Nathan East

Nathan Harrell East (born December 8, 1955, Philadelphia) is a jazz, R&B and rock bass player and vocalist. With more than 2,000 recordings, East is considered one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of California, San Diego (1978). He is a founding member of contemporary jazz quartet Fourplay and has recorded, performed and co-written songs with performers such as Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Joe Satriani, George Harrison, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, Toto, Daft Punk, and Herbie Hancock.

Career

Early life

Born to Thomas and Gwendolyn East, he is one of eight children (five boys and three girls) raised in San Diego, where the family moved when he was four. East first studied cello in seventh through ninth grades and played in local Horace Mann junior high school's orchestra. At age fourteen he developed an interest in the bass guitar, playing in church (Christ The King) for folk masses with his brothers Raymond and David. He was active in his (Crawford) high school's music programs along with a local top 40 band called "Power". He has said his early influences included Charles Mingus, Ray Brown and Ron Carter on upright bass; and James Jamerson, Paul McCartney and Chuck Rainey on electric bass. He studied music at UC San Diego. Nathan East is also an accomplished amateur magician member of the Magic Circle and the Academy of Magical Arts.

Nathan East (album)

Nathan East is the debut eponymous album by veteran supporting musician Nathan East, known for his performances with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Tommy Emmanuel and Daft Punk. This album features guest vocal performances by Clapton, Sara Bareilles, Michael McDonald, and a harmonica performance by Wonder on the instrumental cover of Wonder's hit "Overjoyed". East has also included a second Wonder instrumental cover, a reimagining of the Songs in the Key of Life song "Sir Duke".

As East is not a vocalist and is best known for his bass guitar skills, the album contains many bass guitar led melodies. The cover of the 1965 Beatles song "Yesterday" features East's son Noah East on piano. While largely an album of covers, including those of East's band Fourplay and Steve Winwood's "Can't Find My Way Home", which East had previous played on tours with Clapton, there are also original works, such as "Daft Funk", a play on words on East's work with French group Daft Punk, and "Madiba", a tribute to former South African president Nelson Mandela.