Greg Nathan

Nathan began his professional bass-playing career in 1972 at the age of seventeen, performing popular jazz music with jazz pianist Chuck Ruff and vocalist Donna Courtell. He completed his Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree at the University of Oregon in 1977. Nathan earned a Master of Arts in Music degree at California State University, Sacramento in 1982.

Nathan has had two seasons with the Reno Philharmonic, one season with the Sacramento Symphony, and one season as principal bassist for Sacramento's Camellia Symphony. Nathan has performed with the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, the Peter Britt Festival Orchestra, and the Oregon Festival of American Music Orchestra. Nathan is currently in his thirty-seventh season with the Eugene Symphony, having played with them from 1975 -1977, and from 1987 to the present. Nathan's teacher is Larry Epstein, retired, long-time Assistant Principal of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

Nathan is an accomplished composer of songs and serious music. He sings, plays, and uses the bow when performing jazz. Nathan is the leader of the jazz duo "Aftermath," joined by jazz guitarist Mike Denny. Aftermath performances have occurred mostly at Eugene, Oregon's Hilton Hotel. Nathan has performed with Nancy King, the late Charles Dowd, Paul Biondi, Tom Shove, Bill Sabol, Vikki Brabham, Gus Russell, the late Alan Tarpinian, Jessie Marquez, and others.

Nathan has recently released his first CD album, "I'll Think of Something." The album is in honor of Nathan's recently deceased father, songwriter-composer Charles Nathan, who penned the music to Perry Como's 1953 hit "Say You're Mine Again." The concerned CD's title track is from Charles Nathan's 2009 musical "Where the Heck's the Plot?" The album also includes "My Own Man," words and music by Greg Nathan. The album features jazz guitarist Mike Denny. In its review of the album, "LA Jazz Scene's" Scott Yanow said, "I'll Think of Something" is, "a fun set of excellent jazz," Denny is a "world-class guitarist," and Nathan is "an excellent jazz bassist."

Nathan has recently served as a temporary, middle-school math teacher, half-time, high-school math FuelEd instructor, (through the summer,) and currently, (during this Covid-19, pandemic environment,) has a temporary teaching contract with the Springfield Public Schools, working full time as an elementary-school building substitute. Nathan is a caring husband and father, and is also an active member of his church.

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"I'll Think of Something" is jazz bassist, Greg Nathan's first release.  The album is a self-produced effort arranged and directed by Nathan. The album features world-class, jazz guitarist Mike Denny, and contains swinging renditions of popular, romantic songs.  The album "I’ll Think of Something" contains solid bass playing to a good-sounding voice, and excellent jazz guitar playing throughout the program, which includes one instrumental track. There are lots of interesting ideas on the album. Jammed with lots of high-quality material to boost its value, "I'll Think of Something" is an entertaining and provocative listen. (A 12-page booklet accompanies the music. It is downloadable for free at https://soaringmusicpublications.com/free. The booklet includes lyrics to all of the vocals renditions on the album, along with writing and pictures related to Charles Nathan, Slam Stewart, and Mike Denny.)

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Awards

Greg was a semi-finalist for the worldwide, 1984, Eastman Prize Composition Contest for Double Bass with his entry: "Isn't Leroy Cool" composed for Double Bass Alone. This piece was composed in honor of Leroy "Slam" Stewart. Greg has recently released a track in honor of Slam which can be found on the CD "I'll Think of Something," featuring world-class jazz guitarist Mike Denny. (soaringmusicpublications.com). Track number seven of this CD, "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You" follows the same directions as the third movement of "Isn't Leroy Cool," "...sound as much like Slam as possible!" One reviewer of the album liked this track the best.