Hank Stone

I listened to your CD and was very impressed with the variety of rhythms, great melodies, interesting lyrics, and backup instruments/vocal harmonies in the production. - Gary Schoenberger, LIConcertNotes

It's...not often that a CD is issued with a real blue Crayola crayon neatly tucked into the CD packaging, but that's the case with veteran area acoustic guitarist Hank Stone's just-released 17-song album. This unique project features 12 songs recorded at Cosmic Funnybone Studios and produced by Tony DeStefano, while the last five songs - listed as "bonus tracks" - were recorded live at the popular coffeehouse Cool Beanz Cafe in St. James. Stone has been a regular participant at the open mic and podcast Acoustic Long Island at both Cool Beanz and Deepwells Mansion in recent years.
Stone actually first released the studio portion of this album a couple of years back, but has re-released the package (complete with the crayon) so that he could issue the live songs along with his more established work. The end result is a primer on this fine guitarist and heartfelt songwriter. It's interesting to hear the sardonic "Blue Crayon" in both its original and more upbeat live versions; this remarkable song seems bitter and hopeful at the same time. That's a common element in much of Stone's songwriting. He escews the usual singer/songwriter cliches and opts to write and sing about romance, politics, and events that have shaped his life - there's even a tribute to John Lennon entitled "John, The Weather's Fine" included here - in a straightforward yet personal way. Using colors as a theme ("Blue Crayon," "Red," the story song "Black Christmas"), Stone weaves his way through compositions both new and old with conviction and soul.

- Good Times Magazine

If you’ve been around the Long Island music scene for a while, you know or know of Hank Stone. A veteran of the coffee house circuit, he is a reminder of the roots of folk rock. A prolific writer with a guitar style uniquely his own and a lyrical depth, one might easily imagine him in a Greenwich Village, early 60’s bohemian environment.

Hank’s melodies and lyrics have a familiarity to them, like old friends you haven’t seen in a while. The characters and human experiences he writes and sings about are universal. Like a good novelist, his stories are believable because they come from a reality that we all can understand.

His first CD, Rough Folk, released a few years ago featured 12 songs recorded and produced by Tony DeStefano. If the disc is your first time hearing these songs, you’re likely to truly enjoy the material. Songs like "One Year From Now" and "John, The Weather’s Fine"... have... a bit of magic... "Red" captures the rage and emotion of the song true enough... fans of Stone know the fire of the live performance. I...love...this entire disc... "Rough Folk" is a worthy disc based on the material. Stone has been directing focus onto some new and interesting sounds that utilize a number of partial capos, giving the guitar a new identity. His next CD will include some of that, as well as his trademark lyrical splendor. He continues to perform for...enthusiastic audiences.
- studioconcepts.net

I was very happy to be part of your fan club tonight. Every song a grabber, your voice, guitar and harmonica playing (damn, you can play that thing too!) are complimentary to each other and a super treat for us listeners. - Suzanne Ernst

Acoustic purists will shun the eccentric arrangements and rough production aesthetic of this disc. Other listeners will find it both piquant and poignant. Synthesised bass and vibraphones juxtaposed with screaming blues harp, and intensely emotional singing, works just fine. It's this last that's crucial; Hank has put in a compelling and highly energetic performance on each and every one of these tunes. It makes for a CD both effective and colourful, but well, 'rough'. There's almost a 'Lennon solo album' treatment on many of these songs, often signified by the use of delay and (mild) eq filtering on the voice itself. Occasionally what sounds like the nasal piezo quack sound of a guitar recorded direct from an under saddle pick-up threads unattractively through a mix. But the important thing is that there's space for the songs and the singer to shine (perhaps in part due to the lack of percussion let alone drumset), and many lovely touches in the arrangements. One favourite being 'Delaware' where Hank delivers the lovely line 'a seagull gives us his disconsolate cry,' then echoes it with his own voice, then (after taking the whole track right 'down') with a guitar flourish, followed by another similar figure only this time on a piano that then blossoms into full out instrumental blowing somehow evocative of the sky and landscapes being described. A bucolic paean to nature and natural living. Another highlight is the Steve Reich/West African influenced bass driven groove of the thoroughly affecting 'I Need Help Lord', replete with overblown flute reminiscent of Chris Wood in his Traffic years or the Fula Flute sound of SeneGambia. This isn't the only cut to dabble in 'World' music feels; 'Blue Crayon' features coruscating unison lines reminiscent of Mexico or the Dominican Republic. This disc has been a long time coming, and it's a labour of love, and was well worth the making, and well worth your owning. - cdbaby.com

Hank Stone can be somber or whimsical, sometimes both in the same tune.
Add to this his fine technique and the result is quite stimulating.-
Mark Loebl - longislandmusicscene@yahoogroups.com

Hank Stone tagged in next. Stone's music mixes folk in the tradition of Bob Dylan with some interesting reggae and Spanish elements. His voice is raspy, yet gentle. He began with a tasty new number called "Delaware." He continued his first set with a group of songs scheduled to appear on his upcoming debut CD, including a fun number about encouraging creativity in children called "Blue Crayon," a fiery little song called "Red", and an amusing little ditty about a dog that ran away from Kansas to New Brunswick called "Topeka."...
Stone's second set included a few of his strongest numbers, including a tribute to Bob Marley called "Ghost Of The Lion," and a powerful song about hope and determination in the face of heartache called "One Year From Now." He also performed an original tribute to Jerry Garcia called "Big Dipper" and a song dedicated to John Lennon, "John, The Weather's Fine." He closed with a new song about a homeless man entitled "Funny You Should Call Me."...
This was one of the better shows I've seen this year - Rich Hughes

One of the more imaginative singer/songwriters to grace our little cafe, Hank writes songs that paint a portrait of the human condition while provoking you, the listener, to think about the world around you. You’ve heard him sing a song here and there - now you’ll get a chance to get to know him a little better. - http://www.acousticlongisland.com/2006/06/

This CD is great because: it is made by a real artist who works with a guitar and a microphone. It is also provocative. It's not for the person looking for what's on TV or something. People who love this might not even turn on a TV, but that's not a pre-requisite for liking it. Hank made this with his own grey matter, voice box and fingertips. This CD is also great because the artist who made it can really play and sing. What a revelation these days...the lyrics are very catchy and well thought-out. If you like intelligent, quirky, singer/songwriter type stuff, this is right up your alley.
- Matthew Cutillo, CDBaby.com

Sounds like a home grown production although the vocal and instruments sound clear. Nice catchy phrases on the lyrics good tastefully played lead guitar work the guitar work in general is clear and concise. Lyrics are story telling and very real to hear even the word bitch was ok since it totally made sence about being totally rich. - Reviewer: RaySpitzer