Harvey Valdes

Guitarist, Harvey Valdes’s eclectic musical journey spans the East and the West, the electric and the acoustic, the ensemble and the singular power of the solo voice. Traversing expansive stylistic ground from jazz, world, and electronica, to funk, punk, and avant garde, Harvey also plays the oud and Turkish cumbus.

Endlessly curious about the guitar’s sonic range, Valdes plays with pushing its potential. By highlighting texture, stretching time, and shaping tone he re-imagines the guitar as a horn, an orchestra, a mechanistic roar. Overtones from East and West echo within his improvised sounds creating multi- layered sonic canvases. His composition, Listen, was recently chosen as Editor’s Pick by Guitar Player Magazine; and, his score for Utopians, which premiered at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival, had “one of the most long lasting guitar improvisations since (Neil Young’s score for) Dead Man.”

Also an Associate Artist with renowned downtown experimental theater company, The Wooster Group, Valdes worked over a three-year period playing electric guitar for Francesco Cavalli’s 1641 baroque opera, La Didone. This production toured Europe and had extended runs at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn and Redcat Theater in Los Angeles.

Valdes teaches Eastern and Western music theory, guitar, and oud both privately and at various music schools in the tri-sate area. Harvey gives equal respect to the musical interests of students at all levels and emphasizes individual creativity. He studied at The New School earning a BFA in Jazz Performance.

Collaborations include: Rhys Chatham’s A Crimson Grail, Daniel Carter, Dub Gabriel, Anistar, K.Page & Sleepwalker’s Parade, Vlada Tomova, The Cool and Deadly, DJ KIva, Electric Red, Mental Notes

TEACHING APPROACH

I tend to cast off rigid models of standardized student repertoire, and begin by giving equal respect to the musical interests of my students. By providing each student with the technical and theoretical information needed to successfully play music they choose, I find students learn more quickly and deeply. Beginners need a good foundation in basic theory including the playing of major and minor scales, chords, and beginning reading exercises. Intermediate students are ready to take on modes, inversions, intervalic shapes and beginning to develop a solo voice. I give advanced students feedback and attention to specific issues in their current projects. For students at all levels, I like to clarify both the technical know - how for each piece as well as the theoretical background to understand the inner workings of the music itself. I am interested in helping to develop the complete musician in all my students.

EASTERN & WESTERN MUSIC

My main instrument is electric guitar. I started out as a metal man and have moved through just about every Western style earning my BFA in Jazz Performance from the The New School. While there I met world music giants, Simon and Najeeb Shaheen, and soon began studying oud with Najeeb. For many years I played this beautiful instrument in the Middle Eastern/Jazz ensemble, Anistar. Today I teach oud as well as Turkish cumbus, in addition to guitar. I have an eclectic background that spans both Eastern and Western music. For students who have an interest in the application of Eastern styles to improvisation in a Western music context, I can share some hard won wisdom, insight, and skill.

EFFECTS PEDALS & LOOPING

Lastly, I have been spent many an hour expanding the musical palette of the guitar through the use of pedals and loops. I truly see effect pedals as an extension of the instrument itself and believe that they should be "played", not simply "used" to create familiar effects. I can provide interested students with a wide range of innovative approaches to effect pedals use. 

Get Started with BML to set up a lesson with Harvey.