Nelson Montana

Nelson Montana is an American Author, Songwriter and Multi-Instrumentalist.

Music career

Originally majoring and planning on a career in art, Nelson Montana went on to study music at Manhattan School of Music http://www.msmnyc.edu/ and privately with jazz great Elvin Jones. He first gained critical acclaim playing drums in the New York avant garde band Popular Science. http://vinylobscurity.blogspot.com/2011/01/popular-science-design-for-living-lp.html He has since gone on to perform (live and in the studio) primarily as a bassist working with various artists, including being the full-time bass player for famed folk singer David Ippolito -- “That Guitar Man From Central Park” . Nelson appears on four of his albums, and at the yearly concert at Merkin Hall in Manhattan. http://kaufman-center.org/merkin-concert-hall/event/david-ippolito-somethingth-annual/

Montana plays a total of 11 instruments; bass, (fretted and fretless, 4 and 5 string) guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, drums, synthesizer, double bass, various percussion, harmonica and vocals. He has released three solo CDs on which he plays multiple instruments. He plays all the instruments on “Don’t Fear The Reverb,” which was touted by critics as a new genre called “Surf Metal” http://www.reverbcentral.com/reviews/m/montana8208.html. fusing the style of early rock instrumentals with a more aggressive approach and heavier sound.

On his 2010 release, “Jazz Un-Standards,” (which he also produced and engineered) Montana is joined by David Jenson of the Grammy Award winning group Groove Collective and Alex Norris, http://www.theglobecafe.com/jazz/snj-bios.pdf, trumpeter for Grammy winner Joshua Redman and rock legend Stevie Winwood, to create an eclectic soundscape of jazz genres.^[1]

Also a prolific composer and arranger, Nelson has written dozens of songs and is a member of ASCAP, with the published composition From This Day On.

Writing career

Nelson has authored over 300 published articles covering politics, business, parenting, New York issues, entertainment and the field of health and fitness. He’s been a regular contributor to MuscleMag Int. and American Health and Fitness, both owned by publisher Robert Kennedy, as well as the short-lived Mind and Muscle Power owned by famed publisher Bob Guccione. His work has also appeared in Modern Drummer Men's Health (magazine) and Bass Player Magazine. He’s interviewed many of the top celebrities in the field, and has been quoted in the infamous book about the Balco baseball scandal Game of Shadows. He authored two e-books, The Bodybuilding Truth and Bottom Line Bodybuilding, both of which have been endorsed by several fitness authorities, including former Mr. Universe and bodybuilding icon Dave Draper.

Montana is also is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nelson-montana, known as the most widely read news publication on-line. He currently has over 600 fans and followers.

Other Work

Montana has also appeared on television and films, including Woody Allen’s Celebrity and the ABC daytime drama All My Children and Guiding Light, on CBS where he played the character of “Detective Stockton. “

Nelson has performed some notable performers throughout his career including Nile Rodgers of Chic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chic_(band) Rock and Roll and blues pioneer Bo Diddly #1 hit dance artist Kim Sozzi and jazz master Dave Kikoski. He appears on “A Tribute To The Moody Blues” (Mellow Records) and “Shawn Lane Remembered, Vol II. “ (Guitar Nine Records)

In 1989, he released a music instructional video Play Beethoven On Bass (out of print) which was a collection of classical etudes arranged for solo electric bass. (Sample): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKhizb6o_f0. His first 2006 released solo album is under his given name Nelson Montanino: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/plangent. (Monologue Records)

Origin New York, NY

Born Nov 4

Years Active 1980 – present.

References

1. ^ http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=39647

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/nelsonmontana

http://www.reverbcentral.com/reviews/m/montana8208.html

http://megarapid.net/forums/t/105231.aspx

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nelson-montana/obamas-health-care-reform_b_230014.html

http://www.guitar9.com/shawnlaneremembered2crd.html

External links

http://www.guitar9.com/summnelsonmontana.html http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7268145

http://kaufman-center.org/merkin-concert-hall/event/david-ippolito-somethingth-annual/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nelson-montana/how-lame-is-the-rock-and_b_340111.html