3.18.07 - 8.01.07

OK......here goes! Much has happened in my world and others. where to start?? Well, let me start by saying our great friends Jake and Crystal had a terrible fire in their apartment and I'm thrilled to to see that, after great upheaval, they're doing great.

Since I haven't made too many updates recently, I'm going to give an overview of what's been happening for the last few months:

-In this period, I've had two full tours with Ari Hest
one spanning the entire USA and another in England,
Scotland and Ireland. Ari's latest record, produced by Mitchell Froom was released as well. I was quite fortunate to have played on that record, as the musicianship was phenomenal. Matt Chamberlain, Val McCallum and Pete Thomas were all a part of the sessions. It was quite a treat. For the CD's release, we performed on the WB's Channel 11 here in New York City.

-I've been working quite a bit with my good friend Michael Brunnock as well. For starters, we've been playing regularly, if not weekly, at both the Red Lion and also the Rockwood Music Hall. Shows at The Living Room and Webster Hall with The Frames (most recently known for their tunes in the movie "Once," were outstanding as well. Michael also has released his latest CD titled "So I Do", a CD I am quite proud to be a part of as well. We've already begun working on his next CD, and the basic tracks sound terrific. Hopefully this CD won't take 4 years to be released. Indeed, we even did a tour of Ireland, Michael's homeland.

-Lots and lots of shows with James Katz. More
shows to come. We played weekly when I was in town for the last 18 months at the Cupping Room in SOHO. Look for us to again start up a residency at another cafe or watering hole.

-I've had the pleasure of doing a number of shows with Benji Rogers, aka Marwood. Benji also enliisted me to a
terrific day of recording at the famous Bushwick Studios for a joint effort by Benji and Emily Zuzik. The always
impressive Matt Johnson played drums that day.

-It's been great to be working with John Garrison during his stay in New York City. John is a Britton who is the lead singer of a band called Budapest. John's new CD has been recently released, so check that out. It is outstanding.

-I recently had the opportunity to do some recording for Jenna Nicholls. Her new CD is sooooo good. Keep an
eye out for that one as it should be done fairly soon.

-I've been playing a weekly show with the ultratalented and super all-around nice guy Colin Smith. Colin is gearing us all up for a recording soon and we all hope it measures up to a portion of what he brings to the weekly show every single week at Village Lantern. Listen to "Organ In Your Chest" on his site and tell me you're not blown away.

-I've been working with Joe Friemuth on his upcoming recording. We've been doing some terrific recordings with Pete Wilhoit on drums, when he isn't out touring the world. More coming from Joe soon.

-Speaking of Pete Wilhoit, his band Fiction Plane (a band I've had the pleasure of playing bass with recently), has been going crazy with their fantastic world tour opening for The Police. Congrats to the lads on their recent success.

-Another band I've recently joined is called Astronomer. This talented group of musicians has been gearing up to play some cool shows after a recently successful
recording session with Nunzio Signore at the helm. Keep an eye out for these recordings as they should be available soon.

-My good buddy Brian Halloran has had me working recently with some shows and also some recording sessions. Its always nice to leave the city, and in this case I got to head out to Saul Zonana's beautiful studio in West Salem, NY.

Lastly, I'm gearing up for some new projects coming up. Looking forward to working with Mieka Pauley , Erin Sax
Seymour and Nenad Bach, as well as a tour with Ari Hest and band in November. Should be exciting!

Many more surprises in store for this fall/winter and into 2008, so check back often for updates!

Previous News:

Too numerous to mention are the many shows I've been doing with Michael Brunnock and James Katz. However, Michael's newest CD is starting to take its final shape and we're doing additional recording for it this next week. I hope to be able to put up some samples of that project as soon as it's done.

Something else I'm excited about is my "new" Fender Precision Telecaster bass, a great compliment to my favorite bass, the '68 Fender P.

03.16.07
I did some recording for Kayne West today with producer extraordinaire Ken Lewis. The music is for an upcoming soundtrack in the works.

02.28.07
I played a show in Little Rock, Arkansas with Ari Hest at the local university. Pete joined us on the gig.

02.21.07
I did some recording with super producer Ken Lewis for an Icelandic pop artist whose name escapes me right now.

Looking forward to SXSW in Austin, TX. It looks like I might be playing as many as three sets with three different artists. Should be quite interesting.

02.18.07
I worked with Benji Rogers of Marwood today recording some stuff for his upcoming project as well as a project with terrific NY singer/songwriter Emily Zuzik.

As always, when I'm not busy otherwise, I continue to work every Tuesday night with Michael Brunnock at the Red Lion and also with James Katz every Friday night at the Cupping Room Cafe. In addition to the Tuesday night regular gigs with Michael, we've also been doing quite a bit of performing at my favorite club in nyc so far, Rockwood Music Hall.

