Nate Birkey is a quiet, but passionate artist who strives to develop his musical identity. He is a composer, trumpeter, and vocalist who infuses warmth and broiling energy to his music. He is a NYC-based musician who has a solid reputation for creating a modernizing, mainstream musical voice. His subtle swing and expressive lyrics have earned him comparisons to Miles Davis or Chet Baker. His latest album, Just a Closer Walk, finds him exploring new territory while also offering traditional yet fresh approaches to gospel music and spirituals. Birkey isn’t the only one to follow a specific conceptual path when releasing an album. He focused his musical attention on two previous albums, 2001’s Ballads and 2008’s Christmas, which had deceptively simple titles. Birkey’s foundation is based on the pulse of “straight forward” jazz. His taste for New Orleans and Country can be heard on 1998’s “Indelibly You” as well as “The Mennonite” (2001), “Shortest Day” (2004) and “Almost Home” (2008). Birkey has nine albums to his credit, seven of which are on California’s Household Ink Records. Nate, a Colorado native, attended Berklee College of Music, Seattle Pacific University and the University of California, Santa Barbara. He remained there for many years. In 2005, he moved east to New York City. This broadened his horizons as well as his musical development. Birkey performs his own compositions and hymns, songs, spirituals, country, or pop tunes. He keeps his quintet together with thoughtful arrangements, which instill wonder about the future. Birkey is a fluid improviser, vocalist with understated grace and a natural at singing. Birkey’s sound is solitary and electric, yet it is composed with confidence. Visit www.natebirkey.com
