K&K's Artist of the Month: Hans York
April 2005
Hans York, a.k.a. Hannsjoerg Scheid, has appeared playing both guitar and bass, as singer, composer, producer and arranger, on a variety of albums and projects in Europe.
Since his move to the US Hans has produced and played on several albums, primarily spending his time delighting audiences up and down the West Coast playing guitar with the Jamie Laval Trio.
He has quickly made himself a name as an extraordinary DADGAD player, as well as a strong, engaging performer with a distinctive style and an irrepressibly delightful and approachable manner.
Hans spent six months in Rio de Janeiro where he studied Samba, Bossa Nova and popular Brazilian music, an experience that upon his return to Germany, inspired his first solo album Hazzazar. Currently he's finishing his 3rd CD Inside Out.
He toured Europe with his Band Moka Efti and recorded three albums, the last one with saxophonist Charlie Mariano and producer Heinrich von Kalnein.
He accompanied Robert Palmer on German TV, toured as bass player with the New York Broadway Ensemble , played a TV documentation with Rüdiger Oppermann about Celtic music in an old Irish Castle, and performed a Concerto, written by contemporary East German composer Thomas König, as Soloist with a Chamber Orchestra on fretless bass.
Hans York is a world musician in the true sense of the term, drawing most of his present day inspiration from his vast eclectic background.
Hans uses the K&K Mini Pure Western: "I was blown away with the pickup after using it for the first time with my Santa Cruz OM/PW without a preamp. The sound was clear and distinct. Very balanced overall without any nasty frequencies that usually show up if you use such a system without a preamp. I was instantly convinced that this is the system I'm going to use for all my guitars. I'm touring a lot and needed a hastle-free sound solution. K&K provided it!"