Nathen Aswell
Singer, composer, recording artist, Stickist and inspirational speaker based in Vancouver, Canada

feature and interview by Greg Howard

ARTIST WEBSITE | FACEBOOK PAGE | YOUTUBE PAGE

Placeholder image"Why not just play a guitar, or a piano?", is a question you might ask Nathen Aswell. The Canadian singer tried them out, and then settled on the bass, for a while.  I met Nathen in 1996, at the very first Stick seminar I was invited to teach, in Orange County, California.  At the time, I never imagined how the phenomenon of Stick players getting together would grow into a global phenomenon, nor did I imagine how many twists and turns lay in the road ahead for this young musician, looking for a "way in" to the instrument which Tony Levin, like so many others, had inspired him to try. 

It would take a couple of decades, and several years with the NS/Stick before Nathen finally found the perfect instrumental accompaniment for his broad-ranged, dynamic, soulful voice and singing style— a bamboo Grand Stick, with the ACTV-2 EMG pickup module, tuned to Deep Matched Reciprocal with a high bass 4th (all important details). While he works on his third album of original songs, Nathen has embraced the opportunities to reach a larger audience virtually, through regular live Facebook performances and remote broadcasts to churches in the US and Canada. He's also dreaming about a deep red Grand Railboard. The search is never really over, it seems. We talked recently via Facetime.



AUDIO INTERVIEW with NATHEN ASWELL and GREG HOWARD




Nathen's December 2, 2020 Morning Musings a regular Wednesday live stream on his Facebook page



Nathen on a Steinberger fretless bass, back in his Montreal days

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Nathen's take on "Hallelujah", by Leonard Cohen


NATHEN'S SECOND ALBUM

"Yes" (2013)

Twelve original songs with Nathen on vocals and NS/Stick, backed by Phil Robertson (drums, percussion), Andreas Schuld (guitar solos on “I Love You" and "Jump Right In”), Russell Marsland (guitar solo on “The Making Of A Soul”), Thomas Arntzen (keyboard on “The Faith Of God”).




Nathen picks up his new NS/Stick at Stick Enterprises,
with Emmett, Don Schiff and Gary Jibilian, August, 2011

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