Bass Fiddler, by Nate Sabat

Bass Fiddler

by Nate Sabat

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1.	White Marble 03:14	buy track
2.	Orphan Annie 03:11	buy track
3.	Louise 03:58	buy track
4.	In the Shade 03:30	buy track
5.	Year of the Ox 04:18	buy track
6.	Eli 01:43	buy track
7.	Fade Away 03:20	buy track
8.	Sometimes 02:56	buy track
9.	And So It Goes 03:22	buy track
10.	Rabid Thoughts 02:57	buy track
11.	Lonesome Night 03:52	buy track
12.	The Sun Will Rise 02:52	buy track

about

The upright bass and the human voice. Two essential musical instruments, one with roots in 15th century Europe, the other as old as humanity itself.

On Bass Fiddler (Adhyâropa Records), the debut album from singer-songwriter and bassist Nate Sabat, the scope is narrowed down a bit. Drawing from the rich and thriving tradition of American folk music, Sabat delivers expertly-crafted original songs and choice covers with the upright bass as his lone tool for accompaniment.

The concept was born a decade ago, when Sabat began studying with the legendary old-time fiddler Bruce Molsky at Berklee College of Music. “One of Bruce’s specialties is singing and playing fiddle at the same time. The second I heard it I was hooked,” recalls Sabat. “I thought, how can I do this on the bass?” From there, he was off to the races, arranging original and traditional material with Molsky as his guide. “Fast forward to 2020, and I — like so many other musicians — was thinking of how to best spend my time. I sat down with the goal of writing some new songs and arranging some new covers, and an entire record came out.” When the time came to make the album, it was evident that Molsky would be the ideal producer. Sabat asked him if he’d be interested, and luckily he was. “What an inspiration, to work with an artist like Nate,” says Molsky. “Right at the beginning, he came to this project with a strong, personal and unique vision. Plus he had the guts to try for a complete and compelling cycle of music with nothing but a bass and a voice. You’ll hear right away that it’s engaging, sometimes serious, sometimes fun, and beautifully thought out from top to bottom.”

While this record is, at its core, a folk music album, Sabat uses the term broadly. Some tracks lean more rock (“In the Shade”), some more pop (“White Marble” “Rabid Thoughts”), some more jazz (“Fade Away”), but the setting ties them all together. “There’s something inherently folksy about a musician singing songs with their instrument, no matter the influences behind the compositions themselves,” Sabat notes. To be sure, there’s plenty of folk songs (“Louise” “Sometimes” “Eli”) and fiddling (“Year of the Ox”) to be had here — the folk music fan won’t go hungry. There’s a healthy dose of bluegrass too (“Orphan Annie” “Lonesome Night”), clean and simple, the way Mr. Bill Monroe intended.

All in all, this album shines a light on an instrument that often goes overlooked in the folk music world, enveloping the listener in its myriad sounds, textures and colors. “There’s nothing I love more than playing the upright bass,” exclaims Sabat. “My hope is that listeners take the time to sit with this album front to back — I want them to take in the full scope of the work. I have a feeling they’ll hear something they haven’t heard before.”

credits

released April 19, 2024

Nate Sabat - Upright Bass & Vocals

Recorded at Spillway Sound in West Hurley, NY
Engineered and Mixed by Eli Crews
Produced by Bruce Molsky
Mastered by Dave Glasser at Airshow Mastering
Cover Photo by Jules Miranda

Orphan Annie by Norman Blake
Louise by Daniel Romano
Eli by Arthur Russell
Sometimes by Abigail Washburn & Nate Sabat
And So It Goes by Billy Joel
Lonesome Night by Carter Stanley
All Other Tracks by Nate Sabat

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about

Nate Sabat Brooklyn, New York

Nate Sabat is an award-winning bassist, singer-songwriter, arranger and instructor based in Brooklyn, NY. He has performed on stages throughout Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States, at festivals and venues including Celtic Connections, Savannah Music Festival, ROMP and Carnegie Hall. ... more

natesabat.com

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