David Nathan

London-born David Nathan has long been a legendary figure in the music business, known for his work as an R&B music historian, reissue producer and author of the 1999 book The Soulful Divas (and co-author of the 2004 Sanctuary Books publication, Nina Simone: Break Down & Let It All Out) but radio listeners and CD buyers may just be discovering him for the first time as a talented song stylist! Nathan refers to Reinvention, his debut CD on his own Nefer Music imprint, as the culmination of a dream deferred. I reached the point behind-the-scenes, he explains, where I had accomplished much more than I ever expected so the next step was to return to my original passion singing.

Encouraged by musical friends such as Bonnie Raitt and the late Doris Just One Look Troy to pursue his musical dream and recalling great coaching he received from the likes of Roberta Flack, Nathan began working on Reinvention in 2002; he chose his February 15 2003 birthday to record the bulk of the album and asked to describe his music, he muses, Its like a throwback to another era. When people listen they hear shades of Nina Simone, Esther Phillips, even Billie Holiday. People may be surprised by what they hear on the CD but despite my very sincere and genuine love of R&B music, most of the songs I chose fall into the general realm of jazz/pop standards.

Nathan's choice of music is indeed interesting: having made his name as a champion of R&B and soul music, Reinvention explores musical terrain more suited to the likes of Mose Allison, Kenny Rankin and Jimmy Scott; his debut disc boasts covers of some of his all-time favorite tunes; most were recorded live in the studio with local musicians, giving the album a decidedly intimate feel. I approached making this CD from the perspective of how records were made back in the 50s and 60s where everything was recorded live in the studio. I had some great people to work with like my co-producer Giovanna Imbesi, who has worked with Dave Koz and Narada Michael Walden among others. Her musicianship and that of everyone involved was simply superb.

The Lennon-McCartney penned Beatles classic Blackbird (produced by renowned musician Wayne Linsey, formerly of Maze) opens the set by showcasing Nathans flair for recognizing great hooks as well as his unique vocal style that fuses jazz leanings with R&B tinges. From there Nathan glides effortlessly through an array of tunes from a broad musical smorgasbord. Billie Holidays You Dont Know What Love Is and Aretha Franklins Runnin Out Of Fools (another Linsey production which includes backup from his talented wife Lynne Fiddmont-Linsey) demonstrate Nathans affinity with music from the truly great divas of popular song. Witness too his versions of two torch songs, I Could Have Told You and Evry Time We Say Goodbye, both of which he first heard recorded by the late Esther Phillips.

Adding the right seasonings to this flavorful mix, Nathan brought in some impressive guests to partake in his first project. Saxophonist Najee adds his sweetness to the gem Angel Eyes, while The Sweet Inspirations (known for their work with Aretha Franklin and the late Elvis Presley), up-and-coming L.A.-based singer/songwriter and rapper 4 To The S From The Midwestside and sax man Andy Suzuki spice up the Donny Hathaway/Leroy Hutson-penned Tryin Times to perfection, giving it a truly contemporary flavor, in the process making the song particularly relevant to current world events. Heralded songwriter/producer Preston Glass who, in addition to his hit collaborations with Narada Michael Walden, wrote Aretha Franklin's Who's Zoomin' Who, contributed the smooth jazz-flavored When Your Heart Whispers Love, while the classic Cry Me A River is given a Brazilian bossa nova-like treatment.

David Nathan's path to Reinvention is, in itself, a story worthy of a great song. With little more than a pocket full of dreams, the R&B music enthusiast moved from his native England to New York City where he immediately set about establishing himself as one of the premier music journalists working in the area of black music and culture. As the main correspondent for Blues & Soul and later, a consistent contributor to Billboard magazine, Nathan would go on to interview and write about major black talents such as Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Quincy Jones, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Curtis Mayfield and Luther Vandross.

