StefanSwings
Stefan uses a variety of instruments to come up with his final compositions of latin flavoured pop-flamenco or jazzy Sax pieces. Mostly a solo artist, Stefan loves to team up with a duo or band to play swingin' tunes.
You'll find Stefan' music touches everything from Classical Guitar to full out Rock with some funky jazz in-between.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
My history as a musician has been a long one spanning 30+ years at this point. (Wow, I'm getting old)
My current focus which started around 2003 is on creating songs in the neavou-flamenco genre as well as rock/funk type tunes. I'm also doing jazz numbers featuring my tenor and alto sax work.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
Used to play every weekend with a Dance Band doing weddings mostly. Travelled across Canada and the USA. Now, I only perform on special ocassion around Toronto (or impromptu concerts wherever I happen to be travelling). My main focus now is on writing and recording.
I have done a few shows through the year as a duet or with a small band though and still love the thrill of a great live performance.
Your musical influences
I feel like I am influenced by almost every song and artist that I hear in some way. Having heard over 20,000 songs it's hard to name names.
However, here are a few that stand out I'd say and you'll notice that they are in VERY different genres.
Paco de Lucia
Green Day
Stan Getz
Fausto Pappetti
Pink Martini
Katie Melua
Brian Setzer
What equipment do you use?
My favourite recording guitars right now are :
1993 Ramirez 1a-cypress flamenco
1995 Alhambra 7FC flamenco
1995 Ramirez 1a
2005 Ramirez fretless bass
1990's Dillion Les Paul copy
1980's Lado custom
My Horns are both Selmer's :
1985 Selmer SA-80 Tenor
2000 Selmer SA-80 serII Alto
Dukoff mouthpiece and Selmer jazz mouthpice
For piano, strings and other cool sounds, I rely on my Kurzweil MKVII digital piano sampled from a Steinway grand. Incredible sound!
Percussion is either done via programs or using DrumKat thru an Alesis or Kurzweil brain.
For recording equipment, see the studio page.
Anything else?
What can I say, I do what I do for the love of it as most people on here do. I have made most of my money from working in the software field of the hi-tech industry, but I felt it left me empty inside. So I suffer on for my music :)
