Stronghold, Venice Beach, LA, 2010
• Performed at The Viper Room, Sunset Strip, LA, 2010
• Supported Paul Dempsey (Something For Kate), Hotel Cafe, Hollywood, LA, 2010
• Performed in the official line-up at
• Glastonbury Festival, England, UK – 2005
• Splendour In The Grass Festival, NSW – 2010 and 2007
• Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Spiegel Tent, Scotland 2005
• Fairbridge Festival, WA 2010
• Woodford Folk Festival, QLD - 2003, 2004, 2005, (unofficial 2010)
• Peat’s Ridge Festival, NSW - 2006, 2008
• Super-Heineken Tour, China - 2001
• The Burning Man Festival, USA - 2007
• Earth Day Festival, Bali, Indonesia – 2008
• Supported Paul Kelly on tour 2007
• Recorded guitar, vocals and programmed beats on Andy Fraser's solo album (70’s band Free), 2004
• Performed onstage with John Butler at the Fatherhood Festival, 2006
• Toured in venues in UK, Ireland, USA, China, Hong Kong, Bali & Australia between 2005 and 2009
• Supported The Corrs, Hong Kong, 2001
• Supported other artists including Diesel, Little Birdy, Ash Grunwald, iOta
DESCRIPTION:
Thundering roots-rock, beatbox blues, hilarious tales and world groove
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