Nigel Hall’s mother got him an early start in his career as a musician – a really early start.

“I was born to be a musician,” said Hall. “My mom was putting headphones on her belly when she was pregnant with me. I don’t have a choice. I am music, and music is me.”

Whether it’s destiny, genes, hard work, or a combination of the three, the 24-year-old, Bangor-based Hall has ended up a multitalented soul/R&B musician and arranger, a vocalist, and a consummate showman, with his own Nigel Hall Band, and with River Bottom Funk, the cover band he plays with every Thursday at Carolina’s Sports and Spirits in Bangor.

That Herbie Hancock that mom piped into the womb, it seems, did the trick. Music was an integral part of Hall’s childhood, and it also runs in the family: his sister Kenya, a powerful vocalist and musician in her own right, also lives in Maine, and fronts the Hallowell-based bar band the 151.

“My father was a guitar player, my Mom sings, my sister sings, and my brother is a bass player,” said Hall, who started as a guitarist but moved on to keyboards, which are his primary instrument. “I’ve been doing this all my life.”

Originally from the Washington, D.C., area, Hall came to Maine at age 16 to attend Penobscot County Job Corps. After a short stint back in D.C., he returned to Maine in his late teens and has been here ever since, playing in bands and as a solo musician for the past five years. Prior to striking out on his own, he played with the now-defunct Bangor band the Funkizon.

Now, with a debut album, “The Face Of Things To Come” out on indie label New Sound Network, he’s getting ready to take his career to the next level. His backing band consists of Roderick Pinkney on bass, John Notto on guitar, Lucas Desmond on alto sax, John Maclaine on trombone, drummer Jason Stewart and a percussionist simply known as Chaz.

The seven-piece powerhouse has made such a splash in Portland that not only were they nominated in several categories in the Portland Phoenix’s Best New Music Poll, but Nigel’s record release party at the Big Easy Blues Club last weekend was packed to the gills.

And what’s not to love? It’s fun, it’s funky, and Hall’s live presence is both magnetic and relaxed, as he cracks jokes and brings out his inner James Brown as a bandleader. His infectious, alternately smooth and raucous blend of soul, R&B and funk has made him one of the more recognizable faces on the Maine music scene – not just in Portland, but all over the state, due to his relentless gigging with River Bottom Funk.

The new album was produced and arranged by Hall himself, and was released by New Sound Network, a New York-based label run by Paris Toon, whose band Mother’s Favorite Child is a personal favorite of Hall’s – along with his old standbys George Duke, Grover Washington, Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis.

In yet another example of MySpace tearing down both geographical and communication boundaries, the social networking Web site brought Toon and Hall together, when Toon contacted him via his page (www.myspace.com/nigelhall) and asked Hall if he wanted to make some music together.

“I asked him for his permission to cover his song ‘Simply You,'” said Hall, who counts that track as one of his favorites on the album. “He said it was actually one of his least favorite songs, but I said, ‘Let me see what I can do with it.’ When he heard the finished project, he nearly died. The whole vibe is very me. I’m singing about love, and it’s very smooth – smooth enough to get any woman I want.”

But don’t worry about that – Hall takes pains to mention that his girlfriend, Megan, has been his support system and cheerleader, and he wouldn’t be playing shows and putting out an album without her help.

“She puts up with me,” laughed Hall. “You gotta love her for that.”

To purchase “The Face of Things to Come”, visit www.newsoundnetwork.com. River Bottom Funk plays every Thursday night at Carolina’s Sports and Spirits in Bangor. Emily Burnham can be reached at eburnham@bangordailynews.net.