In the mid-80s, Nathan relocated to Los Angeles where he authored his first book, an illustrated biography on Lionel Richie. In 1999, he wrote The Soulful Divas (Billboard Books) which contained chapters on many of the great female artists he interviewed as a journalist including Franklin, Warwick, Ross, Khan and others. Pride of place in the book goes to two women he considers major musical and vocal influences, Esther Phillips and Nina Simone who passed away just weeks before the release of Nathans first CD. I was deeply saddened by the news of Nina Simone's death, says the man who years ago formed the first British fan club for the jazz and soul diva, so my last act on Reinvention was to dedicate the disc to her. Nina did hear me sing on a demo tape I did a few years back and left me this amazing message of encouragement on my answering machine. Thankfully, I still have the tape...somewhere!

Simone's impact on Nathan's music can be heard in his passionate, intense vocal performances and he says its time to tread the pathway Simone herself did back in the 50s and 60s by performing at intimate nightclubs at home and abroad. I can see myself performing in clubs like The Jazz Café and Ronnie Scotts in London, or the Blue Note in Japan and New York, says Nathan, whose performing credits include appearances at local Los Angeles clubs as a soloist and on shows with such luminaries as Freda Payne and Jody Watley. He has also sung with various choirs, sharing the stage with longtime musical friends like Natalie Cole and participating on recording sessions with Nancy Wilson and the late Peter Allen among others.

Stepping into the arena of performing and recording on a regular basis, Nathan says, If fear prevented me from pursuing my goals, I would have never left my family and friends in the U.K. to move to another country all by myself. Inspired by conversations with Maurice White, his longstanding interest in metaphysics and his participation in transformational and educational seminars provided by such organizations as Landmark Education, Nathan adds, I learned early on that if you focus on the spiritual side of life and have that be an integral part of all you do, all things are possible. The ultimate irony, he concludes, will be if I return to the U.K. as a performer after leaving in the 70s to make it as a journalist in the U.S.! Reinvention indeed.

The brand new 2007 CD "WISTFUL ELEGANCE" by PHARAOH'S DREAM featuring David Nathan with liner notes by ROBERTA FLACK.

1. The Makings Of You
2. When The World Turns Blue (background vocals: Kenny Lattimore)
3. How Could I Let You Get Away (background vocals: Lynne Fiddmont)
4. Children Of The Night (background vocals: Will Downing; flute: Najee)
5. All You Do Is Dial (background vocals: Preston Glass)
6. Nights In White Satin
7. I Took My Strength From You (duet with Peggi Blu
8. Wistful Elegance (sax: Najee)
9. Change Up (featured vocals: Thelma Jones)
Bonus Tracks:
10.Who Stole The Moon?
11.Wild Is The Wind (flugelhorn: Johnny Britt of Impromp2)

New 2007 Bio for PHARAOH'S DREAM featuring David Nathan

When multiple music artists band together, the results are sure to be twice as nice. That’s exactly what happens with Pharoah’s Dream, featuring the smooth, satisfying vocals of David Nathan and a host of remarkable performers as special guests. R&B music historian, acclaimed author, and now – since his stellar 2003 recording debut, Reinvention – distinctive song stylist, Nathan has fashioned his own unique path to become one of the most respected figures in music today. Wistful Elegance, Pharoah’s Dream’s exhilarating new release featuring Nathan, is sure to perk musical ears around the globe and bring a new legion of listeners with appreciation for tasteful music.

It all started, interestingly enough, when the London-born Nathan met up with another musical legend. “The premise for Wistful Elegance came out of a conversation I had with famed Philadelphia producer Thom Bell,” Nathan explains. “We talked about the idea of doing something that was more acoustic or ‘unplugged.’ I love the saxophone, and any time I’ve heard a voice and saxophone together, I think it’s amazing. Thom thought a project bringing those elements together was an incredible idea.”

Enter Preston Glass, award-winning producer (Kenny G.’s double platinum “Duotones” album, as well as work with Earth Wind & Fire, George Benson, Jennifer Holliday, Johnny Mathis and many more), songwriter (Aretha Franklin’s “Who’s Zoomin’ Who,” Natalie Cole’s “Miss You Like Crazy,” etc.), multi-instrumentalist and former associate of both Narada Michael Walden and – bringing things full circle – Thom Bell. “When David was working on his first CD, Reinvention,” recalls Glass, “I gave him a song, ‘When Your Heart Whispers Love,’ which he included. Then, after David spoke with Thom, he approached me about working on the new project.”

