|
|
|
My first interview is with David
Henderson. A versatile blues based guitarist from |
|
check out the song samples on the main
page. David is the featured artist. |
|
Well, here it goes. But
First, Congratulations on your new CD! There's no question that you're a
gifted player! Thank you
very much. I was absolutely blown
away. I think my favorite cut is Down On
The Ground. I'm telling you. It gave me chills man! It brought me to a
place only a few Blues players have taken me. Yea this
one is from the heart...believe me! I am Internet tech exec refugee! ;-) But
thanks, I really appreciate that! If I can move people with my music, then I
consider that a huge success! The song Miss
Jane also reached me. But for a different reason. Your vocal phrasing was
reminiscent of the late great Which I think also
applies to your voice? You seem to be able to adapt to the different styles
you play. Between miss jane, down on the ground and high and dry. You cover
the full spectrum and sound a little different on each one. Yea.. I
have been singing and playing seriously a very long time – over 30 years. I
have seriously studied many styles from rock, jazz, blues, country, and
everything in between. Over the past, I'd say 5 years or so, I have really
rediscovered the music again...kind of been reborn musically.... OK Let's Start This
Thing...... 1) I read on your site that you actually gave up
playing about 17 yrs. ago, and joined the big business world. But now you're
back to playing and writing. Was this a conscious decision? I mean did you
sit down one day and say I'm gonna get back into playing? Or did it just come
back about naturally? It just sort of happened naturally. No
great revelation.... It was '95/ '96. The Internet was coming of age and
affecting everything. There was this incredible feeling of revolution,
creativity and total optimism. Boy do I miss those days! I was right in the
middle of the revolution in NY city building DoubleClick. Music fit right in
with the techno geek thing. My guitar sat right in my office and we would
rent a rehearsal studio every couple of weeks and just go jam to chill out. I
just fell in love with music all over again! 2) Are any of the songs on the new CD, songs you had
from the early years? No, everything was written in this
millennium. Back in the 80's I was trying to write top 40 hits. Today I just
let the music flow out regardless of any commercial aspirations. I just write
what I hear in my head and feel in my heart. What ever comes out just comes
out. Sometimes it's blues, sometimes rock, sometimes jazz, or sometimes
combinations of all three. 3) I've been a big Robben Ford for years. I noticed
you have pictures and links to Robben on your site. Is there an affiliation
there? Or just helping out a fellow blues player? And has he had the pleasure
to experience your music? No, there is no official affiliation. I
have been a huge Robben fan since "The Inside Story" days. Robben
is a huge influence and inspiration! His music and playing really move me.
Always has! I use to catch him live at the Baked Potato in LA back in the
early 80's. I have the photos on my site just as a public service to the
Robben online community. Most of photos are from Robben fans who attended a
show, took some photos, but had no place to post them. As far as Robben ever
hearing my music, I doubt it. My music has only Internet distribution at this
point. From what I understand, he is not much of a computer guy. 4) Who are your acoustic blues influences? Because
every now and then you hit me with something that sounds like it should have
come out of Robert Johnson's closet. Very roots and current at the same time.
Well, there you go. Robert Johnson is a
huge influence! Let's see, Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind
Willie McTell, and many other Delta players. I really get off on the
intensity that the original delta players could create with just their voice
and a guitar. It's an extremely intense and spiritual music! That's what
intrigues me about it - that intensity! I love that music and it's
fascinating to understand the history of how it started and how it evolved. 5) Who among today's players move you? That would be Robben Ford, Michael
Landau, Scott Henderson, Eric Johnson, and Jimmy Herring. 6) This is a question I plan to ask everyone. If you
could perform with anyone, living or dead. Who would it be and why? Steely Dan is my dream gig! Absolutely
killer tunes that are innovative and challenging on multiple levels -
lyrically, musically and intensity. Not to mention incredibly tasty guitar
parts originally created and recorded by legendary studio musicians. It's the
ultimate guitar gig! Second would be the Allman Brothers
Band. I cut my teeth on that black Filmore East LP - Duane, Dickey and the
whole band just rocking to their Miles and Coltrane influenced blues rock.
That was like '70/ '71. Can you believe that! 7) I hear a real heavy jazz influence in some of your
music. Sometime it seems like your phrasing is less guitar like and more
maybe horn styled. Is it just me or do your jazz influences extend beyond
simply just the guitar? Great job on the synth solo on "For You For
Me," A deliberate example of this style. Thank you very much! I have worked very hard on this over the
years! I studied jazz at Berklee in 8) You Play in the That's good question! The true answer is
the limitations of my home studio. At the time, I did not have the ability to
record a whole band or even just the rhythm section simultaneously (bass,
drums, and guitar). It was basically one part at a time. Now over the past
year I have been expanding my gear (Mics, V-Drums, Headphone monitoring
system) and on my next CD I will be bringing in other players. Trust me it is
much easier having a real drummer just play rather then me programming or
playing one drum at a time. On the other hand, I play guitar, bass and guitar
synth and am very much into the digital recording technology. So creating all
the parts is not really that hard. It just takes time. 9) As long as we're talking about "one man
band," You also did all the studio work yourself. Done like a true
veteran of the studio. Is this something you've been working with for years?
Or a newly acquired talent since your return to music? Well, I am a huge tech head. I love PCs,
the Internet, gadgets, etc. The studio is just another technology for me. To answer your question. I had a lot of
analog recording experience in my early career. I have just evolved that to
the digital age over the past 5 years or so. I spend a lot of time working
with the technology. I am in my home studio every day. 10) I know you play all the instruments on your new
CD. How many instruments do you play? And was guitar the first? No, actually bass was first. Today I
play guitar, slide guitar in many tunings, bass, lap steel, banjo, guitar
synth, drums and minimal keyboards. But I am also pretty good at programming
and editing midi software sequencers. So with that pallet, I can paint almost
any musical picture I can image. 11) You play in the The plan is to assemble a new band to
focus on performing my originals. The challenge right now is material. Right
now I am well underway on my next CD. I have about 20 new tunes in progress.
Once my next CD is done, I will have enough material to start the David
Henderson band and play my original music. I am hoping to finish the CD by
late summer to early fall and get the band up and running buy the end of the
year. 12) This is where I say Any last thoughts? Or anything
you wish I touched on? What really gets me excited today is the
deep communication thing with music. Special musicians like Hendrix, Miles,
Lowell, Coltrane, SRV, all the Delta and Thank you for your interest in my music.
I truly appreciate it! And... Please check out my latest
release "For You For Me." Details at my web site www.dhenderson.com! That's it....I'd like to
thank you for doing my first interview. Not only are you an incredible
guitarist. But you've got guts.....THANKS! Hokey
|
|
|
