Christian Howes

Dark Flight Project

2010-09-06T06:38:40Z

Christian Howes String Production recently recorded strings for the theme music in Dark Flight, a Drawn Video game.

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Composed by Chris Kennedy at Clean Cuts Music in Washington D.C., we’re really proud of the result. Check out details about the game here: http://www.drawngame.com/ and listen to the full theme on our samples page.

Many thanks to Drawn Games and Clean Cuts for having us on this great composition!

full circle

2010-09-04T07:34:58Z

When I was about 14 I heard Amy Kauffman and Nora Carter, older teen-aged violinists, playing some of the romantic violin concertos.I thought they were from another world. Bruch, Lalo, Brahms, etc.. These girls played the repertoire with mature, thick tone, wide vibratos; “sul g” moments that live on in my memory…

Around that time I attended the Chautauqua summer performing arts camp- a conservatory-like program for 8-10 weeks where everyone practiced or rehearsed all day everyday. The thought of how much it changed my life was part of what prompted me to found my annual Creative Strings Workshop.

At camp (Chatauqua)when not practicing, I could often be found walking the compound in my breakdancing jumpsuit, carrying a hacky sack in my pocket and a big boom box on my shoulder- except I was turning it up to 10 with the Tchaikovsky violin concerto, Mendelsohnn and an occasional Bartok string quartet..

I knew then, especially after I met (and heard) Ruby, a 13 yr-old girl who played violin like a 70 yr-old woman, that this was what I wanted as much as anything in life- to touch people like her playing had moved me, to play with such emotion and passion and play music that was infinitely romantic.

And then, through a combination of events I don’t need to get into now, it all changed and I became a jazz violinist.

What many people may not know is that I never really gave up my love of classical music. I just knew it would be less practical to try to compete as a concert soloist. In jazz, I could have a place not through virtuosity, but by simply following the natural development of my own creative voice. Jazz rewards the creative, the dedicated, the risk takers. Anyone with a distinct voice can have a place in jazz if they persist.

But the other day I was invited to perform 2 movements of the Lalo Symphony Espagniole, one of my favorite romantic violin concertos. On the same program I also got to do a ton of jazz pieces with the orchestra. Here are the classical movements below. It felt like coming full circle!

(I’ll be performing the full 5-mvmt concerto with two orchestras in Maine this November)

Part 2

USA Today’s Listen Up highlights “Out of the Blue”

2010-08-26T02:24:38Z

USA Today’s music critic Jerry Shriver reviewed “Out of the Blue” in their Listen Up: Weekend Plugs section, calling it a “ deft survey of the blues landscape.”

* * * PULLING POTENT STRINGS

Classically-trained jazz violinist Howes sketches the outlines while guitarist Ford and one-time Ray Charles organist Bobby Floyd provide the pigments for this deft survey of the blues landscape. The covers work best — particularly the takes on Horace Silver‘s Cape Verdean Blues and Chick Corea‘s Fingerprints— while Howes originals like the title track and Bobby’s Bad meander a bit. A nice exception, however, is his Seek and Ye Shall Find, which plays a gospelish Sharon Hendrix vocal off of Howes’ and Ford’s slithery interplay. — Jerry Shriver

You can find the full review page HERE.

Get a Free Song from “Out of the Blue”!

Christian Howes – Bobby’s Bad

Here are some great live footage of the band that made the record on a date at Spazio’s in L.A. last winter:

New Record Release Today and “World Tour” Beginning Next Week Through End of 2010

2010-08-14T20:28:39Z

Dear Friends,

I hope you’re having a great summer. I’ve been quiet for a while, and it’s time to share some breaking news.

August 10th marks the release of my newest album, “Out of the Blue” on Resonance Records featuring the legendary jazz and blues guitarist, Robben Ford. Beginning next week, I’ll officially begin my most ambitious tour of performances and clinics ever, including over 20 U.S. cities, assorted European dates, concluding with several engagements in Asia by the end of the fall.

Get a Free Song from “Out of the Blue”!

Christian Howes – Bobby’s Bad

The oppor tunity to make this album was special for me for many reasons, not the least of which was working on it with some great musicians and great frien ds; including my longtime mentor and colleauge, the amazing organist and pianist, Bobby Floyd, and good friends Joel Rosenblatt on drums and Ric Fierabracci on electric bass. Bassist Kevin Axt and labelmate, Tamir Hendelman, a genius of a pianist and arranger also pitched in on the efforts. Finally, Robben Ford is a legendary figure, having played with Miles Davis in the 80′s and crossed over between blues and jazz. I studied this guy’s records as a teenager. Not only was he a consummate pro, but a deeply warm and thoughtful person.

You can BUY the album in hard copy directly from me here, and we will send you a copy via mail.

