Brian Henke composes and performs his music like a painter putting images on canvas, a kind of sonic shaman, drawing his inspiration from the magic of the world around him. An avid hiker, he often brings his guitar along to create a spontaneous response to his outdoor settings. Mother Earth, (Terra) as artist has given an immense living gallery from the humbling spectacle of her natural wonders to the simple, beauty of a treetop against a blue sky. Her majestic legacy and the magical feeling of awe and peace inspire the compositions of this award winning virtuosic fingerstyle guitarist.------------
Brian's five solo CDs, "Many Waters", "Love Song for Terra", "Force of Nature", "The Nature of Light" (RJ Lannons Top 10 for 2006) "Tree of Life"and his sixth and most recent release "A Child's Garden" are a cornucopia of sonic vistas, he celebrates the seasons, a Grand Canyon sunset, the fireside magic of an American Shaman, playful waterfalls, the color of the wind and the light of dreams to name a few. His live DVD, "Live at Cuyahoga Community College" gives listeners and viewers a chance to enjoy a front seat in an intimate concert setting with a half hour interview afterwards giving the viewer a deeper understanding of where his music comes from.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
His session work with NAMMY Award winning Native American Flutist Douglas Blue Feather on the CDs "Time for Truth" and "Heal the Earth" has led to the recent collaberation with Douglas Blue Feather and multi instrumentalist Douglas Allen Dunlap (Duglus Alun) on the CD "A Crown of Stars"which charted at 9 on the international New Age radio chart at www.newagereporter.com for June 2007.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The founder and promoter of "The Woodchoppers Ball" annual benefit concert for The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, now celebrating it's 10 year anniversary and currently held every December at The Kent Stage www.kentstage.org, he has also co-produced with engineer and owner of Dark Tree Studio Jay Bentoff, a double CD called "The Woodchoppers Ball" featuring 26 of the best and most award winning acoustic guitarists in the world. Some of the players on this CD who are also past and future performers at The Woodchoppers Ball concert include, Pete Huttlinger, Todd Hallawell, Stephen Bennett, Don Ross, Andy McKee, Doug Smith, Alex Bevan, Antoine DuFour, Patrick Woods, Michael Kelsey, Jim Earp, Kev, John Doan, David Mayfield Neil Jacobs, Jim Volk, David Gillis, Jason Dennie, Robin Kessinger, Acoustica, Bill Dutcher, Jon Mosey, Ryan Anderson, Kerry Kean and Woodchoppers Ball MC, Charley Brown.----------------------------------------------------
Besides acoustic guitar greats like Laurence Juber, Dan Crary, Beppe Gambetta, Alex DeGrassi, Pete Huttlinger, Stephen Bennett and countless others, Brian has shared the stage or opened for artists as varied as Christine Lavin, Ritchie Havens, Yes, The Kingston Trio, Allison Brown, Adrian Belew, Yngvie Malmsteen, Steve Morse, Robin and Linda Williams, Spyro Gyra, and Linda Ronstadt.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His unique guitar style has been called everything from Folk to New Age to Neo-Classical to Pastoral or as Brian likes to call it "a big stew pot of everything, stirred up and served to taste." His music appeals to anyone who likes their music lyrical, thought provoking and performed with virtuosity. Through it all is an undercurrent of spirituality and mysticism that Brian says is very much a part of the creative process. Because of this he has recieved radio airplay on shows as diverse as WKSU's "Folk Alley" and John Dilberto's "Echoes" all over the world. --------------------------------------------
A winner of many acoustic and electric guitar awards, he has also been a finalist in the prestigious National Fingerstyle Contest in Winfield Kansas, the national Guitarmageddon regional finals in Boston (twice) and his fourth solo CD" The Nature of Light" was in RJ Lannon of New Age Reporter's Top 10 for 2006.---------
"To call Brian Henke amazing is an understatement"-Sage Satori, Northcoast Voice Magazine-------------------------------------------------------------------
"Brian's fretwork is masterful, elaborate and he makes every note count.His compostions are harmonious, sometimes complicated, but always engaging.Brian Henke's music is organic, mesmerizing and best of all magic."-RJ Lannon, New Age Reporter 3/31/06------------------------------------------------------
"Brian Henke's music displays both amazing technique and a wonderful sense of calm."-Pete Huttlinger (National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion)------------------
Brian endorses Larriviee' guitars, Liam Harp Guitars and Sperzal tuning keys.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------His CDs can be purchased online at www.cdbaby.com
