Duo tries to draw younger fans to folkSure, folk duo Nate & Kate have some really good songs and stellar harmonies, and that should be more than enough to turn some heads. But sometimes what really gets an audience's attention is the juggling — oh, and the part where Nate balances his various instruments, one at a time, on his chin. For Binghamton University grad Nate Marshall and Hamilton College alumna Kate Hand, adding a little vaudeville touch to a performance is all part of the fun. "The important thing is that people look," Marshall
said from the road before a Rochester gig last week. "If we're in a tough room — in a bar or something, where people are talking and loud — we can start the show with me balancing my harmonica on my chin, then a little ukulele, and then my guitar. By then, people are looking, and then they have to listen to the first song. I'll make a monkey of myself, if necessary. … It's a little bit of a spectacle."
The quirky twosome has been building a life together on and off the stage since meeting in early 2005. Marshall grew up on a Hudson Valley farm, playing guitar and writing songs since he was 16. Hand, a native of the Elmira area, started singing and playing the cello at age 4, and she had performed in orchestras and choirs as well as a few rock bands. As a couple, they are updating old-time sounds for younger listeners — although there is plenty for all ages to enjoy.
Marshall, who studied classical music at BU, blends shades of blues, ragtime,
music hall and gospel into the Nate & Kate songbook. Hand, who Marshall sweetly calls "the brains behind the operation," helps bring the songs to life with her suggestions for
making them better. "If he's doing something one way, I smack him over the head and say, 'Hey, why don't we try it this way?' Then we argue — you know how the creative process is!" Hand said with a laugh.
However everything comes together, it must be working. Their Nate & Kate debut album, "Fame by Frame," offers up 12 original tracks that are far from the usual meditations on boymeets-girl dynamics.
Album opener "ttyl now baby" is a country shuffle about an online breakup, written entirely in Instant Messenger shorthand. For those not in the know, "ttyl" means "talk to you later" — although it's clear in the song that that's a hollow promise. Another one for the under-30 crowd is "The Dancing Screen": The hushed harmonies and earnest delivery give the story of a young Nintendo addict a faux-seriousness; an instrumental bridge re-imagines famous videogame tunes as arranged on cello and guitar. "Just a Lonely Sphere" imagines our sun seeking companionship through a personal ad, while "Anna's Afternoon" follows a dog's lazy, pressure-free day just loping around the farm. "Face in the Checkout Aisle" boasts a cool 1950s doo-wop feel and some supermarket sound effects — but it asks serious questions about all the pretty airbrushed faces that stare back at us from those magazine covers. The Dylan-esque "Like Dandelion Seeds to the Wind" speaks of a complex love, like the call of a Greek siren: "And her heart, it rings like a buoy / Out there on the salty waves/ And you'll never be sorry/ If you just let the undertow sweep you away." Album closer "When Our Day is Done" offers a fanciful look at the hereafter, where we'll be free from work, eat tangerines and hang out with dearly departed poets.
But a real highlight of the CD is the orchestral lullaby "Dark Side of the World," in which dad tells a bedtime story to his child. As the kid drifts off to sleep, a string section swells and takes listeners on a manic tour of dreamland. Then the song settles back to Dad's perspective and his own tired adult problems — but soon he'll be in a
dreamland of his own.
These days, Marshall finds a lot of inspiration off the beaten path. "I've written 80 or 85
songs, so I've already written a lot about what it's like to get left by someone that
you love, or what it's like to be hurt or to hurt someone else. I've written those songs with a more typical perspective, a more singer/songwriter kind of thing — the subject matter you're used to hearing about," he said. "Then I started having these songs —
we thought of them as little portraits. Instead of just telling our own stories, why not tell a story from the eyes of a golden retriever? Or, let's use the sun as an allegory for loneliness."
Both Marshall and Hand find their sly combination of humor and heart goes over well with college crowds, at places like Binghamton's Cyber Café and in Ithaca, which they now call home. But they have their sights set on the general folk audience, too.
"We're trying to bridge the separation of the young kids from folk," Hand said. "The best venues to get into are these old folk venues that have been around for a long time, where people who are doing them remember what it was like when the greats were doing folk and folk really had its heyday."