Or, buy it electronically or through various outlets including:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Out-Blue-Dig-Christian-Howes/dp/B003T05T36/

Resonance Store: http://www.resonancerecords.org/release.php?cat=RCD-1016

We were even able to get some great live footage of the band that made the record on a date at Spazio’s in L.A. last winter:

Want to know more about the process of making the album and my thoughts around it?

Official EPK, Christian Howes – Out of the Blue, New Album

I’m really looking forward to having an infrastructure behind me, for the first time in my career, that really has the ability to get my music out there. Special thanks to everyone at Resonance Records for all their efforts and support!

You can help us make noise about the record a couple ways:

Repost this on some social media sites. And I know this is crazy, but I’ve decided to offer anyone who reposts (Twitter, Facebook, your own blog, or wherever you wish to share it) a FREE CD from my back catalogue.
Tell people about it!
Suggest some places for me to come perform and/or teach. I’ve got a huge tour in the making here, but there’s room for more. if you have ties to a teaching institution in your area, or can suggest a venue to play, I’ll do the legwork to try to add your town and/or school to the itinerary. (See “World Tour” below).

2010 “World Tour” - I know it sounds hyperbolic, but it’s true! Check out the Tour Dates page to get specifics, but the next few months I will be in Europe, all over the U.S., and around Asia promoting the new cd release!

As always, I’d love to hear from YOU if you have any suggestions regarding performance or teaching opportunities! There are still dates left to fill. Please let me know if you have ideas!

August 23-29 Spain
September – November U.S. Dates including: NYC, Boston, Charlotte, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Nashville, Tucson, Portland (ME), Seattle, Raleigh/Durham, Louisville, Minneapolis, Tulsa, Kansas City, and more…
December- performances and clinics in Singapore, Japan, and China!

Thanks to all of you friends for your support during this very exciting time. I hope to hear from you and/or see you soon out on the road!

Chris

Christian Howes String Production featured in MusFormation.com

2010-08-14T16:46:22Z

Thanks to MusFormation.com for featuring Christian Howes String Production:

In these days of endless plugins and synthetic sounds, sometimes having the real thing can mean all the difference in the world. If orchestral is the sound you’re going for on your recording it can often seem ridiculously impossible to organize people, record the parts and absorb all the costs. Christian Howes String Productions attempts to offer remote recording of strings and orchestral arrangements at a very affordable price.

by Todd Thomas, July 28, 2010.

Read full post here.

Jazz & Ribs Fest this weekend- check out performances Saturday and Sunday evening

2010-07-23T17:02:28Z

Jazz and Ribs is the place to be this weekend in Columbus! Chris performs at 7 on Saturday evening with Joel Harrison, and again on Sunday at 7 as the featured guest with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra.

An article by Eric Lyttle on the performance of Christian Howes with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra at the Columbus Jazz & Ribs Fest features words from CJO’s Artistic Director, Byron Stripling:

When Byron Stripling was asked who he’d like to collaborate with at this year’s Columbus Jazz & Rib Fest, he answered in typically understated fashion: “Chris Howes would be fine,” said Stripling, the trumpeter and artistic director of the 17-piece Columbus Jazz Orchestra.

The CJO has shared the stage with Christian Howes twice in Stripling’s seven years with the band, most recently at last summer’s JazZoo performance. He’s been fascinated with the strapping, red-haired violin extraordinaire every time he’s seen him.

“There’s always a prejudice against a guy who walks onstage with a violin at a jazz concert,” said Stripling. “I start edging my way toward the exit. But Chris immediately engages you. If you’re standing up, you sit down. He’s that spectacular a soloist.”

To read the complete article, follow this link: The Other Paper Archives Music Jazz & Rib Fest: Don’t overlook hometown horns.

String Recording Seminar at Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music

2010-07-18T05:20:27Z

Grammy Award winning sound engineer Jim Anderson invited Christian to present a seminar for his students at the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University about the art of recording strings. In the recording session Christian demonstrated several string instruments and multitracked an entire string quarfet to accompany a song by Jesse Astin.

Here’s the latest mix of Jesse’s new song:

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

Concert Schedule for 2010 Creative Strings Festival

2010-06-26T01:37:52Z

For the seventh year in a row, Christian Howes’s Creative Strings Festival promises to inundate Columbus with the sound of strings! Violins, cellos, violas, and basses will be heard singing and wailing through bluegrass, jazz, Celtic, Latin, blues, avante garde and more at markets, theatres, restaurants, cafes, and clubs throughout Columbus.

More than 50 string players from around the world will be led in small ensembles in 27 performances by these world class performing artists: Jeremy Kittel, Alex Hargreaves, Mike Block , Marcelo Vieira, Paul Brown, Christian Howes, Stephanie Nilles, Mike Barnett, Billy Contreras , Nathaniel Smith, and Robert Anderson.

