Who is Nectar?
Nectar is an intimate quartet weaving together music of the Americas using bass, hand drums, guitar and vocals. Our styles include, but are not limited to latin jazz, bossa nova and samba, bomba, and interpretations of modern jazz and pop standards in a latin style. Based in Western MA, Nectar infuses it's complex and tasteful style to a wide range of songs, leaving listeners with a taste of musical umami.
About Nectar
Kate Nicolaou has been singing sweet songs in the pioneer valley for the past 15 years. In addition to her work with Nectar, she is well known for her work as one of the lead vocalists for the Butterfly Swing Band. Kate has and continues to perform with small groups of musicians and vocalists in the local music community. She shares her musical and improvisational skills with young preschoolers during the day, and sings jazz, world, folk, and rock and roll with friends and family whenever the moon and stars are out.
Nick Shaw has taught Afro-Puerto Rican drum and dance at Amherst Regional High School for over 20 years. In that time he has studied with several of the island's masters including members of the Cepeda and Ayala families. He and his partner have also guided several instructional trips for students to Puerto Rico in addition to supporting Afro-Puerto Rican cultural expression in Western MA.
Juan Araneda has played a wide range of styles on guitar since the age of 12. Today he specializes in Jazz, Latin Jazz, Fusion, Brazilian Jazz, looping and original music all featuring the nylon-stringed guitar. He's played solo and with a variety of groups and ensembles, and recorded and performed lead nylon-stringed guitar for singer songwriter friends.
Bill Noland has played bass for over forty years in a variety of styles. He achieved his greatest successes in Eccentric Orbit, a Progressive Rock outfit that achieved international acclaim between 2004 and 2015, and with Brave Pursuit, a classic rock band based in Eastern, MA, in which he also sings lead vocals. Currently, Bill also plays bass with Minstrels in the Gallery, a Jethro Tull tribute band, and plays electric guitar with The Yasu Suzuki Method. Along with music, Bill is the author of “Uncommon Bonds,” a series of supernatural thrillers on Evolved Publishing.