Local Video
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| Herstand comes to Pause |
By: DAVID HENKE, Staff Writer
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Posted: Tuesday, September 2, 2008 9:32 pm
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In January, Minneapolis-based musician Ari Herstand took a leap of faith: He quit his day job at Starbucks and promptly plunged headfirst into a career as a musician.
“I can finally say music is my full-time job and my career,” Herstand said. “I plan never to return to the day job world.”
IF YOU GO
WHO: Ari Herstand
WHEN: 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6.
WHERE: The Lion’s Pause in Buntrock Commons at St. Olaf College.
COST: Free
Ari Herstand
AGE: 23
HOMETOWN: Madison, Wis.
FIRST INSTRUMENT HE EVER PLAYED: piano
On his playlist right now: “Warm Water” by Breann Düren and “Marianne” by the ReadyGoes
Influences: White Light Riot, This World Fair, Roster McCabe, Romantica and the Root City Band
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It’s an ambitious and often nerve-wracking move to make for any local artist, but Herstand is on the right track. On Sept. 6, he will be performing with his band at the Lion’s Pause at St. Olaf College in preparation for the release of his second full-length album, “Whispering Endearments.” The free performance begins at 9 p.m. and is open to the public.
Although Herstand has delivered hundreds of live performances and opened for a number of nationally known artists, like Cake and Ben Folds, he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his first album, “Baby Eyes.”
“Up until this point I had many songs to my name and hundreds of live performances, but not a recorded piece of work of which I was completely proud,” Herstand said in an e-mail interview. “The goal going into this project was to bring my best songs to life and deliver them on a recording.”
The project was a gamble for Herstand. For six months he worked with Chris Kalgren, the front man for another Minneapolis-based rock band, This World Fair, and Paul Marino, a local producer and the owner of Xeojax Production Studios in Northfield. Having quit his job, he was devoid of money and time. Still, Herstand refused to cut corners.
“I sought out investors to help fund this project so I wouldn’t sacrifice any creative control by seeking money from labels and I set no time table so nothing would be rushed,” Herstand said.
“No one that worked on this project ever settled for mediocrity — me included.”
Herstand’s determination shows; “Whispering Endearments” is a clean-cut and intimate release that blends acoustic pop, jazz and folk together. “Center of a Kiss,” the sixth track on the album, swaggers along on trumpet- and saxophone-infused melodies, while quieter pieces like “Beneath the Moon” feature soft, lilting piano solos and a meditative, introspective lyrical style.
On the album, Herstand is joined by his bandmates, lead guitarist Zack Varroll, drummer Jay Corkran, cellist Lucas Shogren and bassist George Hadfield, all of whom will accompany Herstand at his show in the Lion’s Pause this Saturday. Herstand himself is a one-man band on many of the album’s tracks, playing anything from acoustic guitar and piano to the chimes and trumpet.
“Whispering Endearments” was recorded at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York.
Herstand will host an official release party for “Whispering Endearments” at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. Tickets for the show are $8 and can be purchased in advance at www.varsitytheater.org.
— David Henke can be reached at dhenke@northfieldnews.com or 645-1100.
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