Lance Herman BIO/EPK www.lanceherman.com
Lance Herman is a singer songwriter based in Cape Town, South Africa. Previously performing with bands Fly Paper Jet, Ginsburg & Herman, and under the performance moniker ELIEZER. Lance’s solo career was heralded by the release of his self-published single, Rollercoaster. Co-produced with South Africa Jazz artist and producer Shane Cooper, the song made its way onto local pop radio station 5FM’s playlist. Following its release, Lance was invited to record an EP at the Red Bull Studios in Cape Town, which included songs Ride the Waves and Thin Bridge, and soon after that Lance went on to to self-publish his debut full length album. The eponymous LP crediting a host of South African artists and producers including Paul Ressel, Josh Ginsburg, Thor Rixon, Nicholas Van Reenen, Lee Thomson and Shane Cooper. Skylark - a track written and produced by Herman off the album - would feature as credits music for recent BBC/DSTV tv series Devil’s Peak. Another of Herman's songs, Dangling Man, written by Herman and produced by Herman, Ginsburg, and Ressel and featuring Lee Thomson on trumpet would be used as credits music for Sketchbook Studios produced short film Jakkels 13. His jazz ballad Summer Ending featured on SABC’s travel series Going Nowhere Slowly. Lance has produced music for local fashion label Africa Is Now featured at the Africa Fashion International Indaba at the Atlantic Film Studios in Cape Town. Lance has performed on stages across South Africa, from festival stages such as Rocking the Daisies at the Kloof Wine Estate, to the V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre for the Thursdays Project Museum Night. Opening up the stage for the Soweto String Quartet at Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts, and opening up the stage for New York based touring artist Mattisyahu at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Lance has played smaller live music venues across the country including Rumours Rock City in Johannesburg where shared the stage with BCUC, The City & Bye Beneco; Mystic Boer in Bloemfontein where he shared the stage with the Arno Carstens and the Springbok Nude Girls. Lance has played smaller live venues in Cape Town such as the once upon a time Jazz club Straight No Chaser on Buitenkant Street, to the Alexander Bar Theatre on Strand Street - Lance’s live concert reflects the intimacy of his songwriting: clear, engaged lyrical moments, always accompanied by virtuoso musicianship. With Lance on Vocals & Guitar, his live show often features collaborations with some of the country’s top musicians including drummers Jonno Sweetman (Kyle Shepherd Trio, Reza Khota Quartet) and Kesivan Naidoo; bassists Ryan McArthur and Callum McDonald. Lance has played in ensembles with artists such as Bonj Mpazna (Vocals), Lee Thomson (Trumpet), Russ Nerwich (Saxophone), he has also shared stages with international jazz artists Andreas Loven (Norway) and Eliana Burki (Switzerland). Most recently Lance has also taken to playing DJ-sets of Deep House and Afro-Beats music for select functions and parties. A multi-talented artist who brings together his skills with words, lyrics, and sometimes visual arts - Lance has directed several of his own music videos, see links below - with clear gifts for musicality, melody, and rhythm. Lance holds a master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Cape Town where he was also the recipient of UCT’s Institute of Creative Arts’ Performing Arts Fellowship Award. His debut eponymous LP can be heard on all music streaming platforms.
Some Press:
Review by Tecla Ciolfi TEXXANDTHECITY Live Recording of Lance Herman song “In the River In Reverse”, Soundcast Studios Cape Town [TexxxAndTheCity.Com]:
"There’s nothing quite as satisfying as watching well-shot black and white film footage of talented musicians playing original material. Lance Herman kept it really simple for his newest video release, but it really works. The complexity of the lyrics of ‘In the River, in Reverse’, as well as the unusual melodies, rhythmand bass line could have well been lost if Herman had opted for a busy, psychedelic aesthetic. There is a seriousness that is felt with a traditional black and white colour palette, which matches the focused nature of the music. Herman seems to have gently shed the skin of his highly successful project, Eliezer, and now has more space to experiment with his songwriting, as well as with bigger instrumentation. I haven’t heard anything quite like ‘In the River, in Reverse before, yet, like the video, the track is a really accessible piece that many will enjoy, I’m looking forward to seeing how Lance Herman’s latest music project unfolds. Watch the video below." - Tecla Ciolfi, [TexxAndTheCity.Com]
Review Richard Rumney Red Bull Studios Cape Town of Lance Herman Ride The Waves EP recording [RedBullMediaHouse.Com]:
Lance Herman is a musician and songwriter who is probably best known for the track Rollercoaster which has managed to capture a mainstream radio-listening audience. Understandably so as its both beautiful and sanguine, a track to sing along to but with enough layers to pensively peal away on repeated listens. For those who have followed the Cape Tonian live music scene for a while, they will be familiar with Lance's previous projects, Fly Paper Jet and Ginsburg and Herman. Both of these contain some of the essence that makes up Lance's music now: a fine balance of quirky irreverence, genuine introspection and strong musicality: a mixture that makes for brilliant, off-beat pop music. These two tracks, recorded, mixed and produced in Studio, follow on from Rollercoaster and will feature on an upcoming album to be released next year. Both tracks were written and produced by Lance Herman. Thin Bridge features drums by Jonno Sweetman and bass and synths by Shane Cooper. Synths on Ride the Waves by Nicolaas Van Reenen." - Richard Rumney, Red Bull Studios Cape Town [RedBullMediaHouse.Com]