02.13.07
This was a busy day. Starting with rehearsal during the afternoon, I had three shows tonight:

1. Pete and I rocked with extremely talented and super nice singer/songwriter John Garrison, former lead singer of the UK band Budapest. The crowd was quite lively. I really look forward to doing more with John._

2. I headed across town for a quick show with my good friend Mark Noseworthy and his excellent band Pink & Noseworthy. This was the second of two shows with P&N. Based in LA, they are really awesome.

3. Winding the night down was a great long set with Michael Brunnock.

02.04.07
The Colts and Peyton Manning proudly bring home the big trophy for all us Hoosiers.

01.31.07
Enjoyed a great set with Ari Hest at the intimate Living Room. It's nice to be able to walk to work every once in a while.

01.27.07
Recording all week with the talented Dana Edelman in the very lovely Martha's Vineyard, MA. We worked quickly, but efficiently and ever so artfully as we knocked out 14 tunes in quick time. Pete played drums and Chris Foley played the awesome guitar. I hope to post some samples very soon.

01.26.07
Pete and I played with Whiskey Richard at Snitch. These guys are from Nashville and were a lot of fun.

01.24.07
Recorded for the upcoming Skidmore Fountain CD. The ever talented producer Ken Lewis presided over the proceedings.

01.06.07
Played with Ari Hest in New Hampshire in Bretton Woods ski resort. Beautiful.

01.03.07
Played two sets tonight at the wonderful Rockwood Music Hall today. The first set was with Brian Halloran. Immediately following was another set with Michael Brunnock.

Tavelling home for both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays to visit the folks, I spent most of this time relaxing with the family. In between all these shows are the usual James Katz Fridays and Michael Brunnock Tuesdays.

11.30.06
Played with my buddy Brian Halloran at The Baggott Inn. Much fun was had by all.

11.15.06__________________________________ Recorded today with the ever-talented producer Ken Lewis for the upcoming Small Town Sleepers CD. Lookiing forward to hearing the results.

11.01.06
Finishing up the cross country tour with Ari Hest as we travel literally from coast to coast. We started in LA and travelled north to Seattle and then east all the way home to nyc, playing shows the whole way. Wow!

I recently moved from lovely and leafy Brooklyn to the high-paced Lower East Side in Manhattan. I have dubbed this part of town "the land of a thousand bars". Hopefully I can keep my beer gut in check.

I got to hit the road w/Ari Hest, heading out West starting on Oct 24th and finishing up on the 16th of November. Saw lots of friends and made a bunch more. Also enjoyed sharing the stage with Bob Schneider and Eliot Morris on the tour. Many miles were driven.

11.04.06
In between the tour, I got a chance to return to NYC to play an awesome show with Paul Doucette's The Break And Repair Method. You might know Paul Doucette as the drummer for Matchbox 20. Matt Beck, Jeff Russo and Matt Johnson rounded out the awesome group.

11.02.06
An impromptu but great afternoon of recording with Dana, Chris Foley and Matt Johnson on the 2nd of November. Corporate rock? You bet.

10.22/23.06
I'm really enjoying doing some recording w/my bud and
superb producer Jake Kovach on an upcoming children's record to be released soon. Fun music!

10.21.06
I got to rock with my good friends Matt and Matt and Benji in Marwood in Arlington, VA. Check out Benji's sweet tunes at the official website www.marwoodmusic.com.

10.07.06
Ari and I had a blast playing the Canal Room in Manhattan. Matt also joined us for a few tunes.

10.06.06
I had fun performing on New Jersey radio with Danielle Evin. The great Joe Piscapo helped spice up the evening for Danielle.

09.23.06
I recently played a benefit with Dana Edelman at Pianos.

09.22.06
Playing with my favorite Canadian Morgan Clamp at the Bitter End.

09.18.06
I continue to record at Loho Studios with Ari, Pete and Matt for Ari Hest's upcoming release. The CD seems to be set for a Columbia release sometime in March.

Every Friday night we continue to rock at The Cupping Room w/ James Katz. The night always boasts special guests to perform their songs or just sit in with the guys. Past visits include jams with Ari Hest, Matt Beck, Matt Johnson, Paul Doucette, Jonathan Rhys Myers, etc.

Also, every Tuesday night with awesome singer/songwriter Michael Brunnock at the Red Lion. I can't say enough about how much I love playing Michael's music. Expect a new album coming soon.

09.16.06
Had a really nice day recording with Danielle Evin and band at Sear Studios in Manhattan. The day was led by legendary producer Phil Ramone.

08.28.06
I've spent the last few days at great Loho Studios recording a few new tunes for Ari Hest's soon-to-be-released Columbia follow-up to "Someone To Tell". These two tracks have been produced by Ari himself and they sound so awesome. You Ari fans will not be disappointed. Joining us is guitarer/keyboarder Matt Beck, and also my best friend and the ever-amazing drummist/percussioner, Pete Wilhoit.

08.25.06
I'll be getting back into the rhythm of playing my regular Friday night gig with the always fun James Katz. Along with the regular crew (Mal and Glenn), I always look forward to the many special guests that show up to join us for a few tunes.

