Nathan Breedlove is a twice Grammy-nominated trumpeter born in the Tacoma area and raised in Memphis, TN. He began classical piano studies under Mrs Elmira L. Cole at age twelve. At Hillcrest High School he won the National High School jazz band competition in 1974 and went on a State Department sponsored tour of Romania. He then attended the University of Memphis on a full music scholarship.
His studies interrupted by the death of his mother, Nathan joined the Air Force band and returned to the Seattle area. He joined Onyx, one of the top funk bands in Seattle for three years. In the eighties Nathan formed a band with legendary tenor saxophonist Hadley Caliman and Phil Sparks; performed with Bobby Watson, John Hicks, Curtis Lundy, Kenny Washington, Jimmy Cleveland, Jeannie and Jimmy Cheatham, Buddy Catlett, Bert Wilson, James Williams, Floyd Standifer, Jabbo Ward, Chuck Metcalf and Julian Priester.
Nathan spent 15 years working in New York City and Europe. He auditioned and became a member of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Mickey Bass Big Band, David Murray Big Band and Octet, Jemeel Moondoc Quintet, Denis Charles IVtet, Jus Grew Orchestra and the legendary Skatalites. He performed, toured, recorded with Lester Bowie, Frank Morgan, Vincent Herring, Andrew Cyrille, Junior Cook, Evelyn Blakey, Mulgrew Miller, James Spaulding, Arthur Prysock, Gloria Lynn, Gerry Mulligan, Ricky Ford, Archie Shepp, Steve Turre, Ray Drummond, Herbie Mann, Matthew Shipp, Kirk Lightsey, Donald Brown, Henry Grimes, Hilton Ruiz, Roy Hargrove and many others.
He recently performed in a two month run of Shout, Sister Shout at Seattle Repertory Theater. Currently he is a member of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and leader of The nu Trio.
Nathan has been featured on Fresh Air - NPR and the Conan O’Brien show. He is committed to sharing his many years of professional experience through seminars, clinics, workshops, storytelling and private instruction.
