Ari Herstand
Encyclopedia
Ari Seth Herstand is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles, California (previously Minneapolis, Minnesota
) who specializes in live-looping
of the guitar
, piano
, trumpet
, vocals, and percussion.
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 Summerfest
in Milwaukee, WI and the South by Southwest
music festival in Austin, TX, as well as Carnegie Hall
. He has played with various major artists including Ben Folds
, Cake
, Sister Hazel
, Phil Vassar
, Matt Nathanson
, Joshua Radin
, Eric Hutchinson
, and the BoDeans
. His music has been played on popular TV shows such as The Real World
and One Tree Hill
.
and Shorewood
. He is self-taught on the piano and began playing guitar at 14. He picked up the trumpet in 5th grade.
Ari briefly studied music education
at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. In 2004, he transferred to McNally Smith College of Music
(MusicTech at the time) 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. Through grass roots promotion and a buzz generated from live performances on the UMN campus Herstand gained popularity.
Herstand's music gained wider acclaim in 2006 when his songs were played on The Real World
. He performed at the 2006 and 2007 South by Southwest
Music festival in Austin, Texas and the 2006-2010 Summerfest
festivals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
For full band performances, Herstand currently plays with a rotating cast of musicians including Zack Carroll, DJ House, Jay Corkran, Alexander Young
and George Hadfield. His current full band makeup includes a drummer, bassist and lead guitar player while Ari plays acoustic guitar, keyboards, trumpet, tambourine, beat boxes and utilizes a loop station.
Former band members include: Lucas Shogren (cello), Tim Kloster (trumpet), Johnny Timm (bass), Casey Palbicki (drums), Brian Palay (lead guitar), Rachel Holder (vocals/keys), Joey Wedel (drums) and David Burney (bass).
technique. His shows consist of melding the acoustic guitar, keyboards, trumpet, vocal percussion (beat boxing) and tambourine. Herstand primarily tours solo and uses his looping technique on most of his songs during the show.
phenomenon Ron Pope
. The tour began on March 23rd, 2011 and ended on May 26th, 2011 at The Bitter End
in New York City
. The tour included venues in the following states: New York
, Pennsylvania
, Maryland
, Virginia
, North Carolina
, Georgia
, South Carolina
, Florida
, Alabama
, Tennessee
, Kentucky
, Ohio
, Michigan
, Illinois
, Wisconsin
, Iowa
, Missouri
, Arkansas
, Louisiana
, Texas
, Arizona
, California
, Oregon
, Washington
, Utah
, Colorado
, Nebraska
, and Massachusetts
. While Pope was the headliner for the tour, he had never toured nationally prior to the Whatever it Takes Tour. Herstand booked all the dates for the tour.
. PHP was responsible for Roster McCabe's Billboard Magazine placement and Herstand's placement on One Tree Hill
. The name of the company was based on Herstand's song 'Proud Honeybee' from his first studio album, Baby Eyes.
:
:
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
) who specializes in live-looping
Live looping
Live looping is the recording and playback of looped audio samples in real-time, using either hardware or software. It is a process with numerous sonic directions, open to instrument textures, improvisation and composition techniques. Famous musicians who use this technique include Australian...
of the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, vocals, and percussion.
Herstand is an eclectic artist with multiple and varied stylistic influences, including folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, hip-hop, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and acoustic rock.
He is popular in the United States where he has played at Summerfest
Summerfest
Summerfest is a yearly music festival held at the Henry Maier Festival Park along the lakefront in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. The festival lasts for 11 days, is made up of 11 stages with performances from over 700 bands, and since the mid-1970s has run from late June through early July, usually...
in Milwaukee, WI and the South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
music festival in Austin, TX, as well as Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. He has played with various major artists including Ben Folds
Ben Folds
Benjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
, Cake
Cake (band)
Cake is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. Consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi, the band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and deadpan voice, DiFiore's trumpet parts, and...
, Sister Hazel
Sister Hazel
Sister Hazel are an alternative rock band from Gainesville, Florida, whose style also blends elements of folk rock, pop, classic rock 'n' roll and southern rock. Their music is characterized by highly melodic tunes and generally optimistic lyrics. The band's instrumentation often features abrupt...
, Phil Vassar
Phil Vassar
Phil Vassar is an American country music artist. Vassar made his debut on the country music scene in the late 1990s, co-writing singles for several country artists, including Tim McGraw , Jo Dee Messina , Collin Raye , and Alan Jackson Phil Vassar (born May 28, 1964 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an...
, Matt Nathanson
Matt Nathanson
Matt Nathanson is an American singer-songwriter whose work is a blend of folk and rock music. In addition to singing, he plays acoustic and electric guitar, and has played both solo and with a full band. His work includes the platinum-selling song "Come On Get Higher".-Early life and college...
, Joshua Radin
Joshua Radin
Joshua Radin is an American recording artist, songwriter and actor. He was born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and is of Swedish, German, Polish, Russian, and Austrian descent. He studied drawing and painting at Northwestern University, following his college years with stints as an art...
, Eric Hutchinson
Eric Hutchinson
Eric Hutchinson is an American singer-songwriter. He signed with Madonna's Maverick Records, but the label shut down before his album was released. Hutchinson recorded and released the album Sounds Like This on his own...
