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 << Click the image to listen to "A Nation Rocked to Sleep" from American Dreams |
Jersey born Singer/Songwriter Hank Woji has quietly been building a strong catalog of work, and an avid following, since his March 2001 move from the Morningside Heights district of Manhattan to The Heights of Houston, TX. Drawing comparisons to Arlo Guthrie and Cat Stevens, he was one of six Texas Regional Songwriters picked for recognition in the 2002 Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition. He has received Honorable Mentions in the 2006 Woody Guthrie Folk Festival Songwriting Contest and the 2006 SongDoor International Songwriting Contest and was most recently chosen as a Finalist in both the 2007 South Florida Folk Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition and the Suwannee Springfest 2007 Songwriting Contest. A long time veteran bass player and band leader, in the NJ/NYC club and concert scene, Hank’s bands had performed with, or opened for, such diverse artists as: Hot Tuna, Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Cliff, The Wailers, Toots & the Maytalls, The Radiators, Jon Bon Jovi, Johnny Winter, Room Full of Blues, The Nighthawks, John Hammond Jr, Clarence Clemmons & The Red Bank Rockers, The Smithereens and Merl Saunders & The Rainforest Band. In the late 80s he began studying African and Brasilian drumming and percussion and by 1995 was also performing regularly, as a drummer/percussionist, with Jersey based batucada group Mzume Carnaval, at jazz & blues festivals, colleges, clubs and concert halls throughout the NY/NJ metro area. In 1990 Hank composed, arranged and performed music for “Earth Mother” a New Age Meditation & Music album, which he also co-produced with Karla LaVoie, noted author of the critically acclaimed “For Time and All Eternity: Love Never Dies”. His first CD as a songwriter, “Medallion”, released in 2005, combined elements of Folk, Blues, and Rock with Brasilian, Cuban, African and Indian rhythms. Recorded in studios across Texas, Colorado and New Jersey, over a 2 ˝ year period, “Medallion” features Hank on guitar, bass, percussion and vocals with an outstanding supporting cast of some of the best friends and finest musicians he has performed with over the last 15 years. For his outstanding production work on “Medallion”, he was nominated for the 2006 Producer of the Year award, by the Academy of Texas Music. Hank’s songwriting took a turn towards political & social issues in late 2005, and in January 2006 he released his first CD single – “Patriot Games” – a hard hitting commentary on today’s culture of corruption, hypocracy and wars without end. His next album, currently in production, is scheduled for release in September 2007. Most recently, as a performing Singer/Songwriter, he has shared the stage with Texas favorites Shake Russell, Dana Cooper, Darden Smith, Ken Gaines, Saylor White, Jimmy LaFavre, Colin Brooks and Freddy Krc & The Shakin’ Apostles and has been a frequent performer at Peace & Anti-War memorials and actions in the Houston area. |
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| "...Woji stands out from the pack..." "...this disc wildly exceeds any "...both seasoned and fresh, dark and uplifting, smooth and dynamic." "...speaks to the soul. This one “Your work is an inspiration for me…”
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