“The first thing we did,” Nathan continues, “was to sit down at the piano. Somehow, Preston got a sense of me, as a person, and wrote this song, ‘Wistful Elegance.’ That became the theme for the whole CD.” Glass remembers it in the same way: “When we starting talking about the project, David noticed that a lot of the songs had a wistful quality to them, and then in another meeting he described them as ‘elegant.’ I put the two words together, and then I started thinking of David. The songs on Wistful Elegance have a vibe that is true to him.”

Adhering to Jerry Wexler’s dictum that it all begins with material, the pair assembled a truly special mix of the known and obscure – all suited to the expressive treatments of Nathan, who credits the great Roberta Flack for providing him with early encouragement and guidance; Flack subsequently wrote liner notes for Wistful Elegance. “Knowing what a superb listener Roberta is, her ‘stamp of approval’ meant so much to me,” says Nathan. “I was so humbled when I read what she wrote and having her words on the Pharaoh’s Dream CD was a deep honor. Then having such amazing artists as (longtime industry friends) Will Downing, Kenny Lattimore, Najee, Lynne Fiddmont, Peggi Blu, Thelma Jones ad Johnny Britt (of Impromp2) on this project was a true blessing!”

Curtis Mayfield’s poignant “The Makings of You” starts everything off on a note of warm contemplation, with Nathan delivering a richly interpretive vocal (“I just wanted to do something very simple and plaintive,” he notes. “It’s like a prayer for me”). “When the World Turns Blue” benefits from the added luster of R&B star Kenny Lattimore on background vocals, while Nathan’s penetrating take on “Children of the Night” boasts two superb guests, singer Will Downing and flutist Najee. Burt Bacharach and Hal David fans will rejoice over the inclusion of the seldom-heard “I Took My Strength from You,” a scorching duet with soulful song stylist Peggi Blu, and lovers of Philly soul will be similarly thrilled with “How Could I Let You Get Away,” delivered by Nathan in a sparkling rendition complete with sultry sax.

An engaging highlight of the album is a version of Heatwave’s little-known but very catchy, “All You Do Is Dial,” a song suggested to Nathan by Michael Lewis, his colleague and partner at the award-winning website www.soulmusic.com. “I’m so glad David and Michael thought of that song,” Glass enthuses. “It happened to fit perfectly, especially with his voice and the other songs we were doing.”

The bonus track, “Who Stole the Moon,” a sterling Nathan original (co-written and produced by J.J. Schoch) is a smooth jazz-flavored piece written some years ago that like many of the other songs on Wistful Elegance, the track conjures up a certain visual imagery and with its infectious hook, it is one of the CD’s standouts. Adding diversity to the brew are a few surprises, including the Moody Blues’ pop classic, “Nights in White Satin.” “I always thought that ‘Nights in White Satin’ could be done in a soulful way,” Nathan muses, “so I thought, ‘let’s see what will happen if we soul it up a bit!’” Nathan’s bold, adventurous reading gains further strength from the excellent work of saxophonist Craig Thomas who plays throughout the album and the astounding piano artistry of Giovanna Imbesi, who plays on two other tracks and, incidentally, acted as producer on his first CD. Of Imbesi, who has worked with Narada Michael Walden and other luminaries, Nathan says simply, “She’s simply excellent!”

Rounding out this exemplary package is another little-known gem, “Change Up” (featuring Nathan’s good friend, singer Thelma Jones, on featured vocals), and a moving interpretation of “Wild Is the Wind” (produced by Ted Perlman), a song associated with one of Nathan’s greatest influences and friends, the incomparable Nina Simone. Taken as a whole, the eleven songs comprise a recording as varied and spirited as the participants involved – none more wholly than Nathan himself. “What I felt after we finished everything was that the entire CD had a certain mood to it. I want this music is going to touch people and letting people hear my musical heart.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONCERT BOOKING & PERSONAL APPEARANCES FOR PHARAOH’S DREAM and DAVID NATHAN, contact Nefer Music: [email protected]

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONCERT BOOKING & PERSONAL APPEARANCES FOR PHARAOH’S DREAM and DAVID NATHAN, contact Nefer Music: [email protected]