Stephen Hart is a longtime Island musician whose varied tunes and diverse lyrical style are deeply connected with nature, life, and love. On Saturday, Nov. 10, his latest group, Hart Music Man, will reunite with his old creative cohorts, the Ululators, to present his most recent album, titled “Steve’s Songs, The Best of Both Worlds” at the Katharine Cornell Theatre at 7:30 pm. Tickets will be on sale for $20.
The new album contains a multitude of different vibes sure to touch on all musical tastes. From “Maya Man,” with its slow reggae beat and uplifting message, to “Now That You Are Gone,” a song about love and loss, the album evokes a blend of emotions. Hart told The Times he takes past events, such as old romances, and uses music to work through those experiences to find meaning. “The music helps me work through times of uncertainty or times of great change,” Hart said. “My songs are never forced; they are all based off events in my life that have changed me as a person and taught me life lessons.”
The majority of content for the album was recorded at Parr Audio in Oak Bluffs, with Hart’s longtime friend and bandmate, Jimmy Parr. Musicians performing on Hart’s new release are Jimmy Parr on bass and keyboards, Paul Thurlow on backing guitars, Steve Tully on saxophone, Tom Major on drums, and Hart on guitar, piano, organ, djembe, and lead vocals. Hart started out playing drums when he was 5 years old in his parents’ San Francisco home. He began to pick up other instruments, like guitar and piano, as he became more interested in music. He took formal vocal lessons in high school as well as music theory classes that helped him form the basis for his creativity.
With the help of his friends, he formed a group called the Ululators, consisting of Hart on drums, guitarist and keyboardist Paul Thurlow, bassist Jimmy Parr, Sam Holmstock on congas, percussion, and trombone, and Rick Bausman on steel pan, guitar, and timbales. Each member of the band also sings vocals.
Hart’s voice is powerful, and his lyrics are timeless. Each song paints an expressive and energetic picture of a particular time, place, or experience in Hart’s life.