From the time he picked up his first musical instrument at the age of three, Stephen Barber knew that music was his calling. Genealogically speaking, his career path was preordained: his mother, grandparents and a host of cousins were all musically gifted.

Barber is part West Texas renegade, part classical composer, part poet, and part rock-n-roller. His work is a convergence of Renaissance and Baroque musical literature, Episcopalian church influence, a lifelong love affair with rhythm and blues, and a near overdose of rock and roll. His classical training began in Texas and led to New York City and private study with a Juilliard master.

Today, from his south-of-the-river studio in Austin, Texas, Barber's compositions result from, as he puts it, 'an inner conversation free from constraints'. That conversation inspired him to migrate back to Texas after a 25 year career in New York and Hollywood, where he collaborated with music and film industry luminaries such as David Byrne, Keith Richards, Kosta Kolev, Josef Zawinul, Ornette Coleman, Jennifer Warnes, Gilberto Gil, Miguel Bose, Shelley Duvall, and many more.

Returning to Texas, Barber brought with him musical influences from the streets of Manhattan, his experiences as an international musical linguist and a determination to explore his own voice, which springs from his world travels and is informed by his mentors, his genres, and his loves.

To the artists who have worked with Barber, his persona and style are legendary. Awaiting those whose paths have yet to intersect with Barber as composer, arranger, musician or muse, is a jouney into a strange and mystical place where his passion for global musical dialects and classical composition perfectly interlock with his rock-n-roll roots and produce a truly amazing range of possibilities.