Ari Herstand

Infobox musical artist
Name = Ari Herstand


Img_capt = Ari Herstand performs in Madison, Wisconsin on Nov 30, 2006. Photo by Natasha Griffith.
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Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Ari Seth Herstand
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1985|6|1
Died =
Origin = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Instrument = Vocals
Acoustic Guitar
Piano
Trumpet
Vocal Percussion
Genre = Acoustic rock
Hip-hop
Folk-hop
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Guitarist
Years_active = 2003 – Present
Label = none
Associated_acts =
URL = http://www.AriHerstand.com
http://www.myspace.com/AriHerstand
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments = Slap Acoustic Guitar

Ari Seth Herstand (born June 1, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter, born and raised in both Shorewood, Wisconsin and Madison, Wisconsin.

Herstand is an eclectic artist with multiple and varied stylistic influences, including Folk, hip-hop, jazz, and acoustic rock. He is popular in the United States where he has played at the "World's Largest Music Festival," Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI, the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, TX, as well as Carnegie Hall [Belling, Erin (in an ensemble). [http://www.wakemag.org/content/2006/04/05/stories/861 "Guitars, Beer, and Candlelight / Ari Herstand puts the happy in happy hour."] The Wake 04 May 2006: S&V.] . His music has been played on MTV as well as on over 250 radio stations in the United States. He has played with various major artists including Ben Folds, Cake, Sister Hazel, Phil Vassar, Matt Nathanson, Joshua Radin, Schuyler Fisk, Sandi Thom and Kyle Riabko. [Voss, Ashley. [http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2007/02/22/local_singer_comes_h.php "Local Singer Comes Home."] The Badger Herald 22 Feb. 2007: Arts.] [Joseph,Claire [http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/01/27/62934 "The Long and Winding Road / Ari Herstand sets out on a journey to make music that touches a chord."] The Minnesota Daily 27 January 2005:A&E] .

Background

Ari Herstand went to Jefferson Middle School (7-8th grade) and James Madison Memorial High School (grades 9-12) in Madison, Wisconsin. Though he did not pick up the guitar until the age of 14, his musical appetite was strong. He is self taught on the piano and has been playing ever since he could walk. Fact|date=September 2008 He picked up the trumpet in 5th grade at Lake Bluff Elementary School in Shorewood, Wisconsin for band class.Fact|date=September 2008 After a brief stint studying music education at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, he transferred to McNally Smith College of Music (then MusicTech) in St. Paul, MN and began his career as a singer/songwriter. While there he played coffee shops and club shows extensively at and around the University of Minnesota usually with cellist Lucas Shogren.Fact|date=September 2008 Through grass roots promotion and a buzz generated from live performances on the UMN campus Herstand nearly sold-out the historic [http://www.varsitytheater.org Varsity Theater] for his CD release of "Baby Eyes" on December 9th, 2005.Fact|date=September 2008

Herstand's clear, articulate voice and provocative, intelligent lyrics gained popular acclaim in 2006 when his songs were played on MTV's reality TV show, The Real World [Voss, Ashley. [http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2007/02/22/local_singer_comes_h.php "Local Singer Comes Home."] The Badger Herald 22 Feb. 2007: Arts.] . He has also received airplay on over 250 US college radio stations.Fact|date=September 2008 Herstand has received constant positive reviews from newspapers around the Midwest as well as the arts section of the national satirical syndicate, The Onion. He performed at the 2006 and 2007 South by Southwest Music festival in Austin, Texas and the 2006-2008 "World's Largest Music Festival" Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

For full band performances, Herstand currently plays with Zack Carroll on lead guitar, Jay Corkran on drums, Lucas Shogren on Cello and George Hadfield on Bass.

Reviews

Herstand has been consistently reviewed positively, where he has been noted as breathing "much-needed warmth and verve into the acoustic rock formula" with "impressive" talent [Edelman, Adam. " [http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/wsj/2006/04/20/0604190260.php Singer Ari Herstand to enjoy a trip home.] " The Wisconsin State Journal 19 April 2006:Rhythm.] [Tulman, Jennifer. [http://fusion.stolaf.edu/messenger/index.cfm?section=article&article_number=2955&issue_volume=120&issue_number=1&issue_date=9/22/2006 "Minneapolis 'folk/hop' artist returns to the hill."] Manitou Messenger 29 March 2007:Arts/Life/Entertainment.] [Belling, Erin. " [http://www.wakemag.org/content/2006/04/05/stories/861 Guitars, Beer, and Candlelight / Ari Herstand puts the happy in happy hour.] " The Wake 04 May 2006: S&V.] [Denaro, Emily. " [http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=4976 Knock your Zox off / Ari Herstand, Zox and Tally Hall all proved their mettle at the High Noon on Monday night.] " The Isthmus 05 December 2006: The Daily Page.] [Joseph,Claire " [http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/01/27/62934 The Long and Winding Road / Ari Herstand sets out on a journey to make music that touches a chord.] " The Minnesota Daily 27 January 2005:A&E] [Voss, Ashley. " [http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2007/02/22/local_singer_comes_h.php Local Singer Comes Home.] " The Badger Herald 22 Feb. 2007: Arts.] . Grammy winning producer Kevin Bowe has also stated that "the positive, intimate nature of Ari's writing and singing bring to mind artists such as Cat Stevens, but his style is current enough to sound right at home on the radio."Fact|date=September 2008

Whispering Endearments

Released September 12th at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis.

