Raw numbers from 2016:
171 rehearsals +
175 performances +
27 recording sessions =
373 gigs with
103 different artists [myself included!]
~ in 46 different cities, in 3 countries.
That’s 373 times I had to show up on time, music prepared, with the right guitar, the right clothes, charts, pencils…
Artist Highlights:
- 10 City U.S. Winter Solstice Tour with Windham Hill labelmates Liz Story & Barbara Higbie [plus two with Darol Anger & Emy Phelps!].
- 7 City Japan Tour as solo, duo with arists in Japan, and a bunch of shows with The Funky Saxman Chazzy Green.
- Broadway By Guitar – solo guitar accompaniment with a slew of Broadway’s best vocalists at 54 Below, produced by Scott & Barbara Siegel
- Residency at Birdland for DUOS W/Sean Harkness, featuring Mike Herriott and Will Galison
- New Harkness-Herriott Duo CD – broke ground on a new FanFunded.com project to record Flights Vol. 2
- Barron Arts w/Ian Herman in celebration of our new CD: DUET
- Jazz Festival Appearances in Rochester, Toronto, and New York
Reflections:
As I look back on the year, I am overwhelmed by the generosity, compassion, enthusiasm, raw talent, and above all HEART that I encounter with each person I work with. The numbers might suggest hard work, but the personal experience is pure joy.
Looking Forward:
- Harkness-Herriott Duo to release their third album: Flights Vol. 2, utilizing the new FanFunded.com program [powered by ArtistShare – the ORIGINAL fan funding platform] plus Jazz Bistro, Toronto and Birdland, NYC shows
- Japan Tour in late March and early April [see dates on TOP PAGE]
- Lesson Videos – in development: practice with Sean! Scales, arpeggios, etudes, picking exercises, plus approaches to developing solo arrangements and tips on working with vocalists
- Coming soon: a new signature guitar! The Grand Poobah of guitar design Jonathan Lee’s new creation is slated for release this year. Stay tuned!
- Storm King Live! – the multimedia Pete Seeger retrospective [created by percussion wizard and Pete’s dear friend Jeff Haynes] featuring audio and video of Pete talking about all manner of things with live music accompaniment by Jeff, Richie Stearns, Sara Milanovich, Timothy Hill, and myself
- Tycoon Dog hits the parks in New York City and New Jersey on weekends from May to October. I get to rock out on electric guitar with this stellar original Jam Band.
- Winter Solstice Tour 2017 – dates are already pouring in!
2016 was a banner year, and I feel excited about what’s to come in 2017. With gratitude,
~SH
[all photos c/o http://www.takakophoto.com/]
