Nathan, one of New Zealand’s coolest and most celebrated musicians. Your new album ‘Right Now’ out on Freestyle Records, a mix of your trademark Jazz alongside Soul, R’nB and Soulful House – tell us about the album, your 6th solo album and features some incredible guest vocalists…
“‘Right Now’ is the first album I have co-produced for an international audience (along with DJ Chris Cox) – I guess you could say it takes over from ‘Squire For Hire left off in 2004. So we have Mike Patto, vocals from our lovely friend Vanessa Freeman and lots of others guys I have been working with for close on 10 years now. Getting Marlena Shaw along was amazing as well!”
What artists have influenced you over the years, your music is perfection, who for instance is the best Jazz musician of all time?
“I wouldn’t say there is any one – all fields of music have incredible artists and I never ever get tired of listening to music…how could you?”
What do you think has been the best release you have brought out? ‘Earth Is The Place’ still sits on my i-pod…
“I think the next release is always going to be the best one! I loved making an album with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and Earth is the Place was probably myself and Phil Asher’s biggest ever song (in dance music terms anyway)… but I am interested in what’s new.. but I’m, glad that song is still on your i-pod!”
New Zealand – possibly (outside of Italy) the most beautiful country in the world. Tell us…
“Yes it’s inspiring and amazing here but unlike Italy, we are far far away from the rest of the world – and I have to say Italian and Japanese food are my all time favourites anywhere
Okay, to someone who has never been to NZ before, where do we go…
“Well okay, I live in Auckland it’s a great cosmopolitan city – come here in Feburary or March for the best summer weather and make sure you go to Coromandel, get out on a boat in the Hauraki Gulf or go up North the Bay of Islands. NZ is a small country surrounded by water so you gotta make use of it…”
You lived in New York for three years, studying and performing… what were the best and worst things about living in the Big Apple?
“I really learnt how to play there. It’s a tough, tough environment for a young aspiring jazzer (I was 19 when I arrived). You have to be good to survive. It was like going to the best school and it’s still very close to my heart.”
Working with such amazing vocalists as Marlena Shaw and Damon Albarn, plus getting it on with New York poet Rich Medina and stepping up on stage with a Symphony Orchestra and Grammy Award winner pianist Alan Broadbent – a stunning career – which artist/performer have you most enjoyed playing with?
“Well I have to say working with Marlena has been an incredible thing over the last 8 years. She has taught me so much about life and music and performing and is now a great friend too. I was able to bring her out to NZ two years ago to perform with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra – sort of a thankyou for all the great tours I have done with her.”
Your house is on fire. What would you grab before jumping out of the window and what artist would you most like to perform with?
“I would grab an Analog Synth or one of my saxes! I’m pretty happy working with the people I am working with now, though I would love Claus Ogerman to some arranging for me (check him out!)”
Who are your favourite DJs in the world?
There’s a guy in NZ called Manuel Bundy – he’s ridiculous! I think Chris Cox is a great party DJ, but to be honest, anyone who can make a crowd dance is a good DJ. I spent many years with Phil making records, doing gigs and playing with him around the world and we had some great times and he introduced me to worlds and worlds of music. Paul Trouble is a good mate and he’s a great DJ. I love playing with him and he’s a great dancer!”
Your classic album ‘Shift Left’ out in 1994 became the biggest ever selling Jazz Album – a great long player…
“I am just about to do a ‘Best-Of’ for Warners and will include some tracks off this – at the time here in NZ, no one had really made an album like that (it’s NZ’s biggest selling jazz album by the way!) so it went down well and I guess influenced a whole generation of musicians here and in Australia, and who knows maybe a few muso’s in the UK as well where it came out on Verve Records at the time.”
I used to live in North London, just down the road from Notting Hill where you used to run your night ‘Bemsha!’ at the Notting Hill Arts Club fusing live music with DJs such as Gilles Peterson, Phil Asher, Lofty and Bob Jones – what are your best memories from there and what were the biggest tunes?
“Bemsha was a wonderful experience and really established me in London because after a year or two (I did 4 years every Tuesday) people get to know where you will be. We had every DJ play from Goldie to Gilles Peterson, to Lemon D, to A-Sides (who I still work with as Sci-Clone on the drum and bass tip). Plus we had all the muso’s of the time come down and play – we even had Billy Cobham sit in on drums – Twice!!”
So your Saxophone skills are known around the globe, was that a personal choice to play or was it a parental push?
“My dad’s a jazz bass player and he got me started at the age of 4 on the recorder. I moved on to the flute at 6, started having private lessons at age 7, then took up sax at 13 (tenor sax)… I always loved playing but yes there was parental push of course!”
You recorded your album with your brother Joel, not sweet harmony all the way…
“Me and Joel get on great now but it’s taken our whole lives to get there!! You have to consciously not bring the ‘brother’ thing into it… he’s an awesome musician and also can produce and mix as well. We are just about to set up a new company to pitch for film soundtracks as it’s something we have both always wanted to do – plus there’s a big film industry down here in NZ.
What’s next for us all in 2009 from you?
“Well I am so happy ‘Right Now’ is finally coming out in Europe and hopefully you will be seeing us playing live somewhere in Europe this summer… I have a few gigs pencilled in, and hope to be in Italy that’s for sure…”
“Anyone reading this who would like me to play then please email nathan@nathanhaines.com and we will see if we can work something out. God Bless.
‘Right Now’ will be released on May 11th 2009 on Freestyle Records UK.