Also appearing The soulful and sultry voice of singer/songwriter Abigail Payne echoes jazz greats such as Billie Holiday and Etta James — but she cites rock as a big influence, too. The New York City musician is currently working on a new solo album.
Chris Kocher
Press & Sun-Bulletin
Wildy Haskel Music Critic onNate & Kate – Fame By Frame
2007 Nate & Kate Music
When you first look at a CD you never quite know what you’re going to get. The packaging can be extremely misleading at times. Nate & Kate’s Fame By Frame is housed in a cover modeled on “American Gothic”, and is only a hint at what is inside.
In the vein of another once-Ithaca, NY-based duo, Once Blue, Nate & Kate take a sometimes tired musical form and breathe magic and life into it. Americana/folk has never sounded so good. Nate (Nate Marshall) is a dynamic singer-songwriter with unusual lyrical ability and a perfectly imperfect voice. The ever eponymous “Kate” brings the mellow, sometimes dancing sound of her cello and her lush voice to enhance the sonic landscape of Nate & Kate.
The highlights here are many, but “Faith, Hope & Love” may be one of the most moving songs you’ve ever heard. Songs such as “Like Dandelion Seeds To The Wind”, “The Dark Side Of The World”, “Pissin’ Into The Wind”, “Freight Train Play That Chord”, and “When Our Day Is Done” will have you hitting repeat time and time again. Many albums lead with the strongest material and peter out from there. Fame by Frame keeps getting stronger song by song.
This is an absolute keeper; a desert island disc. Nate Marshall’s songwriting rivals that of Jesse Harris of the aforementioned Once Blue. (Jesse Harris won a Grammy for “I Don’t Know Why”, recorded by Norah Jones). Kate is the perfect counter and harmonic balance (although it would be a treat to hear a little more of her on lead vocal once in a while).
I can’t recommend this strongly enough.
Rating: Buy It Now
CONCERT REVIEW - ABBY PAYNE - NATE & KATE - CYBER CAFE WEST - Feb 14th, 2009
-by musician/songwriter Corey Coleman
This is something I may do from time to time, when an event strikes me in a such away that it inspires my sharing it.
Tonight I decided to head on over to the Cyber Cafe West in Binghamton, NY. There were two groups on the bill, Nate & Kate, who I was familiar with, and Abby Payne, with whom I was not. They were both absolutely wonderful.
Nate & Kate started the evening with their sometimes joyous, sometimes melancholy, but always passionate folk-inspired songs which kept the audience captivated and entertained. It was a rare treat to watch and listen to two people so devoted to their art and audience.
Beyond their perfectly crafted originals, including their chug-chugging, whistle howling, steam billowing train song "Freight Train Play That Song", an additional highlight was their simply delivered cover of The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" and the truly beautiful cover of "A Kiss At The End Of The Rainbow", originally performed by the fictitious duo Mitch and Mickey in the Christopher Guest satire "A Mighty Wind". I almost started chanting "Mickey!, Mickey!, Mitch!, Mitch!", but I didn't want to be THAT guy (Those who have seen the movie will understand. Those who haven't absolutely must).
All in all they are a completely original and refreshing sound and should be checked out by anyone who enjoys REALLY good music at www.myspace.com/nateandkatemusic or www.nateandkatemusic.com/
Their CD "Fame By Frame" is available at cdbaby.com/cd/natekate
Next up was Abby Payne and her band from New York City. What an absolute pleasure it was to bump into such an oxygen-infusing, jaw dropping songwriter and singer. Her sound is a brilliant blend of Powerpop and Piano Rock that basically renders you unable to stop tapping your foot and bopping your head.
The set was opened with the hard-hitting "Bad One" from her latest album "In A Pretty Box", available at cdbaby.com/cd/abbypayne. That set the tone for the rest of the night, which was filled with some of the catchiest, most well-written music I've had the pleasure to come across in a long time.
Featuring the rock solid and tone-warping bassist Chris Anderson, tight, funky and pocket drummer Kenny Shaw, steady-fingered and soundscape-weaving keyboardist Jacob Pleakis, and of course the boldly sweet vocals and imaginative piano stylings of Abby Payne herself, the band was absolutely perfect.
