Starr is a three-time recipient of the prestigious Meet the Composer Grant and the 2005 co-recipient of the Utah Arts Council Grant. From 2000-2003, he was commissioned by Artemis & The Wild Things Inc. to compose chamber music for NYC productions of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, and Macbeth. In 2007, Starr completed The Stones of Carnac, a chamber piece for tenor saxophone and string quartet. The piece received its world premier at The Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts, on November 9th, 2007 featuring Iain Ballamy (saxophone) and the Pavao String Quartet.  He’s currently writing a four-movement orchestral work entitled The Windsong of Crazy Horse.

Starr is also a non-fiction author. In 2003, Starr completed his first major publication, The Everything Drums Book®. Thousands of copies have been sold worldwide, and recently, his book has been translated into Spanish by Robinbook publishers in Barcelona, Spain.  Additional publications include: The Everything Rock and Blues Piano Book® (2007), The Everything Bass Guitar Book® co-authored with his brother Nelson (2008), The Everything Rock Drums Book® (due out January 2009) and The Everything Music Composition Book® (due out August 2009).  All five of books are commissions from Adams Media Corporation (F+W Publications).

As a drummer, performance highlights include recordings and/or stage appearances with artists as diverse as The Chieftains (w/ Los Lobos), Dominic Miller (Sting), Iain Ballamy (Gil Evans, Bill Bruford’s Earthworks), Jim Rotondi (Toshiko Akiyoshi), Kenny Ascher (John Lennon, 1979 Oscar nominee for The Rainbow Connection), Bobby Militello (Dave Brubeck), The Tails (art rock band), Graham Maby (Joe Jackson), Ezra Reich (pop artist), James Carter (Sony Recording artist), Don “Red” Menza (Buddy Rich Orchestra), Al Tinney (Charlie Parker), Rick Germanson (Louis Hayes), Roseanna Vitro (Telarc Recording Artist), and dozens of other internationally recognized musicians.

Starr has also performed at numerous music festivals throughout North America including the Connecticut Jazz Festival, Undercurrents (Cleveland), Beaches Jazz Festival (Toronto), North by Northwest (Toronto), South by Southwest (Austin), Edenfest (Ontario), June in Buffalo, The Nickel City Jazz Festival (Western New York), the North American New Music Festival (Western New York), and the CMJ Music Festival (New York City).

Additionally, Starr is a regular in New York City’s jazz and rock scenes and has performed at various clubs and music halls throughout the Big Apple. Among them, he has appeared at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), The Knitting Factory (main stage), Smoke, Lennox Lounge, St. Nicks Pub, Cornelia Street Café, Mercury Lounge, Arlene’s Grocery, Sin-e, Pianos, The Living Room, The Bitter End, Smalls, The Triad, The Coral Room, Brownies, The Continental, Galapagos, and Tonic to name a select few. His group was also the house band at Flute Gramercy, a New York City landmark, from 2002-2005 and he has performed at City Hall for Borough President C. Virginia Fields.

Starr’s “solo” debut SHE received radio play and/or record reviews in the United States, Europe, and Russia. Among others, The Buffalo News wrote that “Starr is establishing himself as a major player in modern jazz.” www.bestofwny.com called Starr “A music prodigy.” Muze Inc.—a global leader in entertainment information—called Starr an “accomplished composer…who would have made Antonio Carlos Jobim proud,” and Jazz Dimensions in Berlin called SHE “a beautiful, inspired debut album.”

Following the release of SHE, Starr was twice interviewed by America’s original “shock jock,” Joey Reynolds. The interviews aired coast-to-coast on the WOR Radio Network. In 2004, the group kicked off the release of SHE with a sold-out concert at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City followed by additional dates in NYC and Western New York.

Eric Starr resides in Manhattan and is an official endorser of Bosphorus Cymbals, Regal Tip drumsticks, Evans drumheads, and HQ Percussion, and Planet Wave accessories.

TO PURCHASE COPIES OF “SHE” GO TO WWW.CDBABY.COM/ERICSTARR!!!TO HEAR THREE FULL SONGS GO TO WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THEERICSTARRGROUP! ! !

Here it is in pdf form Buffalo Spree December

Interview with Eric in February 2004 issue of All About Jazz (NYC)

LISTEN UP!

AAJ: Tell us about your education.

ES: Two teachers stand out in my mind the most: Jan Williams, known for his collaborations with composers John Cage and Elliot Carter; and Joe Morello, the legendary drummer for Dave Brubeck and Marian McPartland. Joe’s natural approach to technique changed my life.

AAJ: What are your influences?

ES: As a drummer: Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Joe Morello, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Philly Joe Jones, Bill Bruford, Vinnie Colaiuta, Paul Wertico, Charlie Watts, Stewart Copeland, and Manu Kache. As a composer: Bill Evans, Miles Davis, A.C. Jobim, Django Bates, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, and various “classical” composers. Also popular music composers The Beatles, Sting and Peter Gabriel.

AAJ: Tell us about your current project.

ES: I am promoting the release of She, an all original vocal jazz album featuring my brother Nelson on vocals, Sting’s long time guitarist, Dominic Miller, British sax great Iain Ballamy, plus Kenny Ascher, Jim Rotondi and others.

AAJ: You knew you wanted to be a musician when…

ES: When I saw my father, who is a trumpeter, perform with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Sometimes, the band leader would let my older brother and me actually sit on the stage while the band performed. This was quite a thrill. It almost felt like we were in the band. It was then that I became excited about the drums. But I also heard all these beautiful harmonies and textures created by the brass and woodwinds and I thought, “I have to learn how to write that!”

I grew up hearing jazz around my house too so I always assumed that music was important. I knew and loved Miles Davis’ music before I was 5. A few years later, my older brother played me The Beatles and I was hooked for life. Still later, I heard Bill Evans and I just couldn’t believe how beautiful he made that piano sound. Listening to him was like looking at a beautiful Monet painting. I’m still in awe of all these musicians.

AAJ: What’s your dream band?

ES: Well, I pretty much have it now. I’ve always enjoyed working with my brother Nelson, who is one hell of a musician. Working with the British saxophonist, Iain Ballamy, is a real treat too. I’ve been into his playing since I was about 15. I would love to work with his long time colleague, pianist and E flat horn player, Django Bates, someday too. Perhaps I can get him to record on my next album.

AAJ: Tell us something that is not generally known about you.

ES: Well, I am also a playwright and have had two plays produced in New York City and one in Buffalo, NY.
Eric Starr and SHE will be appearing at the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse on February 13th. See Calendar. ]]> http://www.ericstarrgroup.com/archives/26/feed 0