David Nathan

February 15, 1948

London

Living in the United States between 1975 and 2009, he wrote several biographies of musicians as well as hundreds of articles and liner notes, and founded the website soulmusic.com. He has also recorded and performed as a jazz and blues singer, both under his own name and as his alter ego Nefer Davis. In 1966, with Dave Godin and Robert Blackmore, he established Soul City, in Deptford, South London, claimed to be the first record store outside the United States specialising in American rhythm and blues and soul music The shop also started a record label in 1968, to release United States Rhythm & Blues singles in the United Kingdom. In 1970, he began working in London for Contempo International, which owned Blues & Soul magazine. He moved to New York City in 1975 as contributing editor for Blues & Soul, leaving the company in 1981 when the magazine"s ownership changed. After a period working for Werner Erhard and Associates, he then moved to Los Angeles and worked as a freelance journalist. He wrote Lionel Richie: An Illustrated Biography (1985), as well as contributing to Billboard, United States of America Today and other magazines including Blues & Soul which he rejoined in the mid-1980s, and writing many Civil Defense liner notes. In the 1990s, he also worked as a producer of compilation reissues, and established a media coaching service. He founded a website dedicated to soul music, SoulMusic.com, in 2001. He released his first Civil Defense as a singer, Reinvention, in 2003 on his own Nefer Music label. In 2007, he released his second album, Wistful Elegance, with jazz/Rhythm & Blues group Pharaoh"s Dream. In 2010, after returning to live in the United Kingdom, he began singing as Nefer Davis, a name derived from his interests in ancient Egypt. Since coming back to live in London, Nathan has established the label SoulMusic Records in association with Cherry Red and as of April 2014, SoulMusic Records has reissued over 100 CDs by popular soul, jazz/funk and Motown artists.

David Nathan

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Background

David Nathan was born in London, and at the age of 16 set up the United Kingdom"s first fan club for singer Nina Simone.

Career

Living in the United States between 1975 and 2009, he wrote several biographies of musicians as well as hundreds of articles and liner notes, and founded the website soulmusic.com. He has also recorded and performed as a jazz and blues singer, both under his own name and as his alter ego Nefer Davis. In 1966, with Dave Godin and Robert Blackmore, he established Soul City, in Deptford, South London, claimed to be the first record store outside the United States specialising in American rhythm and blues and soul music

The shop also started a record label in 1968, to release United States Rhythm & Blues singles in the United Kingdom. In 1970, he began working in London for Contempo International, which owned Blues & Soul magazine.

He moved to New York City in 1975 as contributing editor for Blues & Soul, leaving the company in 1981 when the magazine"s ownership changed. After a period working for Werner Erhard and Associates, he then moved to Los Angeles and worked as a freelance journalist.

He wrote Lionel Richie: An Illustrated Biography (1985), as well as contributing to Billboard, United States of America Today and other magazines including Blues & Soul which he rejoined in the mid-1980s, and writing many Civil Defense liner notes. In the 1990s, he also worked as a producer of compilation reissues, and established a media coaching service.

He founded a website dedicated to soul music, SoulMusic.com, in 2001.

He released his first Civil Defense as a singer, Reinvention, in 2003 on his own Nefer Music label. In 2007, he released his second album, Wistful Elegance, with jazz/Rhythm & Blues group Pharaoh"s Dream. In 2010, after returning to live in the United Kingdom, he began singing as Nefer Davis, a name derived from his interests in ancient Egypt.

Since coming back to live in London, Nathan has established the label SoulMusic Records in association with Cherry Red and as of April 2014, SoulMusic Records has reissued over 100 CDs by popular soul, jazz/funk and Motown artists.

Achievements

In the 1960s and 1970s, he was the co-founder of the Soul City record label and a contributing editor to Blues & Soul magazine. He has received an award for his journalism from the International Association of African-American Music.