2008
The 7th Annual NEW JAZZ Series runs on consecutive weekends.

The Saturday June 7 event is

OFF THE EDGE OF THE PAGE
an exploration of music and verse

The Off Center
2211 Hidalgo St.

(3:00 soundcheck)

4-6 pm "ReSounding Words" $8

John Mills Quintet + Suzi Stern on words from Robert Creeley, Judith Austin Mills & John Mills

Composer Stephen Barber and the poetry of Kim Christoff

Atash music based on the Sufi poet Rumi

6-8 pm "Dinner alfresco"
3-course meal
besides musicians, only 50 places @ $25

8-10 pm "Diane Moser / Tina Marsh & Alex Coke" $15/12

New York composer/pianist Diane Moser presents "Music for the Last Flower"
Commissioned 2004 by CMA/Doris Duke's New Works Program

May, 2008 - The dates for the Natalie Merchant / Boston Pops Orchestra performance are May 27th and 28th at Symphony Hall, Boston, Ma.

April, 2008 - A commission written for saxophonist, Todd Oxford (ToddOxford.com) is getting ready to be recorded the later part of May, 2008. The piece is entited, "Elvis and Annabelle" and not to be confused with the Burnt Orange Production of the movie, "Elvis and Anabelle". The chamber work is composed for alto saxophone, trumpet, piano, cello, double bass and percussion.

April, 2008 - Natalie Merchant has commissioned Barber to arrange her song, "Butterfly" for the Boston Pops Orchestra for a May performance. The date will be posted soon on this website.

April, 2008 - Barber has set seven poems of Kim Christoff for voice and piano. The song cycle is styled for vocalist, Cara Johnston who is now performing at the Long Center with the Austin Lyric Opera in Bizet's "Carmen". Song Cycle is written in seven movements.

March, 2008 - Mallet virtuoso, Tom Burritt will be playing three compositions by Barber for solo marimba. The Percussion Galore Concerts for Festival Hill at Round Top (TX) are scheduled for this coming March 15. There will be three concerts featured that day by premiere groups from all over the United States. Barber's pieces are based on Eastern Orthodox prayers called molitvas. For more information contact festivalhill.org.

2007
December 2007 - Roland Gebhardt's "The Only Tribe" has an opening date at the Three Legged Dog in New York City in November 2008. Peter Kyle has been recruited as the choregrapher. More information at www.theonlytribe.com. Barber will compose the music and is now in the process of designing new instruments for the production. He has been talking to the reknown steel drum maker, Darren Dyke to forge some new instruments - some to be bowed - some to be gated by air pressure. New acoustic frontiers ahead.

December 2007 - The Roundtop International Festival (www.festivalhill.org) is premiering Barber's piece for guitar (Phillippe Bertaud), piano (James Dick) and marimba (Thomas Burritt) entitled, "Shadow Boxes" for the guitar festival scheduled for February 16, 2008.

December 2007 - Spanish band, The Cabriolets are finishing up a recording project produced by Andres Levin in Madrid. Barber was solicited to play piano on one track at Levins studio, the Fun Machine, New York City. And fun never ceases at the Fun Machine. The Cabriolets' singer, Bimba Bose is cousin of reknown Spanish singer, Miguel Bose. The cd should have a release date this new year. www.thecabriolets.com

December 2007 - Barber has been called to work with new Interscope artist, Matt Morris. The project is produced by Charlie Sexton and executive produced by Justin Timberlake. Barber has been tapped to write two string arrangements and another song for solo viola di gamba. Tosca String Quartet will be on deck to provide the string parts. This looks to be a very cutting edge record - amazing vocals and exotic timbres from top to bottom.

November 2007 - John Legend asked Barber to write an small orchestral arrangement for Denzel Washington's new film, "The Great Debaters" ( Harvey Weinstein Films). The song is a duet between Legend and and a beautiful singer, Jessyca Wilson entitled, "Speak To Me."

November 2007 - Ian McLagan has just finished a new recording with his Bump Band mixed and mastered by Evan Johns in the U.K. The title, "Never Say Never" has a Barber arrangement with the Tosca String Quartet. A beautiful ballad, "When The Crying Is Over" is shared by singer extraordinaire, Patty Griffin. This soulful tune is a love letter and hommage to his lovely wife, Kim. More infomation on Mac & the Bump Band can be found at www.macspages.com.

November, 2007 - Marc Cohn's new cd entitled, "Join The Parade" was released on Decca Records. Charlie Sexton and Marc Cohn produced the cuts and Barber and Tosca String Quartet snagged the last cut - track 10 entitled, "Life Goes On." The list of musicians on this record is the Who's Who from stem to stern. It recollects and realizes the whimsy and soul of The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" to the Band's "Big Pink".

IN MEMORIUM
September 11, 2007 - This morning the great Austrian composer, Josef Zawinul passed away in his hometown of Vienna. His beautiful wife, Maxine passed the 26th of July not even two months before him in Malibu. He was without a doubt one of my most profound influences not only in music but in life's journey. In our last conversation early this summer he told me that he has had a life of a king and felt blessed to have had the opportunity to fulfill his life's goals - not just music but in family and so many other orbits. Certainly he changed the face of music in so many ways - integrating electo-acoustic phenomenon and in global dialects. And with all of his sophistication there was a presence, a specific gravity - a folksy earthiness that was so very rare and a sense of rightness and confidence of where his music lived in this fast and frenetic world. For those who have not heard his music, I would implore them to go to zawinulmusic.com and for those who are familiar with his work to play their favorites and to celebrate. I know that his spirit will be filling many rooms today.

