Born in Portland, OR, Nat Hulskamp began studying guitar with guitarist/composer Paul Chasman at age seventeen. He was soon introduced to flamenco guitar by José Solano. His interest in the influence of Arabic music on flamenco led him to study oud in Morocco. After returning to the U.S., he moved to Seattle to study ethnomusicology at the University of Washington. In 2000, he co-founded the Vancouver, BC, based Arabic/flamenco group Aire. In 2004, he moved to Portland and formed the group Shabava with kamancheh/sehtar/violinist and singer Bobak Salehi. In 2010, he formed the trio Caminhos Cruzados with master jazz guitarist Dan Balmer and Ghanaian percussion virtuoso Israel Annoh. Nat has studied with the top flamenco guitarists of today, including Diego del Morao, Manuel Parrilla, Pepe del Morao, Dani de Morón, and Antonio Rey, among others. He has recorded in Spain with Diego del Morao, La Macanita, Luís de Perikín, and LaBejazz, and has performed with José Antonio Rodríguez, Santiago Lara and Antonio Rey during their US tours. He now resides in Portland, composing and performing with Shabava, Caminhos Cruzados, and Seffarine.
Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/20/2020.