Nate Sabat is an award-winning bassist, singer-songwriter, arranger and instructor based in Brooklyn, NY. A born-and-raised New Yorker, he attended LaGuardia High School as a vocal principal and went on to study upright bass at the Berklee College of Music. He has performed on stages throughout Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States, at festivals and venues including Celtic Connections, Savannah Music Festival, ROMP and Carnegie Hall. Nate has written and arranged music for NPR's Radiolab, the Young People's Chorus of New York City and the Heifetz International Music Institute. Additionally, a number of his songs are in rotation on Sirius XM's Bluegrass Junction channel.
Nate's bass playing — while rooted in American folk music — goes far beyond any preconceived notions of the instrument's role within the genre. With a relaxed, vocal sound and equal fluency with pizzicato and the bow, Nate takes full advantage of the never-ending variety of sounds and textures the bass has to offer. GRAMMY-winning cellist Eugene Friesen says, "Nate has so much going for him: The ability to propel any groove with chops and subtlety, a sweet bow sound that can vocalize any melody, fiercely great intonation, and, most importantly, a musical intelligence and intuition that operates with a constant smile.” In April 2024 Nate released Bass Fiddler (Adhyâropa Records), twelve tracks of unadorned bass & vocals, produced by the legendary Bruce Molsky.
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With his ability to pay close attention to detail and quickly internalize musical form and feeling, Nate has become an in-demand sideman on stage and in the studio. He has worked with artists such as Tray Wellington, Tony Trischka, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, The Foreign Landers and Eliza Edens. He was also a founding member of the groundbreaking string band Mile Twelve, recording three full-length albums with the group between 2015 and 2023. In 2020 he had his first moment in the producer's chair, bringing Deviant Folk — the debut album of Boston-area singer-songwriter Mark Abruzzese — to life.
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Nate has taught at camps including Rockygrass Academy, LaRoche Bluegrass Camp, NimbleFingers, Ossipee Valley String Camp and Kaufman Kamp. He currently offers instruction in upright and electric bass, in-person and online, and also offers low-cost upright bass instruction via Patreon. In 2021, Nate released his first instructional book — Dirt Simple: Upright Bass — via Mel Bay Publications.