, and the BoDeans
BoDeans
The BoDeans are a rock band formed in Waukesha, Wisconsin in 1983 by Kurt Neumann and Sam Llanas . In 1985, after adding a drummer and a bassist, the band signed a contract with Slash Records and recorded their first album...
. His music has been played on popular TV shows such as The Real World
The Real World
The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
and One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
.
Background
Ari Herstand grew up in both Madison, WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
and Shorewood
Shorewood, Wisconsin
Shorewood is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 13,763 at the 2000 census. Howell Raines of The New York Times said in 1979 that "[t]his maplestudded town on Lake Michigan dotes on its reputation as Milwaukee's most liberal suburb."-Geography:Shorewood is...
. He is self-taught on the piano and began playing guitar at 14. He picked up the trumpet in 5th grade.
Ari briefly studied music education
Music education
Music education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain , the cognitive domain , and, in particular and significant ways,the affective domain, including music appreciation and sensitivity...
at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. In 2004, he transferred to McNally Smith College of Music
McNally Smith College of Music
McNally Smith College of Music is a contemporary for-profit music college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. McNally Smith offers a range of diplomas, associate's degrees, and bachelor's degrees in the areas of music business; performance in guitar, bass, drums, voice, keyboard, brass...
(MusicTech at the time) 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. Through grass roots promotion and a buzz generated from live performances on the UMN campus Herstand gained popularity.
Herstand's music gained wider acclaim in 2006 when his songs were played on The Real World
The Real World
The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
. He performed at the 2006 and 2007 South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Music festival in Austin, Texas and the 2006-2010 Summerfest
Summerfest
Summerfest is a yearly music festival held at the Henry Maier Festival Park along the lakefront in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. The festival lasts for 11 days, is made up of 11 stages with performances from over 700 bands, and since the mid-1970s has run from late June through early July, usually...
festivals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
For full band performances, Herstand currently plays with a rotating cast of musicians including Zack Carroll, DJ House, Jay Corkran, Alexander Young
Alexander Young (musician)
Alexander Young aka George Alexander was a Scottish guitarist and session musician.Alexander Young was born in Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland...
and George Hadfield. His current full band makeup includes a drummer, bassist and lead guitar player while Ari plays acoustic guitar, keyboards, trumpet, tambourine, beat boxes and utilizes a loop station.
Former band members include: Lucas Shogren (cello), Tim Kloster (trumpet), Johnny Timm (bass), Casey Palbicki (drums), Brian Palay (lead guitar), Rachel Holder (vocals/keys), Joey Wedel (drums) and David Burney (bass).
Looping
Herstand is best known for his live loopingLive looping
Live looping is the recording and playback of looped audio samples in real-time, using either hardware or software. It is a process with numerous sonic directions, open to instrument textures, improvisation and composition techniques. Famous musicians who use this technique include Australian...
technique. His shows consist of melding the acoustic guitar, keyboards, trumpet, vocal percussion (beat boxing) and tambourine. Herstand primarily tours solo and uses his looping technique on most of his songs during the show.
Reviews
Herstand has been reviewed positively, where he has been noted as breathing "much-needed warmth and verve into the acoustic rock formula" with "impressive" talent. 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."Whatever it Takes Tour
Herstand recently completed a 50+ date tour with Zach Berkman and MySpaceMySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
phenomenon Ron Pope
Ron Pope
Ronald Michael Pope is an American pop/rock musician, singer-songwriter, & recording artist. He was raised in Marietta, Georgia & is currently based in New York City. In 2005, Ron Pope, along with Zach Berkman, wrote the internet sensation, "A Drop In The Ocean." From the success of "A Drop In The...
. The tour began on March 23rd, 2011 and ended on May 26th, 2011 at The Bitter End
The Bitter End
The Bitter End is a nightclub in New York City's Greenwich Village. It opened its doors in 1961 at 147 Bleecker Street under the auspices of owner Fred Weintraub. The club changed its name to The Other End during the 1970s...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The tour included venues in the following states: New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Washington
Washington State
Washington State may refer to:* Washington , often referred to as "Washington state" to differentiate it from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States* Washington State University, a land-grant college in that state- See also :...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, and Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. While Pope was the headliner for the tour, he had never toured nationally prior to the Whatever it Takes Tour. Herstand booked all the dates for the tour.
Proud Honeybee Productions
After graduating McNally Smith College of Music, Herstand started Proud Honeybee Productions (PHP), a music production company. PHP oversees business aspects of various Minneapolis-based artists, including Roster McCabeRoster McCabe
Roster McCabe is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, exploration of music across genres and devoted fan base. Named by Billboard Magazine as one of "five up-and-coming jam bands that could draw audiences to the festivals of tomorrow", Roster has toured...
. PHP was responsible for Roster McCabe's Billboard Magazine placement and Herstand's placement on One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
. The name of the company was based on Herstand's song 'Proud Honeybee' from his first studio album, Baby Eyes.
Studio releases
Released independently- Whispering Endearments (2008)
- Baby Eyes (2005)
Live and other EP releases
Released independently- Clean Up (2011) - Reached #11 on iTunesITunesiTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
singer/songwriter charts - Live at The Pause (2010)
- One Take (2007)