Nathan East facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nathan East
East in 2005
Background information
Birth name	Nathan Harrell East
Born	(1955-12-08) 8 December 1955 (age 69) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Smooth jazz jazz-funk R&B soul rock
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter record producer
Instruments	Bass vocals
Years active	1971–present
Associated acts	Fourplay Eric Clapton Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Toto Daft Punk Herbie Hancock Phil Collins

Nathan Harrell East, born on December 8, 1955, is a famous American musician. He plays bass guitar and sings. Nathan is known for playing jazz, R&B, and rock music. He has played on over 2,000 songs, making him one of the most recorded bass players ever! Nathan helped start the jazz band Fourplay. He has also worked with many huge stars like Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, and Daft Punk.

Nathan East's Music Journey

Early Life and Musical Start

Nathan Harrell East was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 8, 1955. His family moved to San Diego when he was four years old. Nathan is one of eight children.

He first learned to play the cello in middle school. He played in his junior high school's orchestra. When he was 14, he became interested in the bass guitar. He started playing bass in church with his brothers. In high school, he was very active in music programs. He also played in a local band called "Power." Some of his early musical heroes were Charles Mingus and Paul McCartney. Nathan later studied music at UC San Diego. He is also a skilled amateur magician.

Becoming a Professional Musician

Nathan East playing with Eric Clapton's band in Detroit in 2022.

Nathan East is a founding member of the jazz band Fourplay. He started the band with Bob James (keyboards), Lee Ritenour (guitar), and Harvey Mason (drums).

He has worked with many famous artists. These include Eric Clapton, Daft Punk, Herbie Hancock, George Harrison, Michael Jackson, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder. Nathan also helped write the hit song "Easy Lover" for Phil Collins and Philip Bailey.

In 2013, Nathan played the bass on the huge hit song "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk. This song won two Grammy Awards in 2014. Since the 1980s, Nathan has been a regular member of Eric Clapton's band. He plays with them in the studio and on tour. In 2009, he was invited to play at a special event for the U.S. President in Washington, D.C.

In 2010, Nathan joined the rock band Toto for their reunion tours. He played with them in 2011 and 2012 too. He continued to tour with Eric Clapton in 2014 and 2015.

Nathan released his first solo album, Nathan East, on March 25, 2014. Many of his famous friends played on the album. These included Stevie Wonder, Michael McDonald, and Eric Clapton. In 2023, Nathan performed with Eric Clapton in Tokyo. He also played with Eric Clapton's nephew, Will Johns. Nathan's son, Noah East, also plays in Will Johns' band.

Nathan's Musical Gear

Nathan East playing a Yamaha Silent Upright Bass with Fourplay in 2014.

Nathan East worked with Yamaha to create his own special 5-string bass guitar. It's called the BBNE. A newer version, the BBNE2, came out in 2001. Yamaha also made a special pedal called the NE1 Parametric EQ Pedal. This pedal helps other bass players get Nathan's unique sound. Nathan also uses a Yamaha SLB200 Silent Upright Bass.

In 2019, Nathan helped create custom in-ear monitors. These are special headphones for musicians on stage. They are called N8 and were made with a company called 64 Audio.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Nathan East has received many awards for his music:

• Ivor Novello Award for the song "Easy Lover"
• Most Valuable Player (bass) at the International Rock Awards
• Bassist of the Year at the U.S. National Smooth Jazz Awards
• Most Valuable Player (bass) from N.A.R.A.S. (the Grammy organization)
• Most Performed Work from ASCAP
• Honored by the U.S. Congress in 2007

Nathan East's Albums

Solo Albums

With Fourplay

Popular Songs Nathan East Has Played On

Live Performances and Collaborations

Nathan East has performed live with many artists and bands:

See also

In Spanish: Nathan East para niños