Ed Henderson
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Ed Henderson

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"Ed Henderson's Intimate is effortless and natural"

Intimate (Independent)

I hate Ed Henderson.

Okay, so maybe that’s a bit strong. But I am a little ticked off at the local theatre composer, session musician, and rhythm guitarist for his big brother Bill’s band Chilliwack, because in the CD booklet for Intimate he’s shown playing what appears to be a rare Bourgeois Martin Simpson signature-model acoustic guitar. No big deal, except that I suspect it’s the same one I’d been drooling over for weeks, until one day I walked into the music shop where it had been hanging and found it gone.

I knew I should have bought that guitar.

Helping mitigate the pain, I suppose, is that it sounds a lot better in Henderson’s hands than it would have in mine. The Vancouver area is home to a plethora of fine solo guitarists, including mind-boggling fingerstylist Les Finnigan, Brazilian rhythm master Celso Machado, and recent Guitar Superstar contest winner Don Alder, and with Intimate Henderson shows that he can hang with any of them by bouncing around from Mediterranean-flavoured jazz (“Dance With the Devil”) to moody ragas (“Shashi’s Coming”) to finger-twisting polyrhythms (“Family Dynamics”) to, appropriately enough, a Machado tribute (“For Celso”).

The telling track, though, seems to be “A Little Bird Told Me”, in which birds are heard singing outside Henderson’s home studio. That the guitarist’s music sounds every bit as effortless and natural as that of his avian friends tells us a lot about this gifted performer—and makes it impossible to hate him for very long. - www.straight.com


"Ed Henderson displays dazzling low-key acoustic virtuosity on Intimate"

Although this expert Vancouver guitarist has performed in and created many musical settings, from straight-up rock bands to complex choral arrangements, Ed Henderson has never had an album under his own name. So it comes as something of a surprise that his first outing, the appropriately titled Intimate, is both a genuinely solo affair and a dazzling display of low-key acoustic virtuosity.

The first thing that hits you here, aside from the fleet-fingered playing, is the stylistic variety. In the song titles and descriptive notes, Henderson includes shout-outs to Brazilian guitarists Caetano Veloso, Yamandú Costa, and (B.C. transplant) Celso Machado, and love of the delicately rhythmic chorinho form is apparent throughout. But he also taps into Appalachian, flamenco, and other folk influences, especially in songs that reference family members, such as the gentle “Put Your Hands Together for My Brother”, dedicated to sibling Bill Henderson, in whose venerable Chilliwack outfit Ed has served time.

Perhaps the self-produced album’s most satisfying cut, and its longest at almost five minutes (several gems are under two), is called “Family Dynamics”. It extends the filial bond to Lenny Breau, just as the following “Tone Poem” and closing “Way Home” echo Pat Metheny’s propulsive minimalism. But Henderson never settles for quoting his heroes, instead incorporating their best features into a sound that’s totally his own. Furthermore, he often switches between nylon-stringed classical guitar and a flat-topped steel stringer, but his touch is so sensitive and secure, and the recording is so richly present, Intimate is of one sinuous, flowing piece. - www.straight.com


"Classical composer who plays finger style guitar"

I often get emails from guitar players with whom I am unfamiliar. I very much appreciate getting these emails and often feel bad that the economic realities of putting together guitar concerts doesn't allow me to simply reply, "Great, when can you come to Toronto?".__One thing I can do at least is share these players in the FingerStyleGuitar.ca Fan News so that you too may discover some great guitar music you otherwise may not have. Ed Henderson is one such player who, at least in my opinion, is worthy of such a note.__Now, just because I had not heard of Ed certainly doesn't mean he isn't an accomplished player - in fact, he is a very accomplished musician. There are many musical circles in which one can travel and one just can't travel in them all.__Ed Henderson is a composer, an arranger-orchestrator, a guitarist, and a musical director/music producer in theatre, film and on the concert stage.

He recently scored "Fuente Ovejuna" at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario. He orchestrated eleven national anthems for the Vancouver Symphony Orchetra recording sessions for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. He composed "Birdsong", a 45 minute work, for The Vancouver Chamber Choir and Amir Koushkani.

