No.1 How would you describe this week in a sentence?
This week? Like the past week?
Yes
This week was quite hectic.
Would you like to elaborate?
Well, actually I just moved, so getting settled in and figuring out a normal schedule. And this snow just made everything so crazy because I have a car, and parking it, it got in the way of my schedule.
Just trying to be calm within that hecticness.
This weather has been crazy.
Yeah, and it's continuing even way past the storm.
Yes, evident around us.
No.2 An artwork that inspired you this week. It can be anything, music related, any other artworks…
I was listening to this playlist of Yoruba African drumming; an old African drumming recording that was very inspiring.
No.3 A memorable moment from this week.
Oh, wow. I actually had this show, a gig in Mexico.
Wow.
It's with a Jewish pop band that I play with.
That's amazing! May I ask the name of the band?
Zusha. The whole thing was very last minute and I was supposed to fly out of Newark. And I made a very bad mistake of driving there, which means I have to park my car there, which is very hectic. And I missed that flight from Newark by a minute. I got to check in, they said you can't board, just by a minute, literally. So then the manager called me and said you have to go back to JFK, and he booked me a new flight.
But it all worked out, miraculously, I got there somehow.
Amazing. How was the show?
It was fun. It was very chaotic, the whole thing, but it was very big and it was fun.
I'm glad it worked out!
Yeah. I was very grateful.
So this is a two part question. Feel free to answer either or both or none.
No.4 A motto you swear by and/or any advice you received and would like to share.
It has to be a line?
No, it can be anything.
I guess one idea that I live by is, even particularly in what seems to be a dark place, or what seems mundane, specifically in that moment, is potential for a lot of greatness. The opposite of what it seems.
And the other thing… oh advice. Advice is.. something an older brother of mine always, I always take inspiration from his, is really not to get caught up in what either other people are doing or maybe pushing you into; to really just focus on what one's own purpose and mission is.
Thank you. That's beautiful. Very true.
No.5 what would you like to share about your project? Music, shows, whatever you're working on.
My most recent project that I'm working on is a solo show. Up until now I've been writing, I’m in a band and I would write [and] compose music, it's sort of folksy.
The name of the new project is “Welcome to My Garden” ( Song Of Songs 5:1) based on the idea that though at times this world may seem like a chaotic jungle, with the right perspectives and hard work, we can turn this world into a divine garden.
This is just solo and I'm using a loop pedal, and it's very much rhythm based, not so much as in beats, but the drumming is very melodic and then I layer flutes, which take inspiration from the drumming. So it's not very western and there's a clear chord progression. A lot of it is inspired from African culture and my teachers [are] very into that. So yeah, that's my new project.
We met at the park [Washington Square Park]. Do you perform there often?
No, that was total… I busked once in a subway within the past year and I was like, oh, it's a really nice day out. My brother was there to help lug everything and he was filming. He's a filmmaker, I don't know if you saw [him].
I saw!
Yeah. So I was like, oh, it's a nice day out, it could look cool and it'd probably be fun. So I tried out.
Did he make the videos on your website?
He did.
They're beautiful. Very cinematic.
Oh Thank you.
As a drummer, is there a favorite place you like playing in New York? Not all venues are drum friendly…
Yeah...
Favorite? I like actually the downstairs at the Silvana. I remember really liking the sound, and the drums were set up well, which is very rare.
Thank you! When is your new [show] coming out?
The show is February 25th. And I hope to release an album after I get more comfortable with it.
That's amazing! I'm excited to hear it.
Keep up with Nate’s upcoming projects -
https://www.naterappaport.com/
https://www.instagram.com/naterappaport/
Venue Highlight - Silvana - https://silvana-nyc.com/
Tickets for Nate’s new show -