Looking at the credits on Herstand’s second studio album and third release to date, Whispering Endearments, his love for the Minneapolis music scene is no secret. Front man and principle songwriter of This World Fair, Chris Kalgren, co-produced the album with Herstand while Minnesota based, Grammy nominated Paul Marino (Haley Bonar, Chris Koza, Desdamona, The New Congress, Ann Nesby) engineered. Many other Minneapolis artists also make appearances throughout the album.

Herstand took an extended break from the road to record this new album. Whispering Endearments displays an incredible maturation from his first two releases. Spending nearly 6 months creating the new album, working with an investor instead of a record label and no time frame, Herstand created the record completely void of time, money and industry constraints. Meticulously working to find the perfect guitar and drum tones, arranging and rearranging instrumentations and challenging himself vocally, Herstand along with Kalgren and Marino worked until excellence was achieved for Whispering Endearments.

The album opens with a metaphorical, lost love “bell” anthem, rich with holiday imagery and sentiments, juxtaposed with helplessness and regretful loss. “One Bell” aptly sets the tone for the rest of the joyously, bittersweet album. The first single released off of Whispering Endearments, “Last Day,” deals with a carpe diem mantra while keeping it inquisitively personal: “If you knew this was our last kiss how would your lips move.” The rock and roll appearance of Joe Christenson (White Light Riot) on “Rose Stained Red” and the jazz/funk sax solo by Jason Parvey (Roster McCabe) on “Center of a Kiss” could easily give both songs a ‘party’ label, until the darker, lyrical content is fully explored: “A beautiful flower will whither and die / if the neighboring weeds choke the struggling cry / for food and life and peace and soul / a rose stained red deserves a little more” and on Center of Kiss, "A piece of a sentimental wish / sinks the calm, this hormonal driven bliss / and incandescent eyes stare at my grieving little smile / but we go and I know the treading in the water / I'll be drowning in the water / we say goodbye."

In “Christian Dear,” Herstand’s voice – innocent, yet broken – along with the stripped instrumentation, divulge the helpless realization of falling for the wrong person for all the right reasons: “I’m a new man with a new plan / I’m taking my time like a kid in the sand / I have new tears and new fears / I’m falling in love with a Chrisitan Dear.”

Herstand completely unveils his heart in “Your Eyes” where he replays the hesitant beginning and regretful destruction of a relationship. The song’s bridge brings a welcomed, emotional release accompanied with a delicate guitar solo by Zack Carroll.

The tender, closing numbers – tied together with delicately subtle chimes – gently releases the listener from Whispering Endearments.

Whispering Endearments was recorded at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota and was mastered by Greg Calbi (John Mayer, Norah Jones, Paul Simon) at Sterling Sound in New York. [CDbaby.com [http://www.cdbaby.com/ariherstand3] ] .

One Take

The live CD "One Take" – his second release – showcases many of the definitive live aspects of Herstand’s show that his debut album Baby Eyes did not. Songs such as “Float on By,” “Poster Boy Celebrity” and “Air Cries Wind” feature Ari’s unique, solo looping style that combine multiple, intricate guitar parts and beat boxing with harmonized trumpet licks. “So Fantastical,” “Poster Boy Celebrity” and a revamped “A Smile” feature Herstand’s unique, percussive acoustic guitar work. By incorporating the trumpet and cello arrangements – all composed by Herstand – his sound is easily set apart from every other acoustic, solo singer/songwriter in the field. Also on the album are Brian Palay on electric guitar, Joey Wedel on drums, David Burney on Bass, Lucas Shogren on cello, and Tim Kloster a trumpet major at Herstand’s alma mater, McNally Smith College of Music, along with solos from Kevin Sinclair on Saxophone ("Center of a Kiss") and Joey Kantor on keyboard ("The Photograph").

Other Projects

Herstand began performing music his freshman year of high school in Madison, WI with the band Jahaziwoga – a midwest touring jam/rock/ska band most noted for playing the Hard Rock Cafe in Minneapolis, MN. Herstand also played trumpet with the band M Theory in Luebeck, Germany spring of 2005 [Edwards, Nate [http://www.intunemag.com/ariherstand.php "In The Spotlight: McNally Smith Student Ari Herstand"] IntuneMag.com March 2006] .

Discography

Albums

tudio Releases

;Released Independently:
* "Baby Eyes" (2005)
* "Whispering Endearments" (2008)

Live and Other EP Releases

;Released Independently:
* "One Take" (2007)

References

External links

*MySpace|id=ariherstand
* [http://www.ariherstand.com Official Ari Herstand Site]