Brian Henke composes and performs his music like a painter putting images on canvas, a kind of sonic shaman, drawing his inspiration from the world around him. An avid hiker, he often brings his guitar along to create a spontaneous response to his outdoor settings. Mother Earth, (Terra) as artist has given an immense living gallery from the humbling spectacle of her natural wonders to the simple, beauty of a treetop against a blue sky. Her majestic legacy and the magical feeling of awe and peace inspire the compositions of this award winning virtuosic fingerstyle guitarist.------------
Brian's five solo CDs, "Many Waters", "Love Song for Terra", "Force of Nature", "The Nature of Light" (RJ Lannons Top 10 for 2006) and the most recent release "Tree of Life" are a cornucopia of sonic vistas, he celebrates the seasons, a Grand Canyon sunset, the fireside magic of an American Shaman, playful waterfalls, the color of the wind and the light of dreams to name a few. His live DVD, "Live at Cuyahoga Community College" gives listeners and viewers a chance to enjoy a front seat in an intimate concert setting with a half hour interview afterwards giving the viewer a deeper understanding of where his music comes from.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
His session work with NAMMY Award winning Native American Flutist Douglas Blue Feather on the CDs "Time for Truth" and "Heal the Earth" has led to the recent collaberation with Douglas Blue Feather and multi instrumentalist Douglas Allen Dunlap (Duglus Alun) on the CD "A Crown of Stars"which charted at 9 on the international New Age radio chart at www.newagereporter.com for June 2007.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The founder and promoter of "The Woodchoppers Ball" annual benefit concert for The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, currently held every December at The Kent Stage www.kentstage.org, he has also co-produced with engineer and owner of Dark Tree Studio Jay Bentoff, a double CD called "The Woodchoppers Ball" featuring 26 of the best and most award winning acoustic guitarists in the world. Some of the players on this CD who are also past and future performers at The Woodchoppers Ball concert include, Pete Huttlinger, Todd Hallawell, Stephen Bennett, Don Ross, Andy McKee, Doug Smith, Alex Bevan, Antoine DuFour, Patrick Woods, Michael Kelsey, Jim Earp, Kev, John Doan, David Mayfield Neil Jacobs, Jim Volk, David Gillis, Jason Dennie, Robin Kessinger, Acoustica, Bill Dutcher, Jon Mosey, Ryan Anderson, Kerry Kean and Woodchoppers Ball MC, Charley Brown.----------------------------------------------------
Besides acoustic guitar greats like Laurence Juber, Dan Crary, Beppe Gambetta, Alex DeGrassi, Pete Huttlinger, Stephen Bennett and countless others, Brian has shared the stage or opened for artists as varied as Christine Lavin, Ritchie Havens, Yes, The Kingston Trio, Allison Brown, Adrian Belew, Yngvie Malmsteen, Steve Morse, Robin and Linda Williams, Spyro Gyra, and Linda Ronstadt.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His unique guitar style has been called everything from Folk to New Age to Neo-Classical to Pastoral or as Brian likes to call it "a big stew pot of everything, stirred up and served to taste." His music appeals to anyone who likes their music lyrical, thought provoking and performed with virtuosity. Through it all is an undercurrent of spirituality and mysticism that Brian says is very much a part of the creative process. Because of this he has recieved radio airplay on shows as diverse as WKSU's "Folk Alley" and John Dilberto's "Echoes" all over the world. His music has also been used for the background music for several plays and he is currently working on the soundtrack for the upcoming independent documentary film "To Be Healed By the Earth".--------------------------------------------
A winner of many acoustic end electric guitar awards, he has also been a finalist in the prestigious National Fingerstyle Contest in Winfield Kansas, the national Guitarmageddon regional finals in Boston (twice) and his fourth solo CD" The Nature of Light" was in RJ Lannon of New Age Reporter's Top 10 for 2006.---------
"To call Brian Henke amazing is an understatement"-Sage Satori, Northcoast Voice Magazine-------------------------------------------------------------------
"Brian's fretwork is masterful, elaborate and he makes every note count...His compostions are harmonious, sometimes complicated, but always engaging...Brian Henke's music is organic, mesmerizing and best of all magic."-RJ Lannon, New Age Reporter 3/31/06------------------------------------------------------
"Brian Henke's music displays both amazing technique and a wonderful sense of calm."-Pete Huttlinger (National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion)------------------
Brian endorses Larriviee' guitars, Liam Harp Guitars and Sperzal tuning keys.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------His CDs can be purchased online at www.cdbaby.com
A seed was blown around the world, A little water here and there. But the seed, it never grew Until it landed in the dirt With neither thought nor care.
It was full of darkness. It was full of endless fear Which lasted for just a day Or was it just a year?
A craving made the tiny seed reach out and up And past its’ manik mountainside of fear To root and grow And be the beauty of its’ deep inside, What it always was And what earth mother always knew was there, . . . . . . . The perfect imperfection Of the perfect flower Made its’ beauty of perfection clear.
It must be strange To find a watcher rearrange his day To solely seek the elf And help him find his way, To focus only on the elf, To care and give a moment of himself, To stand in darkness and put a light upon the elf.
It might bring fear. It might bring pain and ache. Its’ simple goal is for you to take a fearless look inside And see the wonders that you hide, But not so well, For I can see the wishing well And feel your morning tide!
A gentle soul is buried deep With a rage and anger it fights to keep. The demon death, it won't give up. It fights to never sleep.
It will not win. A letting go will take its place again. The elf will feel and see his soul Without the weight of his own control. He’ll see and feel a humble glow That comes from our within.
The watcher simply said, “This elf of mine won’t end up dead! I'll guard the gate with no mistake As demons seek a second helping on their plate. I’ll spew the rhyme and seal their time and fate! I’ll watch the quiet elf and wait!”
hello :) thanks so much for your friend request.. your music's absolutely beautiful - blew me away. i hope you like mine too, and that you're having a great week x
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