JGT contributor Joe Barth talks to Berklee professor and jazz guitarist Nate Radley.
Jazz Times has called New York guitarist and Berklee faculty member Nate Radley “…Nate Radley has one thing that all musicians would kill for: He makes you want to listen.” Nate grew up in New Hampshire and first attended Berklee’s Summer Program as a high school student. Radley keeps a very busy schedule teaching, playing, and recording around the New York and Boston scenes.
JB: Growing up in New Hampshire, talk about when you started to play guitar and what inspired you to play jazz guitar?
NR: I started playing guitar in the sixth grade. My Mom had a Rolling Stone magazine, “History of Rock and Roll,” and inside were pictures of Jimi Hendrix along with other greats. Seeing Jimi, in particular, made me curious about his music, which, to my delight, sounded even better than the pictures suggested! From that point, I went through phases of playing Classic Rock, then Blues, then Fusion, and then Jazz. I’ve always been interested in the history and influences of great musicians, which inevitably led me to jazz.
JB: What did you musically appreciate most about your University of Chicago years and that era of development? Your major was sociology. Did you study music as well?
NR: During my time in Chicago, it’s true that I studied Sociology, and in school I didn’t study music. The school did have a jazz band led by Mwata Bowden who was at the time the chair, or head of the historic Chicago music organization called the AACM. I spent a lot of my nights at that time going to jam sessions and hearing some of the old Chicago greats that were still playing at the time, for example tenor saxophonists Von Freeman and Fred Anderson. I also began a steady gig as part of the house band hosting a jam session on the city’s South Side. So, I got a music education outside of school that was crucial to my development.
JB: Was it at the New England Conservatory that you studied with John Abercrombie, and what did you appreciate about your work with him?
NR: Most of my time with John was spent playing his original compositions. At the time, most of my experience was playing standards, so the harmonic vocabulary and phrasing in his compositions were very new and challenging to me. So, practicing his tunes really helped me get more comfortable with some aspects of modern jazz composition. This in turn inspired me to start writing my own tunes, and some of his words of guidance in that area were very useful to me.
JB: To you, in terms of your own personal development, what are three of the most influential guitar albums and why?
NR: Wes Montgomery- The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery: This was the first Wes Montgomery record I bought, and I first listened to it over and over, and eventually learned most of the tunes and solos on the record. His rhythmic and harmonic genius, his sense of form in constructing a solo, and his great compositions and choice of tunes are things I return to constantly. He has been the most constant source of inspiration over the years, from when I started to the current day. I’m sure many, many other guitarists would say the same, though maybe we all have different favorite albums of his.
Ed Bickert- his playing on Paul Desmond’s Pure Desmond. Listening to Ed Bickert has been a more recent interest of mine, something I got into in the last ten years. His comping is a huge influence, as is the purity of his tone and his phrasing. This is a great record to get inspired about how to function as a guitar player in a quartet setting. Ed’s sound also influenced my decision to play on a Telecaster.
Lenny Breau- The Living Room Tapes Vol. 1: I have always been attracted to players who have colorful approaches to harmony on jazz standards, and for me Lenny is one of the best at that. In addition, what I sometimes refer to as the orchestration of his ideas, for example the harmonics, tremolos, Travis picking, and flamenco devices, show some of the wide variety of sounds that are possible on the guitar. The free flow of his ideas and his interaction with clarinetist/whistler Brad Terry are also some peak examples of how spontaneity and freedom can produce magic in jazz- to me.
JB: Tell us about your recent album Puzzle People with bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Adam Nussbaum.
NR: I started playing with Adam and Jay at the 55 Bar in New York; I believe at first it was to sub for Vic Juris on the monthly Sunday night gig he had there. Those two musicians have a wealth of experience playing with jazz legends, and really, to me, they are legends in their own right. Their energy, creativity, and taste have had a huge influence on me, and I am very grateful for their mentorship. This was my first guitar-bass-drums record and my first record where I exclusively played Tele. It was made on a very relaxed afternoon at a studio in New Jersey, and I’m very happy with how it turned out.
JB: What did you find most rewarding in working with Ben Monder and the project Eight Guitar Duets?
NR: I started writing through-composed (no improv) duets as a self-imposed assignment to try to teach myself to be a better composer. Half of the etudes are based on linear counterpoint between two guitars, and the other half are built around the idea of layering different arpeggiated textures between two guitars. Ben has certainly been an influence on me as a composer and guitarist, and some of the arpeggio-based etudes were inspired in part by the textural effects he can create with his right-hand fingerpicking patterns. I was very grateful he agreed to be part of the project, and he nailed his parts with minimal rehearsal. It was impressive.
JB: You mentioned that you play a Fender Telecaster or sometimes a 335-style guitar. What do you appreciate most about the guitars that you use?
NR: The first years of my guitar career were on a 335, which I thought just made sense because it is so versatile, has some warmth from its being semi-hollow while still having some of the directness and power that I needed for the music I played at the time. Under the influence of Ed Bickert and country guitar players, I began experimenting with a Telecaster, which I really liked because it cut so well and had so much balance through its full range. At the time, I played a Hahn 228- Hahn being a very fine builder of boutique guitars, including some that are Tele or Strat style. Now I play a Telecaster with humbuckers, which combines both of my previous guitars. The guitar I currently play is made by Erik Nadoban, who is a dear friend and, in his free time, a fly fisherman- hence the name of his instruments: “Steelhead Guitars.”
JB: You are a very busy guitarist, so talk about the jobs that you enjoy doing most, whether it’s here in the city or on tour.
NR: I feel very lucky to have experienced some of the growth that can happen when touring with a band, playing together night after night and developing a set of music together. But my favorite jobs are still the little “hole in the wall” bars where you can relax, experiment, and stretch in front of a small audience. Some of the most magical experiences of my life as a player and as a listener have happened in these kinds of places. I hope cities around this country and the world can continue to support these casual venues where musicians can gather and explore.