Nathan Breedlove - leader of The nu Trio, is a twice Grammy-nominated® trumpeter and composer. Born a military brat in Fort Lewis, WA., his musical heritage began in Memphis, TN. At the age of ten he started classical piano lessons and harmony studies under Mrs Elmira L. Cole (also taught Booker T. of the MG’s). Began playing trumpet by age eleven and in high school he was the featured trumpet soloist with the ‘Norseman Jazz Ensemble’ from Hillcrest H.S. in Memphis. His band won the prestigious Mobile National High School Jazz Festival competition, making them the top high school jazz band in America. He toured Romania in the summer of 1973 for three weeks and visited Paris for the first time. Nathan then attended University of Memphis on a music scholarship under the tutelage of future Art Blakey alums; James Williams(had just graduated), Donald Brown and Mulgrew Miller.
Afterwards Breedlove resided in Tacoma and Seattle where he spent two years as a member of Onyx, Seattle's top funk band. He then played with local jazz artists including Buddy Catlett, Floyd Standifer, Jabbo Ward, Quentin 'Sonny' Booker, Julian Priester and others. Afterwards he performed in Los Angeles at Marla's Memory Lane with Bobby Watson, John Hicks, Jimmie Cleveland, Curtis Lundy and Kenny Washington. Nathan then formed a quintet with Hadley Caliman which lasted from 1986- 1990. The band made three recordings, none of which were released.
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Art Blakey, Bobby Hutcherson and Lester Bowie advised Nathan to come to NYC. After a summer visit staying with Mulgrew Miller and Curtis Lundy, Nathan moved east in the summer of 1989. He immediately became associated with Carter Jefferson, Junior Cook, Weldon Irvine, Clark Gayton, Joshua Roseman and others. After being introduced to vocalist Evelyn Blakey (Art Blakey's oldest child) he became featured soloist with her Musical Messengers. After a couple of gigs with the Mickey Bass Big Band, he toured Europe with legendary jazz drummer Denis Charles and alto saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, which resulted in 'Captain of the Deep' (Eremite Records). Nathan then recorded 'Goodfellas' with saxophonist Vincent Herring, Stephen Scott, Essiet Essiet and Yoichi Kobayashi (Evidence/King records) and touring Japan for a month (29 one-nighters in 30 days). During this time he also worked on two independent films, ‘Cracking Up’ and 'Don’t Explain', a film about Lee Morgan along with Roy Hargrove.
After auditioning for the Lionel Hampton Orchestra he joined the band and became a constant fixture of the NYC jazz scene, performing with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, George Coleman, Frank Morgan, Kirk Lightsey, Donald Brown, Roy Hargrove, Bobby Watson, Gerry Mulligan, Mulgrew Miller, Ray Drummond, Jemeel Moondoc, Herbie Mann, William Parker, James Williams, Jr. Cook, Lester Bowie, Charles Davis, Dorothy Donegan, Jesse Davis, Lester Bowie, Monty Alexander, Ernest Ranglin, John Ore, Jimmy Lovelace, David Snitter, Philip Wilson, Arthur Prysock, John Hicks, Ray Drummond, David Snitter and many others.
During this same period Nathan also joined the legendary ‘Skatalites’, the Jamaican band who created ska, rock-steady and reggae music. Joining the band summer of 1990 and after five years became musical director in 1995 (upon the illness of Tommy McCook). Nathan toured the world many times and made at least six recordings with the band. He left at the end of 1998 with the death of founding members Tommy McCook and Roland Alphonso, to focus on his jazz solo career.
Nathan recorded his quintet in 2000 featuring Hadley Caliman, John Hicks, Curtis Lundy and Nasheet Waits (unreleased). He also spent of lot of time in Europe with the David Murray's Big Band and Octet, Ricky Ford, Archie Shepp, Hammiet Blueitt, Rasul Siddik, Andrew Cyrille, James Spaulding and Joe Lee Wilson. He also toured Africa in 2001. Since that time Nathan has primarily recorded and toured with Jemeel Moondoc and his own groups. Nathan recently performed at the Vision Festival in NYC with Jemeel Moondoc, Matthew Shipp, Hilliard Greene and Newman Taylor Baker in 2014 and 2016. Currently Nathan lives in Seattle with wife Robin and leads The nu Trio and Quartet. He is also a member of Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra. Before the pandemic Nathan was featured soloist with Broadway bound play, 'Shout, Sister Shout' at the Seattle Repertory Theater. Nathan's latest recording, Captain of the Light Brigade can be found at Apple Music.
Awards
Two Grammy nominations - 1996 and 1997. Reggae Hall of Fame 1998.
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