- News & Reviews FeedAlex Nester
Hey there SoulTrackers! I am so thrilled to share with all of you my debut album, "Rattle the Walls". This project was an 8 year labor-of-love created to inspire, encourage, heal, strengthen, and spread love--all things I was engulfed in a few years ago... When I was 16 years-old I was diagnosed with cancer, but through my illness I experienced more love and positivity than I ever knew possible--and I want to give back tenfold.
The lineup of stellar A-list musicians on this album still blows my mind. Produced by the brilliant Robby Robinson (musical director for Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons), this album features other monster players such as Alphonse Mouzon, Zoro, Richie "Gajate" Garcia, Eric Marienthal, Gary Herbig, Brandon Fields, "Blue" Lou Marini, Jerry Vivino, Tom "Bones" Malone, Rick Baptist, Harry Kim, Bobby Burns, & Bruce Conti. The last track even features the FOUR TOPS who lent their talents to recreate their classic Motown masterpiece, "Can't Help Myself"! As a singer, songwriter, and musician I couldn't be happier with this project--I just hope it means as much to all of you as it does to me.
Alex Nester
Web Sites:
Official Web Site
Myspace Page
Biography
Alex Nester - born Erin Alexandra Nester - grew up with musically inclined parents. Her father - jazz horn player Russell Nester, has backed Alex in the local blues band Gary Manker & The Blues Crew, and honed his craft in various regional jazz and swing bands for several decades. Her mother, acting coach Candace Nester, always encouraged Alex's vocal gifts. Since her first commercial for Yo-Gel at age nine, Alex always found steady employment. She has worked with top forty hit makers The Four Tops, The Fifth Dimension, and Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. As a recording artist, Alex was part of the cross-cultural female pop/rock vocal trio, Knockout, who in 2004 recorded the independent disc Can You Hear Me Now and was also honored by the government of The Republic of China to represent the U.S. as goodwill ambassadors for modern western pop music.
After paying all those dues on a regional basis, Nester reached her musical peak when she received the Outstanding Female Vocalist award at the 2000 esteemed L.A. Music Awards for her original composition, "Unique." Many musicians and critics raved about Nester's astounding vocal talents. Well-respected jazz fusion drummer/percussionist Mouzon dubbed Nester as "one of the greatest singers in the world." Bobby Burns Jr., the current trumpeter for Earth Wind & Fire puts her on par with other soulful voices: "a voice with the soul of Aretha, the song quality of Nancy Wilson, and the fire of Chaka."
Unfortunately, after receiving her L.A.M.A. accolade, the following year brought an unforeseen illness that changed Nester's career goals for a short but very painful period. While recording her debut project with long time musical associate Robinson, Nester was stricken with cancer. Fortunately after a year of chemotherapy and lots of prayers from friends and family, she was declared cancer-free. She celebrated by independently releasing her solo debut recording Rattle The Walls, working with veteran producer/arranger Robby Robinson (Martha Reeves, Alphonse Mouzon) . The disc offers a full menu of urban delights: blues, gospel, R&B, soul, and jazz; all delivered with a compelling, gigantic voice that has lived the professional highs and tackled the personal lows.
Rattle The Walls, along with plenty of Nester live performances, won her a sizeable audience among both pop and soul audiences, and a nomination for the 2009 SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards.
In early 2010, the blogosphere began to buzz about Nester as a contestant on American Idol, and she appeared on previews for episodes of that show scheduled for early February. We expect the nation will find out what her growing fanbase already knows: Alex Nester is the real deal.
By Peggy Oliver with Chris Rizik
