We are delighted to announce that Steve Herberman is the Modern Guitar Harmony Guitarist of the Month for January, 2024.
Steve is such a great guitarist and educator and the following quote from Bill Milkowski (Jazz Times) confirms that;
“Steve Herberman exhibits a vast harmonic palette involving uncommon stretches on the fretboard along with a real capacity to burn on fluent single note lines… His sheer command of the instrument puts one in mind of such jazz guitar masters such as Joe Pass, Joe Dorio, Lenny Breau, and Gene Bertoncini.
Steve’s nuanced touch, excellent tone, tasteful, even phrasing and fresh writing style, further elevates Herberman far above the pack of other talented Berklee grads…definitely worth checking out for fans of advanced jazz guitar.”
Steve Herberman is a graduate of Berklee College of Music majoring in jazz guitar performance. He switched over to a 7-string guitar in 1993.
He has performed at venues such as Birdland in NYC, Spazio in Los Angeles, the NAMM shows in Anaheim and Nashville, the North Wales jazz guitar weekend in the U.K. and a tour of Italy. Closer to home he has performed at Blues Alley, the Smithsonian Jazz Cafe, and the Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts.
Steve has performed with renowned musicians such as Ben Monder, Keter Betts, Buster Williams, Gary Bartz, Drew Gress, Chuck Bergofer, Mark Ferber, Matt Clohesy, Colin Stranahan, Jim Snidero, Harvie S, Ali Reyerson, Steve Williams, Steve LaSpina, Jeff Hirshfield, John Pisano and many more.
He is also featured in the book “The Great Jazz Guitarists” by Scott Yanow. Steve placed as a top guitarist in the 2022 All About Jazz reader’s poll.
Steve Herberman has recorded four CDs as a leader and two CD’s as co-leader; Thoughtlines (2001), Action:Reaction (2006), Ideals (2008), Between Friends (2015), A Little Closer (2018), and Counterbalance (2019).
His recordings have received wide critical acclaim in Jazz Times. Downbeat, Jazz Improv and many other publications.
Ideals reached the Top 10 on the JazzWeek chart for national airplay remaining on the chart for 16 weeks. Action:Reaction, a CD of Steve’s original music, was chosen as one of the top 50 CD’s of 2007 by Jazz Improv magazine. Steve’s original composition “What We Do” won first place in the jazz category of the 2018 USA Songwriting Competition.
Steve Herberman taught jazz guitar on the faculty of Towson University for 14 years and is currently a faculty member for Jazzwire and Jazz Band Masterclass.
Steve has a busy independent teaching studio and has presented masterclasses in the U.K., Italy and at many universities across the U.S.
He has written instructional material for Downbeat magazine, Fingerstyle Guitar Journal, Fingerstyle 360, Mel Bay’s Guitar Sessions, Just Jazz Guitar and Modern Guitars webzine. Steve is an online instructor for Mike’s Masterclasses where he has produced about 60 instructional jazz video lessons,
Steve has also been featured on the covers of Fingerstyle Guitar Journal and Just Jazz Guitar Magazine with his Comins guitar that he has endorsed for many years.
You can find out more about Steve Herberman here;
Steve Herberman Youtube Channel
Steve’s Lessons on Mike’s Masterclasses
Steve Herberman 2 Line Counterpoint Lesson
A little while ago Steve wrote a 2 line counterpoint etude for Fingerstyle Guitar Journal which we transcribed (see below). It’s a very interesting piece with some cool characteristics.
Firstly, the bass line descends chromatically before ascending chromatically. This is such a cool compositional tool as you need to juxtapose lines above the bass line.
The etude also features contrary motion throughout as often the bass moves in one direction while the melody moves in the opposite direction.
Steve plays the piece on a 7 string guitar however the piece is entirely playable on a 6 string guitar.
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