Nathan Royal believes in the transformative power of
live music—not just as an art form, but as a force for
building resilient communities. As Executive Director of
Hot House West, a Salt Lake City nonprofit, he works
to create opportunities for acoustic musicians at every
stage of their journey. His vision emerged from his own
path: after completing his jazz performance degree at
the University of Utah, Nathan chose exploration over
convention, traveling across North America and Europe
to learn from master musicians like Tcha Limberger and
Denis Chang.
Today, Nathan leads three distinct projects: the Hot
House West Swing Orchestra, which has performed at
prestigious venues including the Moab Music Festival,
Kingsbury Hall, and the Vail Jazz Festival; The
Elderblossoms, an old-time ensemble selected for the
Baltimore Old-Time Festival; and the Nathan Royal
Trio, drawing inspiration from the era of Nat King Cole
and Oscar Peterson. These projects, each captured on
albums with Westmoon Records, reflect his belief that
musical traditions—from jazz to bluegrass—share a common thread of bringing people together.
Whether he’s directing community events through Hot House West, teaching private guitar
lessons, or performing with his ensembles, Nathan’s mission remains consistent: creating
spaces where music can remind people of their extraordinary nature and capacity for
connection.
Photo By Brandon Cruz