Steve Smith
Mandolin, mandola, mandocello, guitar, vocalist, composer
Steve Smith has been performing for nearly thirty years in about as many types of musical situations as one can imagine. He has appeared as a solo artist, bandleader, in-demand sideman, session player and producer in traditional bluegrass (his first love), old-time, Celtic, new acoustic, jazz and chamber music. His solo shows incorporate original vocal and instrumental works and unique arrangements of traditional and modern tunes, delicate fingerstyle to hard driving rhythms on mandolin, guitar and mandola.
Steve’s most recent recording projects include appearances on the latest release by guitarist extraordinaire Jim Hurst, “A Box of Chocolates” and on the CD “Bungalow” by singer songwriter Bob Einweck which he also produced. The long awaited CD from his group Steve Smith and Hard Road “Only So Fast” was released in April of 2008. Smith is also a member of the Alan Munde Gazette; their latest CD is “Made to Last” (October 2008).
Smith has been involved in a number of theatrical productions including composing the score for the Sam Sheppard play “Curse of the Starving Class”. He honed his skills with a stint in music school studying 20th century composition and theory. His music was used in the PBS film “The Bataan Death March, a New Mexico Story” and “Portraits of the Southwest”. Smith also spent seven years in public radio presenting various folk, jazz and new age recordings.
In addition to a regular solo touring schedule which has taken him from Florida to Alaska, the Caribbean to Europe, Smith tours with his group Steve Smith and Hard Road, the Alan Munde Gazette, Jim Hurst and Bill Evans. He maintains a busy teaching and workshop schedule including ten years as mandolin instructor at Camp Bluegrass (www.campbluegrass.com), the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, Zoukfest in Santa Fe, NM and the California Coast Music Camp.
Chris Sanders
Vocalist, composer, guitar, piano
Chris Sanders has been working with singers for over 30 years as a voice teacher, coach and choral director. Whether working on a singer’s original tune, art song or aria, jazz standard or gospel favorite, Chris focuses on the unique gifts of each individual singer. Healthy vocal production and a positive and productive attitude top the list of goals in lessons and workshops. Vocal exercises develop stronger and more dynamic singing. New approaches to harmony singing help build confidence and take singers to a higher level. Every singer has a personal story to tell and favorite stories to share, and through improvisation, movement and alignment exercises, we can let the story out!
Chris has been a life-long musician, singing with her family and at school growing up, playing the piano and now, guitar. She received a B.A. in music education from Concordia College in Moorhead MN and a masters in vocal performance from Cal State Hayward. While in the San Francisco Bay Area, she was one of the founders of the Actors’ Training Project. Currently she teaches at the University of Texas at El Paso, working with singers in the commercial music area and directing the UTEP Jazz Singers. For 10 years she was on the voice faculty at New Mexico State University and early on she directed middle school choirs in Durango CO. She counts Dr. Martha Rowe, Neil Semer and Dede Wyland as major influences. In recent years Chris has become a successful songwriter, teaming up with Hard Road partner Steve Smith and with Justin Raines and Bradford Hodgson on the musical We are Enron.
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