The concert schedule begins the evening of the first day of the workshop, continues with free weekday lunchtime performances, and finishes the evening of July 3rd. Here is a complete listing of the concerts:

Performances at Dick’s Den at 10 pm, June 28^th to July 1^st, and July 3rd. Dick’s Den is at 2417 North High Street with $4 cover charge, except on Tuesday (Bluegrass Night for free), June 29th. Featuring the following artist performances:

- Mon, June 28, Rob Anderson and Mike Block
- Tue, June 29, Alex Hargreaves, Mike Barnett, and Billy Contreras
- Wed, June 30, Paul Brown, Billy Contreras, Jeremy Kittel, and Christian Howes
- Thu, July 1, Jeremy Kittel
- Fri, July 2, Marcelo Vieira and Mike Block
- Sat, July 3, Christian Howes and Friends

Lunch time performances at the North Market, 59 Spruce St., Columbus, OH from 12:30 to 2:00pm, June 29^th to July 2^nd.
Performances at Battelle Hall at Otterbein College starting at 4:45 in the afternoon, June 28^th to July 2nd

Plus the following special performances:

Monday, June 28th 10 pm to 2pm

Rumba Café with Jason Quicksall, Jesse Henry and songwriters in the round ($5).

Tuesday, June 29th 8:30 pm to 11:00 pm

Jazz Jam with Erik Augis and Pete Mills at Park Street Tavern, 501 Park St. Columbus, OH

Wednesday, June 30th
Espresso Yourself Music Café, 50 W Olentangy St. Powell, OH ($4) 6-8pm
McConnel Arts Center, Worthington, OH at 7pm

Thursday, July 1st
Espresso Yourself Music Café, 50 W Olentangy St. Powell, OH ($4) 7-9pm
Gateway Film Center’s Black Box at 1550 N. High St. at 8pm

Friday, July 2nd
Stephanie Nilles at Red White and Boom, Frog Bear Patio in Arena District, 5:15-7:45pm
Espresso Yourself Music Café, 50 W Olentangy St. Powell, OH ($4) 6-8pm
McConnel Arts Center, Worthington (7pm), featuring Fiddler’s Restrung

Saturday, July 3rd
Bluegrass Jam at the Bluegrass Musician’s Supply Store, 11am-3pm
Youth Concert, McConnell Arts Center, Worthington, 2pm
Lobby, 2390 S. Hamilton Rd., 6-9pm

The week-long workshop and festival is a combination education and live performance event, providing string players of all ages the opportunity to learn from industry pros and to perform in front of real audiences in creative musical contexts. The event’s educational component is split into adult and youth workshops. Emerging and mid-level career performers attend the adult workshop, while middle school and high school string players attend the youth workshop.

Another Satisfied Client

2010-06-21T14:39:58Z

John Presley recently featured our production efforts in his Music Composer Blog after we recorded strings on a piece composed by his collaborator Tyler Vahldick.

Read his blog and listen to the song, here.

An excerpt:

I highly recommend using Christian on your next string project. This really shows the possibilities for creating music around the world, using technology not just to make music faster and cheaper – but to make music that comes to life with the spirit of collaboration. Being able to write a piece and put it in the hands of professionals makes the creation process a lot more fun!

Read m ore…

filmmusicmag.com features our Strings production service on their Cover!!!!!

2010-08-14T16:41:29Z

What does it take to go from an organization with several regular, happy clients to having your doors beaten down by hungry mobs eager for your services? Let a trusted industry magazine feature you on their cover and you’ll see. Big thanks to Mark Northam at Film Music Magazine for taking our story to the presses. The text is copied below, but also can be found directly at http://www.filmmusicmag.com We’ve had several hundred visits to our site since the posting and many new clients. We encourage you to check out their site.

Need strings? Spread the word: Our team does strings!

Christian Howes Expands Remote Buyout and
AFM String Recording For All Budgets

Christian Howes String Productions has expanded their remote string recording program to offer string recordings from solo violin to 60-piece string orchestra recorded remotely. While most of the projects the service produces are buyouts, they are also able to provide AFM union recorded projects.

The service, started in 2008, has provided rapid turnaround remote string recording. With Pro Tools systems on call in several time zones, same‐day service is always available at affordable prices. Clients send charts, directions and/or a reference MP3 file and can receive a fixed quote that includes free revisions until the client is happy.

Musical styles range from bluegrass to symphonic, including reading complex parts and improvisation depending on the client’s needs. The service can provide strings for sweetening pre-recorded synth tracks on popular music, complete string recordings for film and television tracks, and more.

For more information, including musical samples and a client list, visit http://www.christianhowes.com and click “production.”

Courtesy of Global Media Online, Inc.