Nathan Bell was voted Male Performer of The Year in our 2017 annual readers’ poll and came runner-up in the same category at the end of last year, so it’s fair to say he has a lot of UK fans which is a good thing since he has announced a new eight-track EP and vinyl single alongside some UK dates for next month.
The EP precedes a new studio album due early next year, and was recorded during the same studio session in Santa Cruz, CA earlier this year. The single, a limited edition run of 300 in yellow vinyl, features two previously unrecorded Bell originals – ‘Heavy As A Talent (Billy Shakespeares’s Blues)’ and ‘To Each Of Us (A Shadow)’. The disc is available exclusively at upcoming live shows in the UK and The Netherlands, and via mail order from September 25.
In the hands of respected and trusted over-seers Brian Brinkerhoff (Malcolm Holcombe, Guitar Shorty, etc) and Frank Swart (producer of the Pixies and bassist for Patty Griffin, John Hiatt, Buddy Miller), at Need To Know Music, Bell joins luminaries such as Gretchen Peters, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Justin Wells and Tommy Womack, all of whom have also enjoyed their own indelible mark they bring to proceedings.
Talking about the EP, Brinkerhoff says: “Rarely does an album title give you a perfect depiction of the music contained within. There’s a Blues side and a Folk side here – four songs that fit into each of those broad categories and yet hang together seamlessly.
“Sitting with Nathan and listening to the large collection of new songs that we were contemplating recording, it became pretty clear that there was nothing but meat on the bone and a veritable bounty of good things to sort through.”
Released ahead of the upcoming album and to coincide with his return to this side of the Atlantic for an appearance at the Ramblin Roots Festival in Utrecht, and a short run of UK dates, the jacket of the vinyl single features a study of Nathan by renowned Memphis-based folk artist Lamar Sorrento who has previously illustrated covers for everyone from Neil Young and Marty Stuart to Keith Richards, Mark Knopfler, Lucinda Williams and Wilco. We can’t wait, but will dwell until then on when it was that 8 tracks became an EP. Brexit-related deflation has not hit the americana market yet!
Nathan Bell 2019 UK Tour Dates:
* with Canadian singer-songwriter David Leask in support
Wed Oct 9: Kingsmead House, High Wycombe
* Fri Oct 11: PI Gigs @ Café Cwtch, Pembroke Dock
* Sun Oct 13: Harbour Arts Centre, Irvine
* Mon Oct 14: Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
* Tues Oct 15: Performing Arts Centre, Kilbarchan
* Wed Oct 16: The Blue Lamp, Aberdeen
* Thurs Oct 17: Fallen Angels Club at The Admiral, Glasgow
Sat Oct 19: Ramblin’ Roots Festival, Utrecht
