Member Since: 6/20/2006
Band Website: natebirkey.com
Band Members: 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:
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.
Record Label: Household Ink Records
Type of Label: Indie