Nate Sabat is an award-winning bassist, singer-songwriter and arranger based in Brooklyn, NY. Nate has written and arranged music for NPR's Radio Lab, the Young People's Chorus of New York City and the Heifetz International Music Institute. Additionally, a number of his songs are in rotation on Sirius XM’s Bluegrass Junction channel. His songwriting, while narrative-driven, draws from influences far beyond the folk canon. Gaining inspiration from artists as wide-ranging as The Stanley Brothers, Dvořák, Joni Mitchell, XTC and Punch Brothers, he bends the rules of meter and harmony to craft daring, original work. 

 

With upright bass as his sole tool for accompaniment, Nate crafts wildly intricate arrangements, each one inextricably tied to its song. His playing — while rooted in American folk music — goes far beyond any preconceived notions of the instrument's role within the genre. With a relaxed, vocal sound and equal fluency with pizzicato and the bow, Nate takes full advantage of the never-ending variety of sounds and textures the bass has to offer. GRAMMY-winning cellist Eugene Friesen says, "Nate has so much going for him: The ability to propel any groove with chops and subtlety, a sweet bow sound that can vocalize any melody, fiercely great intonation, and, most importantly, a musical intelligence and intuition that operates with a constant smile.”