A ska-flavoured cover of the 1964 Billy Stewart soul classic Sitting In The Park by UK soulful jazz and pop-styled singer/songwriter and musical storyteller David Nathan from his 3rd CD "I Used To Rule The World..." available on Amazon and i-Tunes

I Used To Rule The World

Sitting In The Park

Sitting In The Park (the Billy Stewart soul classic, ska-style!)

He's been described as 'Marianne Faithfull meets Sade!' His smokey mocha-flavoured vocal style evokes memories of a bygone era, of intimate dimly-lit '40s and '50s jazz clubs and yet has the kind of timeless quality associated with the likes of Nina Simone, his primary personal and musical mentor.

David Nathan  began his lifelong passion for music with the great recordings of the late Simone, ‘The High Priestess Of Soul.’  As a teenager growing up in London in the mid-‘60s, he started the first UK ‘appreciation society’ (or fan club) for this legendary artist, who at different junctures encouraged him to pursue his own love for singing and performing.
 
Born in London, David has loved music for as long as he can remember, listening to artists like Alma Cogan, Perry Como and Rosemary Clooney as a child before discovering the music of Dionne Warwick, Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin as a teenager.

David worked in record shops, wrote for different fan magazines and spent years working behind the scenes; he recorded demos, wrote songs and occasionally performed during a stay in the U.S. in cities like New York and Los Angeles.

With the further direct encouragement of such illustrious artists as Roberta Flack and Bonnie Raitt, David began recording and performing (primarily in the U.S.)  in 2003. His 2003 CD debut, “Reinvention” includes a number of pop and jazz classics such as The Beatles’ “Blackbird,” Billie Holiday’s “You Don’t Know What Love Is” and a Brazilian-styled version of “Cry Me A River” (featuring The Sweet Inspirations).  The 2007 follow-up, “Wistful
Elegance” includes a poignant version of “Wild Is The Wind” and a diversity of tunes written by Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Thom Bell & Linda Creed and Rod Temperton among others; and features special guests Najee, Kenny Lattimore and Will Downing, with Roberta Flack penning the liner notes for the CD. 

Returning to London in 2009, David began working in 2010 on his first CD "I Used To Rule The World..." (inspired by the Coldplay hit "Viva La Vida"), out now on i-Tunes and Amazon, with David's readings of "Sitting In The Park" (the 1964 soul classic, reinvented with a ska-beat), The Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody," Elton John's "Your Song" and more, all given David's soulful vocal stamp. 

With great artists like Marlena Shaw and Jean Carne among his supporters, David's aim is to appeal to the generations that love the music of Sade, Norah Jones, Mose Allison and of course, Nina Simone.  He has created an exciting and soulful jazz/blues show that includes his own recent recordings as well as a personal musical salute to Nina Simone that includes his sharing some of his memories of spending time with this amazing artist
 
The Simone salute currently includes “Wild Is The Wind,” “Feeling Good,” “To Love Somebody” and “Willow Weep For Me” and the original composition, “Strange Mood” (which inspired Simone’s positive comments on his musical skills) along with songs drawn from the three CDs recorded by David.   
 
With his trio (keyboards, bass and sax), David offers a musically-satisfying performance, ideal for contemporary music and jazz festivals as well as club and concert venues and his goals include performing at The Royal Albert Hall in London, The Olympia Theatre in Paris, The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and Carnegie Hall in New York. 

Sitting In The Park (the Billy Stewart soul classic, ska-style!)

David P Nathan