ORIGINAL COMPO-10

"Thought Lines" by Steve Herberman!

Artist Information

Cutting edge Modern Jazz with one hand in the richness of the jazz tradition and the other hand exploring the new sounds of the New York jazz underground.

Biography The Steve Herberman Quartet plays a mix of original music and jazz standards with a twist: Interesting arrangements, tight knit cohesion, and far reaching imaginative improvisation that has been given kudos from jazz greats Jim Hall, Keter Betts, Larry Willis, and Jimmy Bruno as well as respected publications like JazzTimes, Downbeat, Cadence, Jazz Improv, Just Jazz Guitar, 20th Century Guitar, Guitar World, Guitar One and many others. From Bebop into the 21st century embracing hard hitting traditions as well as music with many colors, space and meters. The interplay between the members of the quartet is at times telepathic and is always captivating. All members of the quartet have played with some of the biggest names in jazz and they bring their experience to this dynamic group.
"His talent has such an energetic flare, with his own voice, that he cannot help become a major force in jazz," writes Jude Hibler of 20th Century Guitar magazine. Jazz guitarist Jimmy Bruno states "Steve Herberman is one of the freshest new jazz voices on the scene today." Herberman's style is rooted in swing and bebop yet his forward thinking approach to harmony and rhythm puts him on the cutting edge of jazz improvisation and composition.

Steve played piano and trombone before he decided to take up the guitar at age 11. When Herberman was 14 he had already decided to study music in college. He graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music in 1988 having studied with Gary Burton, John LaPorta, and Bill Leavitt.

Steve moved back to the Washington DC area and began a serious study of fingerstyle guitar and counterpoint. This led him to adopt the seven-string guitar in 1993. Herberman has performed at Birdland in NYC, Spazio in Los Angeles, Blues Alley, The Smithsonian Jazz Cafe, the Kennedy Center and the East Coast Jazz Festival all in and around DC. He has performed with bassists Buster Williams, Keter Betts,Steve LaSpina, Luther Hughes and Steve Novosel. Saxophonists Buck Hill and Gary Bartz. Trumpeters Terell Stafford and Tom Williams. Pianists Larry Willis and Tim Murphy. Drummers Jeff Hirshfield, Steve Williams, Mike Smith and Chuck Redd. Steve has also performed with guitarists Ben Monder, John Pisano, Howard Alden, and John Stowell.

In 1999 Steve Herberman began teaching jazz guitar at Towson University near Baltimore where he is an adjunct faculty member. He directs several jazz ensembles and teaches private guitar lessons and performs in the faculty jazz ensemble featuring original compositions of new music.

In 2001 Steve released his first CD as a leader titled Thought Lines featuring a jazz quartet playing a program divided between Herberman originals and jazz standards. Jazz guitarist Jim Hall calls it "a terrific CD." The All Music Guide gives Thought Lines a four star rating. In 2002 Steve signed with String Jazz Recordings and Thought Lines was added to their catalog. It has received numerous national airplay on "Jazz After Hours" hosted by Jim Wilke and NPR's Morning Edition. Steve is currently working on his second CD with Mapleshade Records.

Steve will be a featured performer at the First World Guitar Congress in Towson, Maryland in June 2004, projected to be one of the largest guitar events of its kind.

Discography Thoughtlines Reach Music RM3760, String Jazz SJRCD1031