Sydney-based Nathan Tasker is a man with a mission. Like most singer-songwriters, this 28 year old is keen to tell his lyrical stories to all who will listen.
For more than a decade, he has been working towards perfecting his craft. He has recorded seven albums and has performed at more than 1200 concerts. Sales of his recorded CDs total more than 14 000 units.
Nathan Tasker is not a household name. And he really isn’t interested in total world domination. But he does want people to hear his songs. Tasker, who describes himself as an “emo” or emotional songwriter, is determined to get his message out to people via energetic and engaging live performances as well as through his albums.
Since the age of 17, he has performed in schools, churches and prisons. He has played at conventions and to youth groups. Part of his journey has meant annual visits to churches in the USA, the UK, Western Europe and South Africa.
His latest album, A Look Inside, was mixed in New York by Ben Wisch who has worked with artists such as Marc Cohn, Kathy Mattea, Lucy Kaplanksy and Jonatha Brooke. It was mastered in Nashville by Ken Love whose project credits include works by Tim Finn, Ashley Cleveland, dc Talk and Australian Grammy Award winner Rebecca St James.
As a performing and recording artist, Tasker has what he refers to as “a commitment to excellence”. He is determined to give of his best at all times whether that be on a stage or in a studio. He takes his responsibility as a role model for others very seriously.
“One of the reasons why I think it’s important to be a good role model when I strap on a guitar is because there is a need for people to respond to truth in a way that isn’t just about selling CDs. It isn’t just about building the ‘Nathan Tasker Corporation’. It’s about understanding life. And I want to be the role model for that”.
In concert and on disc, Nathan Tasker emerges as a storyteller. His songs cover many aspects of the human condition. But he is more than just a detached observer; he is an active and vulnerable participant.
“At the very heart of the music that I write and the songs that I sing is a desire to tell stories. There’s a desire to connect with people at that level where maybe I’m voicing something that they have thought about but haven’t been able to find a voice for. Maybe as I’m singing, it turns out that I’m actually singing their song. I think there are a lot of things that we have in common, especially when it comes to the questions about life. And I think the key for me, one of the major things that I strive for is to be honest, to express my struggles, to express my fears, my doubts and concerns. Also, to express what brings me joy and to express the hope that I have as well”.
Throughout 2004, Nathan Tasker has been taking his stories throughout Australia. His songs Your Love Changes Me and Underneath have garnered strong national airplay on independent radio from Sydney to Perth, and Townsville to Hobart.
Now, for the first time in two years, Nathan Tasker performs live with a band in his home town. FM 103.2 presents Nathan Tasker in concert on Saturday 23 October at 7:30 pm at North Shore Christian Centre, Gibbes Street Chatswood. With his ability to engage his listeners emotionally and spiritually, Nathan Tasker is poised to make a big impact in Australian music.
