Meet Nathan Kersey-Wilson

We were lucky to catch up with Nathan Kersey-Wilson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nathan, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
In recent years, I have been learning to be grateful for the whole spectrum of this human experience, from the beautiful to the painful. I try to practice gratitude as much as I can throughout the day…breathing and thanking the air, stretching/running and being thankful for this amazing human body with trillions of cells all working together, surfing and thanking the ocean, and being thankful for the privilege and ability to create music. Even the simple fact that I am living as a human on earth right now is just so incredibly miraculous! We are so lucky to live on this beautiful planet. We are so lucky to be able to experience all the ups and downs, all the bliss and all the suffering of living in this beautiful, awe-inspiring, and heart-wrenching day and age. The more I cultivate this sense of gratitude and awe, the more I learn to see the world through joyful eyes, and this inspires a natural optimism.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a musician (sax, keyboard, flute, bass, guitar, vocals), music producer, and music teacher, and I’m very stoked to live in a time when it is possible to create audio recordings- really only the last hundred years or so! I am putting out a lot of new music this year, under my name “Nathan Kersey-Wilson” on Spotify, Apple Music, and all other online music outlets. I would say they are most suited to the lofi jazz/chillhop genre but they also have their own unique sound, inspired by skating through Playa del Rey, puddle hunting with my two-year old, sitting in trees, and the sparkles on the ocean in the afternoon. Some of my top musical influences include Nujabes, Anais Mitchell, and Kamasi Washington. Keep an eye out for the songs coming out in 2024, which include the singles “Rain On Me,” “Bioluminescent,” and an EP “Across the Sea”.

I have three other albums out as well that cover a wide variety of styles and genres…the EP “Refuge in Radiance” is a collection of self-produced uplifting beats inspired by my experience of finding solace in nature during the pandemic.

The EP “My Little One: Songs of Parenthood,” contains four beautiful acoustic songs with lyrics that were inspired by my experience of becoming a father.

The album, “When You Least Expect It” is a collection of original jazz-fusion compositions recorded live in the studio with a jazz sextet.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1) The big one for me is letting go of self-judgement. Through high school and college I was immersed in a competitive jazz culture, and I was afraid to make music that was simple or not hip enough. While I changed a lot since then, I am very much still working on training my mind to be more curious and less judgemental. One thing that helps is separating the creative process from the analyzing process. When creating, just flow and let go. Let the universe create through you. Later, go back and analyze/structure/arrange your song.

2) Listening: listen to the ambient sounds around you…there is music present everywhere…sit silently with your instrument for a few minutes and then play as if you are an extension of your environment.

3) Balance: I’ve found my life to be a constant balancing act between music-as-work, music-as-play, relationships, and outdoor activities. It’s like a big dance, and learning to live a balanced life that is not only focused on music has actually helped my music stay fresh and interesting to me.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I’d love to collaborate with other producers and make some nice balanced beats. Not too heavy, not too mellow; right in that sweet spot. If you have some nice drum loops you’ve created, I’d love to play keys, sax, bass, flute, or guitar over them (as a session musician or as a creative collaboration). I also run a wedding band, so if anyone reading this is looking for live music for their or a friend’s wedding, don’t hesitate to reach out via email or instagram!

Contact Info:

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