The Daniel Nathan Band is taking over West Allis's Six Points Pub & Grille stage -- 6200 W. Greenfield Ave. -- at 10 p.m. tomorrow night with music Nathan describes as having its roots in the blues, but with influences in rock.
What separates the band from others is the fact that the quartet not only uses the band staples -- guitar, bass, drums along with vocals -- but throws in flute and harmonica.
Nathan graduated from high school with a focus on classical flute, an instrument he picked up in the fifth grade. He added the guitar to his repertoire in college.
"(As a band) we started a couple years ago with the drummer I knew from college, the drummer knew a bass player," Nathan says. "So we started jamming, practicing together."
As a group, they rose up to playing different local venues including a stint playing Guitar Bar twice a month for eight months.
The band just released its self-titled album in January and is now touring in support
"We were laying low until came out with the CD. I think we're all solid and it's time to get out there a bit more," Nathan says. "We're different than a lot of bands you're going to see. You hear us playing the blues and say ‘Ok, they play the blues, they're a blues band.' But then out of no where comes the flute."
He says that they like to keep the people guessing and try to have a lot of variety in the music.
"I would describe it as having the roots in the blues but we're hard to describe. I'm Influenced by ‘70s rock. I listen to Jimi Hendrix all day, not saying I sound like him by any means, but he's a strong influence. And there's Jethro Tull in there with the flute. I always listen to them. We keep trying to work in the flute as much as possible."
The sound of the flute is something that Nathan says people always seem to perk up and check out where it comes from when they bust it out. Same with the harmonica, it adds another tone to the type of music the Daniel Nathan Band is playing.
"We're all talented musicians and it's a unique experience," Nathan says. "We have the roots in the blues but get out of the box a little bit."
Originally from Des Plaines, Ill., Heather moved to Milwaukee to earn a B.A. in journalism from Marquette University. With a tongue-twisting last name like Leszczewicz, it's best to go into a career where people don't need to say your name often.
However, she's still sticking to some of her Illinoisan ways (she won't reform when it comes to things like pop, water fountain or ATM), though she's grown to enjoy her time in the Brew City.
Although her journalism career is still budding, Heather has had the chance for some once-in-a-lifetime interviews with celebrities like actor Vince Vaughn and actress Charlize Theron, director Cameron Crowe and singers Ben Kweller and Isaac Hanson of '90s brother boy band Hanson.
Heather's a self-proclaimed workaholic but loves her entertainment. She's a real television and movie fanatic, book nerd, music junkie, coffee addict and pop culture aficionado.
