Big Quack Records - CD Release Information

	CD Release Information

Home What Up? Local Live Events Where to Buy Site Search Live Sound About Us Links Giza One Ton of Ducks Steve Harris & Friends Bob Christensen Tim Miller Steve Harris South End String Band	steve harris & friends: here on island time Click to download hi-resolution versions of these images: CD Cover Band Pics L to R: Thomas Kemper, Steve Harris, Patrick Donicht, Wende Hilyard, Mark Dodge Band Logo About the new CD: Here on Island Time Images that come to mind: breathtaking island sunsets, calm water, bald eagles chasing the wind, ever-changing colors and sounds …a special, magical place where neighbors ring out ship bells to let everyone know that "thar' be whales." Here on Island Time is a collection of tunes recorded 'live' in the studio to capture the sound and energy of the live performances that we love to share. This is the second disk from Steve (and Mark), but it’s the first for the SH&F band. Those of you who have the first CD probably already know that the band sounds very different than the first CD, which was largely a work of studio magic, where Steve recorded his songs and then Mark added all the other instruments (with a little help from Tim Miller on sax and Wende on vocals). The new CD really does sound like the band; "studio magic" not required this time (not much anyway). "Here on Island Time" will be available starting March 30, 2007 from 7 to 9 PM at Espresso Americano in Everett, and on March 31 at the big honkin’ official CD release party to be held at the Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center in Stanwood. You will also find the CD available for purchase online after March 31 on www.bigquack.com. GIG DETAILS: Espresso Americano (click here for directions) is located in the Everett Public Library (but it's OK for us to make noise there!) at 2702 Hoyt Avenue. Admission is free with the purchase of a beverage. The Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center (click here for directions) is located at 27108 - 102nd Ave NW, in beautiful downtown West Stanwood. Admission to the CD release party is free. About the Band: Printable promo \| Band photo \| One-sheet PR \| The original songs of Steve Harris are contagious. Heartfelt lyrics and memorable melodies you’ll be singing in your head for days. Steve’s fluid acoustic guitar style has been influenced and blended by years of playing professionally in a variety of acoustic folk, bluegrass and Celtic bands in the Pacific Northwest, Texas, and in other exotic locations around the country. Steve is a finger-picker par excellence, with impeccable timing and an adventurous sense of melody and composition. He is a prolific songwriter, the type of person who responds to the challenges and opportunities of each day by sitting down and writing songs about them. Some choose to blog, others write songs. And Steve has gotten very good at it, with hundreds of great tunes in his repertoire. Steve collaborates with Mark Dodge to bring his songs into full bloom. A lifelong musician, Mark plays guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, among other sundry instruments, and contributes arrangements and musical themes. Mark spent a decade practicing in the basement, a decade on the road as a full time professional musician, and a couple of decades afterward sorting it all out. He has played rock, country, folk, jazz, blues, and just about every hyphenated permutation of the above, including a few brushes with fame such as opening the show for Mel Tillis. But today, instead of playing other people’s music, Mark writes, arranges, and performs originals, informed by his rich and varied musical experience. His collaborative efforts have resulted in two folk-rock CDs with Steve Harris on his Big Quack Records label, as well as CDs with other collaborators featuring country-rock, “emo-delic” rock, and jazz. Steve Harris & Friends also features the pure sweet voice and percussion of Wende Hilyard. Wende is a relative newcomer to musical performance, which the band considers an asset, given the damage a lifetime of bar gigs can have on an otherwise pristine voice. For the past six years, Wende has also been vocalist and percussionist for a band that has become somewhat of a local phenomenon, playing traditional fiddle and mountain music - the South End String Band. With Steve Harris & Friends, Wende gets to stretch her creative muscles, resulting in some very beautiful original sounds. Thomas Kemper has been behind the drum kit for over 40 years now, with most of those years having been spent laboring under studio microphones. Thomas was a veteran session drummer & orchestral performer during the early '70's, and later became a sought-after funk/show band timekeeper. In the 90s, Thomas was a competitor in observed motorcycle trials & was in the top 5 in his class nationally for many years. Thomas subsequently worked in the broadcast industry as a videographer & field recordist, and has worked as a stunt performer for feature film & TV pilots. Nowadays, Thomas weaves a fine percussive fabric by visualizing colors & shapes, and prefers to expose his musical expressions as a contributor to Steve Harris & Friends, jazz ensemble Pocket Monkey, and other local projects. Patrick Donicht does not play any instruments on the CD, but he was instrumental in its creation! Patrick was the main mix-master and mastering engineer for "Here on Island Time," and is now performing with the band. Patrick is a producer, arranger, composer, engineer, mixer, bass guitarist and drummer. For the past 20 years he has been working on projects ranging from musical theatre/dance productions, commercial spots, Foley sound, movies, pop, rock, jazz, R&B, and classical music, and also designs and builds complete recording studios, rehearsal spaces, home theatres, and public spaces. Reading the individual stories if the members of Steve Harris & Friends may give the impression that this is a rather unlikely bunch to be making music together. Well, you're right. But the resulting combination of musical influences seems to rise out of the melting pot, fully formed and with a unique musical perspective that can only be described as synergy. Steve Harris & Friends music is thoughtful, rhythmic, melodic, haunting, poetic, sometimes humorous, and always supremely listenable and entertaining. Go to Steve's page