08.23.06
I got a chance to hit the studio with my good friend Dexter Remy as he is beginning the recording of his full length album with producer Aaron Johnson (The Fray). A good time was had by all. I hope to have some samples up soon.

08.22.06
Once again, playing a live show with Danielle Evin
at the legendary venue Sine-e. Great fun was had by all there. (On a more personal note, I'll be moving a mere
block away from Sine-e as I look forward to hitting the club more regularly. It will be sad to leave Brooklyn, but new experiences await Lisa and I on the LES.)

08.20.06
Doing some recording with producer Ray Martin and my great friend and drummer Pete Wilhoit. Th results were great. I hope to have some samples soon.

08.18.06
More studio action for me as I got to play bass on my good friend Michael Brunnock's upcoming CD. Michael's music has always been a huge favorite of mine since
I've moved to nyc and I'm thrilled and honored that he asked me to play on his new CD. Everything I heard in the studio was incredible and I look forward to hearing the finished product. Michael is currently enjoying a long overdue visit to his homeland in Ireland. Thankfully,
he'll be returning soon so that I can continue to join him in his regular Tuesday night set at The Red Lion.

08.16.06
Hitting the road with Ari Hest as we worked through the South and then through a short but sweet tour on the East Coast. Memorable moments were the legendary Stone Pony, recording a live video for Sony intended for an upcoming release and playing for family and friends (and fans of course) on Long Island. Pete even joined up for a couple tunes at Steven Talkhouse. I put some photos from the tour up.

07.22.06
I had the great pleasure of working with a real living
legend, Phil Ramone (Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon....the list is looong) as I worked with Danielle Evin. I was captivated and honored listening to him talk about his incredible experiences in recording history.

07.17.06
Hello, all! I've been crazy busy the last two weeks, and
that's how I like it. My Tuesday's have been busy playing with Michael Brunnock at the Red Lion. Michael is amazing and I love playing with him. Every Friday, I've been playing with James Katz at the Cupping Room Cafe. This gig is too much fun. Not only is the whole James Gang a ton of fun to play with, we've had a ton of special guests sitting in with us each week, playing 3 or 4 of their tunes. I recently started playing with Danielle Evin as we've done a few shows on the east coast. Danielle is a terrific singer/songwriter on LateralView/Sony/Red Records. Her new CD was recently released nationally so you can find it in your favorite CD store. This past week I played a really fun show with Canadian singer/songwriter Morgan
Clamp. You can check out his awesome stuff at
www.morganclamp.com. This past week has also found me playing with my good friend Paul of Tam Lin Music. Check out Paul's music as I think you'll dig it. Coming up this week, I'm playing a festival upstate with the very talented and cool Dana Edelman. Also coming up, I have recording projects by Brian Halloran, Dexter Remy, Michael Brunnock, as well as my good friend Matt Beck. FINALLY, I'll be hitting the road again this week with Ari Hest as we head through the South and later on, up and down the East Coast. Looking forward to seeing all you AH fans.

6.06.06....ahhhhh!!
I've recently been recording some Hip-hop with
my friend Ken Lewis. Ken is the famed producer who's worked with a number of household names like The Beastie Boys, Kanye West, Usher and Ghostfaced Killa, just to name a few. This time we recorded for an up-and-comer named E-dro. I got to play both the upright as well as my Fender. Check the Listen page to hear a sample of "Cry" by E-dro.

6.3.06
Over that past few months while not doing the normal blistering tour schedule with Ari Hest (Columbia Records), I've been enjoying playing with a number of artists regularly here in NYC. Here is a random sample of some websites of the bands/artists I've been working with: www.michaelbrunnock.com
www.morganclamp.com
www.brianhalloran.com
www.myspace.com/jameskatzmusic
www.myspace.com/tamlinmusic
www.myspace.com/davidmooremusic
www.arihest.com (of course)

5.31.06
Had a fun session today. I got to do some recording for
the upcoming CD for Megan and Dia (on Doghouse Records....check out the website www.meganddia.com. The song should end up as a b-side to the album that will hit stores this fall.

4.20.06
I'm really excited to announce that I've recently been made the Featured Artist for NS Design upright basses. I love the bass and I'm thrilled to be a part of the NS Design family. check out the site:
www.nedsteinberger.com/artists/artists.html

4.11.06
Worked with producer Ken Lewis this on the new Ghostfaced Killa CD. I love working with Ken.

3.28.06
I just got back from L.A. recording for Ari Hest
(www.arihest.com). We finished up tracks with famed producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Sheryl Crow, Los Lobos, etc, etc.....) The tracks sound really great. I got play with some terrific musicians including drummer Matt Chamberlain, drummer Pete Thomas, guitarist Val McCallum. Even picked up a sweet "new" 1968 Fender Precision bass.

2.25.06
I got another chance to work with Ray Martin [Black
Crowes, David Moore] as he was doing some tracks for the duo from Virginia Beach called Danatalie (Dana + Natalie). The girls were talented and fun to work with and we had a blast.