Ukelately…
Spanning styles from Folk to Vaudeville to Disco, the unifying factor of Stephen’s current project is the ukulele. Consisting of the songs Stephen’s recently written on the uke, the title ‘Ukelately’ was a no-brainer. From whimsical ditties to political satire to heart-felt ballads, the tunes are being released one by one, and Stephen is performing them around New York (and the world) in music venues and comedy clubs. A long-time and frequent visitor to the Hawaiian islands, Stephen’s love of the ukulele as a songwriting tool and a lead instrument shines through.
Collaborations
Collaboration is one of Stephen’s favorite activities, and he’s constantly in the trenches with a variety of artists as a songwriter, producer, musician, humorist and technologist.
“Some of the folks I collaborate with know me as a record producer and mixer, others as a 360 immersive VR creator, still others as a collaborative songwriter, composer for visual media, improviser, guitarist, keyboardist, bass player, mandolinist or banjo player,” Stephen reports. “I absolutely love this variety; it keeps me fresh and on my toes.”
From his cross-over work with hip-hop legend DJ Premier, to avant garde pieces with Nona Hendrix, production and songwriting with saxophonist Grace Kelly and tech guru Encanti, jazz and pop production with Mary Simone, global music with the Berklee Indian Ensemble, and a variety of projects with his partner, Zahara (aka Annette Philip), Stephen’s collaborations show no signs of slowing down.
Stylus Symphony
Stephen Webber was commissioned to compose the Stylus Symphony by the BCSO (Berklee Contemporary Symphony Orchestra), in order to showcase the turntable as a musical instrument. The Berklee Performance Center was packed for the premier, which featured Stephen on turntables, Tiger Okoshi on trumpet, Eguie Castrillo on timbales, Jason Petrin on Ableton Live, and Radar Ellis rapping. The subsequent recording on Willow Shade Records featured the same soloists, along with Maeve Gilchrist on harp and Eugene Freissen on the Cello. As of this writing, the symphony has been performed in five countries on three continents.
The Archives
Stephen’s career as a musician and educator has gained extensive press and media coverage over the years. His work in the art of turntablism and DJing has been covered on the The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR’s All Things Considered and CNN, with articles in The New York Times and Rolling Stone.