In terms of covers, it didn't hurt that they played songs by three of my biggest musical influences of all time, Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U", Ben Folds' "You Don't Know Me", and Tori Amos' "Precious Things". It was almost as if I had selected the songs I wanted to hear and they played them. What wonderful taste in music!
I left the cafe tonight feeling more inspired than ever to immerse myself in my music, and I thank them all for that.
It's amazing what you can come across when you're bored on Valentine's Day and decide to get out of the house. I'll be sure to continue following these two groups.
Muse Magazine Article
Folk guitar and cello, upbeat and original, Nate & Kate have been traveling and playing their music to crowds in the United States and Europe for a number of years. When Nate can’t be found on stage, you’ll often find him in front of the club, juggling for spare change. You tap in time to Nate’s music and try to sing along simply because his tunes are so upbeat and full of zest. At Musefest 2006, Nate will again play with touring partner Kate Hand, whose tender cello playing and lovely voice create harmonies of exquisite intimacy. A great mix of traveling blues and folk, Nate & Kate hope to give their audience a real treat. “Don your derby or Stetson, hemp necklaces and shredded jeans and bring friends with bags of tomatoes and switch-blade combs.” This duo has a unique perspective on life, like that of a person who sings a lament while doing a backflip. See www.nateandkatemusic.com for more information on Nate & Kate.
--Emily Koester, Muse Magazine
11/21/2008
Nate and Kate set to perform at Strada's
By: Jennifer Barry , Staff Reporter
The musical stylings of folk rock duo Nate and Kate are set to hit the stage at Strada's in Wingdale this week in support of the release of their full-length album "Fame by Frame"- a performance which will be a homecoming for singer/songwriter Nate Marshall. Marshall, who grew up in Wingdale, spent his high school years playing in rock bands and church choirs in Dover Plains. After picking up the guitar at 16, Marshall went on to pen over a hundred original songs.
To date, he has two solo albums under his belt as well as "Fame by Frame," the recent release by Nate and Kate.
After graduation, Marshall traveled across the country for the better part of a year via a station wagon that set him back $600.With a musical accomplice along for the ride, Marshall toured the country's national parks, writing music along the way and performing as a busker to get by.
Later, Marshall moved to Chicago and became politically involved, volunteering and organizing on the grassroots level.
"From that experience I wrote a lot of songs and performed here and there," he said. "After going to school for a year, I went to Venice Beach to be a street performer for the summer." As the summer faded, Marshall made the decision to go back to school full time; that determination brought him to Binghamton where he studied English and music. "I decided that it was time for some formal training," Marshall said. "But as a transfer student I was never able to find on-campus housing, even though I was spending most of my time on campus in the piano room or with friends in their dorms. So I pretty much lived in six or seven different apartments." Marshall's nomadic existence ended and fate brought him to live with several childhood friends of his future musical partner - and later wife - Katherine Hand.
Growing up singing and playing the cello at the tender age of 4, Hand was working at the local music hot spot during Marshall's time in Binghamton. "Kate was working at this place, 'Cyber Café West,' where all kinds of very good songwriters and bands were coming through all the time," said Marshall. "I had been hanging out there a lot and I really wanted to play there eventually. She ended up introducing herself; she had been singing in some cover bands and was working with the house band, but with her experience as a cellist we got the cello back out and began to include that in material we ended up writing together."
After graduation the duo embarked on a three-month tour through the mid-western states, up into Canada and back down to Tennessee."We booked the tour loosely and made no money on it at all," said Marshall. "And we had on all of our posters 'Singer/songwriter Nate Marshall featuring vocalist Katherine Hand;' they were nice posters and we had a great time, but when we got back everyone was just calling us 'Nate and Kate'. We decided that that fits on posters a lot better."
Now after having tied the knot, the duo has set off on tour once again - "The Mr. and Mrs. Tour." "When we got married we wanted to tour as a married duo, which is where we got the name," said Marshall. "We have a YouTube video up, which is a parody of the Magical Mystery Tour and was filmed while we were driving. You can see me at juggling practice too!" While the pair had come through the area frequently, they never had the opportunity to play in Marshall's hometown until recently. "We recently moved to Ithaca and a lot of friends and family that we grew up with have our CDs and wanted us to come and play," said Marshall. "We used to play in Poughkeepsie a lot, but when Strada's Italian Restaurant in Wingdale started doing music we set up a deal with them. It's going to be a fun show."