He was the music director/music producer for the BRAVO Network programs "A World Christmas" and "Tell it on the Mountain". He co-produced Ann Mortifee’s latest CD, "Into the Heart Of The Sangoma". He scored the Leo winning TV movie "Race of the Century". He was the Assistant Conductor of "Showboat" (Ford Centre in Vancouver), and the Music Director/Producer for Jeff Hyslop’s CD and one man show "Feet First".

He produced 3 CDs for "Ancient Cultures" winning a JUNO for "El Camino Real" and "The Miracle of Christmas", produced and arranged "A World Christmas" featuring the Vancouver Chamber Choir and WorldFest, and produced and arranged Silk Road’s first CD "Endless".

He has worked in various capacities with many of Canada’s finest performers including Brent Carver, Ann Mortifee, Leon Bibb, Sharon, Lois and Bram, and has played guitar in both Chilliwack and Tangissimo.

All of this is fairly impressive but, what is really exciting is that he has released his first Solo Guitar CD, "Intimate". Now, it is difficult to sum up anything in one sentence, however, attempting to do so really makes you think about why you do, or do not, like it.

In this case I very much do like Ed's playing and here is my "one sentence why": Ed Henderson's playing feels, at the same time, both deeply significant and pleasantly accessible.

To create this feeling in your music is, of course, the Holy Grail of music creation. The fact that it was immediately apparent to me that Ed understands this, and is in the pursuit of achieving this on a consistent basis throughout "Intimate", is what sets this CD apart from dozens of others that I recieve.

Said another way, he sounds like a Classical Composer who plays Fingerstyle Guitar. The marriage of these two sensibilities creates a wonderfully easy ambiance to Ed's playing. As a listener, it can "be there", when you want it it to be or, it can "BE THERE", when you want it to be.

I have added it to the mix on my iPod and you may want to consider doing the same.
- Fingerstyleguitar.ca


Discography

Selected discography:

• Intimate, Ed Henderson – solo guitar music (much airplay in Canada, sold worldwide through CD Baby)
• In Love with the Mystery – Ann Mortifee, Paul Horn, Miles Black and Ed Henderson (accomanies book of same title - Amazon)
• Chasing the Tango High, Tangissimo – recorded live in Buenos Aires with Piazzolla and Salgan alumni (much airplay in Canada)
• There and back, Chilliwack – selections of Chilliwack hits recorded live all across Canada (lot’s of airplay in Canada)
• Into the Heart of the Sangoma, Ann Mortifee – (live and studio recordings – www.annmortifee.com) performed and co-produced
• El Camino Real, Ancient Cultures – Juno winner - performer and producer (much airplay in Canada and Europe)

Produced and performed on many more recordings…

Photos

Bio

Ed performs solo acoustic guitar music from his first solo CD – INTIMATE, selections from his soon to be released second solo CD and a few pieces from the masters - you can expect an evening of delicious and ferocious guitar music and some stories too.

He has an extensive background as a composer/arranger/orchestrator, guitarist/performer, musical director and music producer in theatre, film and the concert stage and is now showcasing his considerable talents as a solo guitarist.

Ed has performed with his brother Bill’s Canadian Classic bock band Chilliwack since 1996, also performs with Tangissimo, The Vancouver Symphony, The Vancouver Chamber Choir, Ann Mortifee, Paul Horn and many more. His choral scores are sung all over North America, has composed scores for many documentaries (CBC, CTV, BRAVO, Knowledge, Vision etc…) and theatre productions (Stratford, Arts Club), he orchestrated many of the Olympic Anthems the VSO for Vancouver’s 2010 Olympics and is the winner of numerous awards: Juno, Leo, Jessie, Dora Mavor Moore, Cannes plus many other broadcast awards

See and hear more at:
www.edhendersonmusic.com

Contact Robert Missen at (905) 632-6047 rmissen@sympatico.ca
www.bobolinkartists.com

Choral scores published by Schirmer/ Hal Leonard, Cypress, Santa Barbara and earthsongs.

Ed is an associate composer of the Canadian Music Centre and member of the League of Canadian Composers