Nat Hulskamp

Oud

Nat began studying music in his hometown of Portland, OR with guitarist/composer Paul Chasman. After being introduced to flamenco guitar by José Solano and oud by Tarik Banzi, his interest in the influence of Arabic music on flamenco led him to study oud in Morocco. There he studied Andalusi, Melhoun, Mwashshahat and other forms of Arabic music and traveled throughout Morocco to record its diverse musical traditions, including Gnawa, Shluh and Dqa Marrakechia.

After returning to the US, he moved to Seattle to study ethnomusicology at the University of Washington and continued studying oud with Turkish master lutenist Munir Nurettin Beken. During his years in Seattle, he also worked with the groups Carmona Flamenco, The Rez Quartet and others ranging in style from Iraqi to Gypsy Swing to flamenco. In 2000 he co-founded the Vancouver, BC based Arabic/flamenco group Aire with ney player and singer Emad Armoush. After returning to Portland, he formed the group Shabava with kamancheh/sehtar/violinist and singer Bobak Salehi, which plays traditional and new music of the Persian classical tradition. He performs regularly Caminhos Cruzados (a trio with jazz guitarist Dan Balmer and Ghanaian percussion virtuoso Israel Annoh) and Seffarine, which Nat co-founded with his wife, Moroccan vocalist Lamiae Naki.

Nat has studied in Spain with the top flamenco guitarists of today including Diego del Morao, Manuel Parrilla, Pepe del Morao, Jesús Guerrero, José Antonio Rodriguez and Dani de Morón. Nat received a grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council to travel to Jerez de la Frontera, Spain to record a collaboration between his group, Seffarine and several living legends of flamenco, including Diego del Morao, and Tomasa La Macanita. The record placed in several top world music charts internationally and led to other Arabic/flamenco recording collaborations, most recently with the renowned flamenco/jazz group LaBejazz in Marchena, Spain and virtuoso flamenco guitarist Antonio Rey. He now resides in Portland, composing and performing with Shabava, Caminhos Cruzados and Seffarine.