"Musical Medicine"
Local folk duo Nate & Kate takes some time off the road to talk about their upcoming show at ABC Cafe
by Warren Greenwood
"Concentrate on truth and beauty and forget the rest." - Tony Bennett
I was battling depression when I first saw Nate & Kate. I had heard a psychologist on NPR talking about how there was a pandemic of clinical depression in 19th century Europe. (They called it "melancholia" in those days.) She speculated that it was related to the disappearance of traditional agrarian festivals in Europe during that period. So in an heroic effort to feel better, I decided to go to the spring Ithaca Festival. Wandering aimlessly on the Commons, I came upon a marvelous folk duo - a young woman playing a cello and singing, a young man playing guitar and harmonica, singing and...juggling...yes, juggling. And, at some point, I realized I was listening to the Ithaca folk duo ("Central New York's Folk Superheroes") Nate & Kate. Way cool. I had read about Nate & Kate and wanted to see them. They were as good as advertised. Melancholy lifted. And this Sat, Dec 8th, you can see them at the ABC Cafe in Ithaca.
I called Nate for an interview, only to discover that Nate & Kate were on the road. And Nate & Kate graciously took time out from touring to answer some questions:
Ithaca Times: So, do you enjoy traveling? Or are you writing one of those songs that complains about life on the road?
Nate: That's funny because we introduce one of our staple songs "Nostalgia Blues" as being about "the glory of living high out of a station wagon." But it's actually more of a complaint, the the title suggests. I love being on the road. I feel subtracted from space and time more than usual. It's pleasant.
Kate: I don't mind too much, but I am more of a homebody. During our first long tour, we actually left our apartments and stored our stuff at our parents' because we were out for 3 months. It's a bit unsettling (litterally), but now it feels great to come home to our cozy little Fall Creek apartment.
IT: When we last spoke, you told me you planned to marry. It makes me think of Richard & Mimi Farina, or a young Bob Dylan & Joan Baez. Can you tell us how you met and fell in love?
K: Yes. We met in Binghamton. I was working at a cafe there, and had some girlfriends who were in nursing school and had an extra room in their house. When Nate moved in, I asked my friends who the new kid was, and they told me they thought he was kind of weird because he always stayed in his room playing music really loud. (And I don't mean the stereo, I mean creating it.) So I knocked and introduced myself, which he doesn't remember. We met again later at a bar.
N: All true. As far as romance on the road... it gets a bit crowded in the backseat of an Impreza with a cello, guitar, ukuleles and tambourines bouncing about - but we manage.
IT: According to your website, Nate started playing guitar at age 16 with a church choir. And Kate started playing cello at age 4. Tell us a bit about that.
N: Yeah, I got proficient on guitar playing in the Catholic teen choir in Dover Plains. I also arranged some of the hymns and vocal harmonies. I was usually hung-over. But it was 11:45am Mass so it was perfect. My father always sang Irish and American folk songs to me as a kid, too.
K: I took lessons at Ithaca Talent Education. It's a Suzuki program, and yes, you have to start out on a yard stick and a cereal box.
IT: You've written over 100 songs, Nate. Do you let the music flow through you from another universe as if you were an antenna?
N: Yep. It's mostly like an antenna to get that initial impulse, but then it's usually very hard work to hammer the copper into something with form. I rarely "see the angel in the block of marble and set it free." I almost always write lyrics first, with a rhythm, and a very vague sense of the melody (which is often stolen from another song stuffed in my head), then put off the hard work, drink a bit, edit, juggle, then keep chipping away at it.
IT: You're going to perform at the ABC Cafe on Saturday?
N & K: Right!! This coming Sat, Dec 8th, we'll be doing a very big show with a terrific fiery young old-time string band, The Powder Kegs, at ABC Cafe. They've been featured on "A Prairie Home Companion." We will open for them. It's pay what you can, and the show starts at 9:30. Our show has become a mix of original songs on several instruments, a bit a vaudeville, and guest musicians... but it will be easiest to see for yourself this Saturday!