I am going to miss you.

September, 2007 - Ian McLagan and the Bump Band are in the process of recording a new cd. Barber has been recruited to arrange a track for McLagan for strings and voices. The Tosca String Quartet will be tapped to record the string arrangements.

September, 2007 - Barber is involved in the new recording project of Alejandro Escovedo. The working title, "SHELLING RAIN" is a musical retrospective from the warmth of the California surf to the jagged edges of the Chelsea Hotel, 1978.

August, 2007 thru April, 2008 - Barber has been working on a solo project that will run the gamut - from Cuban - Salsa boleros to the fado  to T-Bone Walker. So far 3 boleros have been cut in N.Y.C. under the ears of producer, Andres Levin and the other material recorded in Austin, Texas. The project will close in Salvador, Bahia (Brazil) in late February 2008 after Carnavale with Arto Lindsay and Melvin Gibbs. The release date is scheduled for April, 2008. Much more to come !!!

August, 2007 - Barber has contributed an arrangement, "Ballad Of The Runaway Horse" to a long-awaited anniversary edition by Jennifer Warnes called, "FAMOUS BLUE RAINCOAT" and the extraordinary songs of Leonard Cohen. It revisits a rare marriage of art, sonic beauty and enduring friendship. (SHOUT Factory.com) and visit jenniferwarnes.com

Chrissette Michele's debuts her cd, "I AM" and houses a Barber arrangement for strings, woodwinds and harp. The track, "Love Is You" is produced by John Legend.
(Def Jam Music Group)

"MARATHON", Where Greek Myth and Local Legends Merge In The West Texas Sun is a production of an original play in the format of a classical Greek tragedy fused with the modern hip sensibility, humor, visuals and original songs performed by a live band.

Music by Darden Smith, Book by Jesse Sublett, Directed by Richard Isackes, Arrangements by Stephen Barber. The production is through the University of Texas College of Fine Arts (PAC).

A workshop performance will be given Friday, June 29, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. The venue is located at the Lab Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

December 2007 - Darren Dyke has commissioned a work from Barber for steel drum orchestra. Dyke is internationally recognized as a master forger of the steel drums, as well as the sorcerer's apprentice of Ellie Mannette, from Trinidad, and considered to be the Antonio Stradivari of steel drums makers. Darren has a new cd, "RESONANCE, Steel Pan In The 21st Century" which is a pan cultural musical atlas incorporating the new frontiers of the steel drum repertoire. (Quiet Design Records).

June 2007 - Barber has been chosen to arrange strings and winds for a new recording venture with Arto Lindsay which will be released in Japan. Due date has been scheduled for September of 2007 on Videoarts. Recorded in Brazil, New York City, and Austin the cd awaits distribution deals for the U.S. and Europe.

Assisting composer, Andres Levin with orchestration and additional music for the the following films: "Borderland" (Lions Gate)," El Cantante" , and "Ladron"(Lions Gate)

Lucy Schaufer, mezzo soprano with the New York / L.A. Metropolitan Opera is working on a new solo project for Barber. Vocals were recorded at the Chapel of Rock near Bath, England with Chris Goulstone. Lyrics from a Laura Lush poem entitled, "Marbles".

A monster concert - "Road To Austin"  - May 19th, spearheaded by Free Scale and Stephen Bruton, music director at Auditorium Shores will present Austin's finest local talent with Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, Delbert Mc Clinton, Joe Ely,
Ian Mc Lagan, et al. Barber is playing piano and  arrangements in the house band.

Working on a new project with John Legend producing. Def Jam's new artist, Chrisette Michele.

Arranged and played on three tracks for Miguel Bose cd, "Papito" (Sony Latina) Among a cast of extraordinary singers, the great Michael Stipe of REM sings on the last track, "Lo Hay Es Lo Que Ves" Andres Levin, producer.

A 2008 commission from the Round Top Music Festival for legendary pianist James Dick, guitarist, Phillippe Bertaud and Thomas Burritt on percussion.

2006
Rolling Stone background singer, Blondie Chaplin released a cd entitled, "Between Us" in which Barber has contributed 4 arrangements for strings and horn. (BIG KARMA RECORDS)

Arranged three songs for John Legend's second cd entitled, "Once Again" Producers John Legend and Kanye West. Craig Street, producer on these particular tracks

Arrangements for Susana Baca (with Giberto Gil) for her recording "Traversias" (Luaka Bop) Craig Street, producer - Tosca Strings and Joel Guzman on accordian

"Festival of Song" (near Dusseldorf, Germany) Arranged three songs for David Byrne with the Duisburg Chamber Orchestra.

Composed the music for World War II documentary, "Last Best Hope"
(Rendez-vous Production) Recently won a Silver Hugo Award for 2007

The 7th Chapter commissioned an eight minute chamber work, "The Three Views of Elvis and Annabelle Lee" for flute, clarinet, saxophone, piano, cello, double bass, and percussion

Assisting Arto Lindsay with music / orchestration for installations for the 2006 Valencia Biennialle

Thomas Burritt commissioned a series of solo marimba pieces called, "3 Molitvas" - which are Eastern Orthodox prayers (Bulgarian).
Molitva I is recorded on Tom's new cd, "All Times Identical - New American Music For Marimba".

Amy Cook's new cd on Root House Records," The Sky Observers Guide" contains a Barber arrangement for the Tosca Strings  entitled, "Feathers To A Crown". Produced by Jamie Myerson

2005
Harpist/songwriter Dee Carstensen's cd ,"Patch of Blue", produced by Michael Mainieri, Dee, and Stephen Barber on Exit Nine.