Si Hayden picked up a guitar at age 10, gigged with numerous bands from age 15, solo guitar shows from age 22, recorded, performed, toured as musical director for plays and composed theatre scores, soundtracks and instrumentals for the likes of the Belgrade Theatre, bbc Radio 4, various compilations, featured on many albums, singles and along with 3 solo instrumental guitar albums, has been performing, recording and composing ever since.
Reviews
"...a guitarist's guitar player..."(Susan Frances, jazzreview) "...amazing guitarist..." (Peter Lang, fingerstyle pioneer)"...a very cool and unique gift..." (Florida guitar legend Mike Pachelli)
"...simply blew us away with his intricate finger skills..." (BBC C&W)
Fans of guitar virtuosity should check out Si Hayden..." ©Chip Withrow(musesmuse.com)
"one-man musical magician fusing funk, jazz and a splash of drum'n'bass in a single flamenco styled nylon-stringed guitar" (The Warwick Core)
"His solo classical-Spanish style guitar playing, peppered with pepper, funk and drumnbass, takes your breath away like a sledgehammer to the chest" (The Shiznit Magazine)
"Si Hayden left members of the audience in wonder of how anyone could deliver such harmony and rhythms of complexity using a six string, steel strung acoustic guitar" (Alvin Leon, AquiredTaste)
"A classical Spanish style guitarist, who will blow you away with his jazz, latin and funk infused songs. How he manages it all on just a 6 string guitar still amazes us. You will have to see him to believe it! (AcousticLounge, Clapham)
Album Reviews
"its a ripper cd... very, very good!" (Steve Passiouras, PBS FM on 'Steel Roots')"gives a fine display of Americana.. and there is some finger lickin’ pickin’ going on here.." ('Is this music magazine' on 'Steel Roots')
"fast killer chops on most tracks.. “Moondanceâ€.. a true piece of art.. at times he reminds me of Tuck Andress in his jazzy approach with a lot of rhythm and bass runs going on" ('Bridge Guitar Reviews' on 'Steel Roots')
"Pascal Vigne goes in a swift swirl around Christophe Godin's country picking, while Si Hayden with Michael Berk deliver an acoustic pearl called "Tango Schizophrenia", the highlight of this set, pure Segovia." (Dmitry M. Epstein, 'Let it Rock' on 'The Alchemist Vol II')
"..the Spanish acoustic delights of “Tango Schizophrenia†from Si Hayden and Michael Berk is a great piece of 2 classical guitars with the right blend of mystical Mediterranean qualities and speedy fretwork.." (© 2007 VIRTUOSITYONE.COM on 'The Alchemist Vol II')
"a lot of jazz influence... walking bass lines, tapping, ..blazing scale work... great bluesy... funky groove, jazz chording's, some Spanish guitar flourishes, and lots of quick arpeggios... Si does have some chops..." (©Kirk Albrecht, 'minor7th' on 'Steel Roots')
"Hayden’s trademark supersonic picking is present.. the six-string virtuosity shown on this album is irrefutable.. an album that stuns with its technical brilliance, then later endears you to the soul and depth behind the flashiness" (Peter Clayton, 'cdreviews.com' on 'Steel Roots')
".. the solo guitar mastery of U.K. based Si Hayden. Hayden’s speciality is daredevil solo flamenco guitar tracks that he composes himself. The music may sound vintage but on his CD Hayden puts a new spin on a timeless art form. As he points out in his liner notes, all tracks were recorded with one guitar and no overdubs and all percussion is from the right hand on the guitar body while playing. A modern flamenco master, Hayden makes excellent use of his Ivor Maraints and Jose Ramirez guitars." Robert Silverstein/20th Century Guitar/NYC) on 'Nylon... for Now' (01/06/2006) "This album is refreshingly honest - UK-based composer/guitarist Hayden plays the entire program solo and with no overdubs... flawlessly executes the genre's characteristic strums, descending single-string runs and soundboard taps... Yet he typically makes things more interesting by weaving more complex harmonies and smooth jazz elements into each of the tunes. Si Hayden's appeal comes from successfully melding flamenco with more modern sounds, and doing so without gimmicks or artifice. Both guitarists and general listeners will enjoy this CD; turn it up and enjoy." (©Patrick Ragains/Minor7th) on 'Nylon... for Now' (01/01/2007) "...such an impressive guitar player and Nylon ... for Now is full of interesting music... dizzying flamenco-style runs... pretty, ringing arpeggios. He’s even better when he leans into some meaty rhythmic chording. Then there’s his unique percussion, which is him tapping on the guitar’s wood body. I wish he’d do it more often on this album, but these tracks were recorded in single takes, and providing all that rhythm on top of breakneck picking is, I’m sure, hard work. Fans of guitar virtuosity should check out Si Hayden... a few listens made me appreciate it on a heart-and-soul level as well as a technical one." © Chip Withrow(musesmuse.com) on 'Nylon... for Now' (01/11/2007) "...You might find a methodology to Hayden's playing, but every composition is so tailored with its own voice that it negates everything you have ever learned about method playing. These are not finger moves that are taught in school. They are moves with such imagination and independent thinking that they make you feel honored to hear them. The music has a striking star quality that few artists can achieve. Hayden uses no special effects or overdubs. His playing is divinely pure... Hayden's music falls between the lines that separate jazz from country, and his compositions certainly show that the two have more common factors than most music fans ever knew. You'll never believe that all of these movements are coming out of one acoustic guitar. There is a dreamy quality in Si Hayden's melodies that keeps your head floating up above the clouds while the country aspects in his music keeps everything feeling open and homey... A native of Coventry, England, Hayden's sonic vistas seem to come natural as he plays to the beating pulse of life with total abandonment of conventional methodology. Speaking of unconventional, Si Hayden is left handed and plays right-handed guitars. (Susan Frances, jazzreview.com on 'Steel Roots')
Discography
'Mille Miglia'©2008 SilveryRecords
Instrumental jazz Trio of Guitar, Upright Bass and Drums. Composed by Si Hayden. Performed by Si Hayden ~ Guitar, Ben Haines ~ Drums and Bizi Gibassbie ~ Double Bass. ©2008 SilveryRecords, Format: Compact Disk, Cat no: SR020, Packaging: Jewel Case (sealed), Release Date: TBC, Sound Format: Stereo, UPC: TBC /Length:
'Sunrise'
©2008 SilveryRecords
Instrumental jazz fussion of Tabla, Guitar, Didgeridoo, Piano and Double bass. Produced & Composed by Si Hayden. Performed by Si Hayden ~ Guitars/Piano, Ameet Gauher ~ Didg, Pritpal Rai ~ Tabla/percussion and Bizi Gibassbie ~ Double Bass. ©2008 SilveryRecords, Format: Compact Disk, Cat no: SR020, Packaging: Jewel Case (sealed), Release Date: TBC, Sound Format: Stereo, UPC: TBC /Length:
'Scenes from the City'
©2008 SilveryRecords
1. Orphan Child Lullaby (Hayden)
2. Beginning (Hayden)
3. Unknown Urban Entity (Hayden)
4. Rain Mans Groove (Hayden)
5. Homeless Girl (Hayden)
6. Wet Mans Cleaners (Hayden)
7. Bird Woman (Hayden)
8. Orphan Child (Hayden)
Original Theatre Score produced, composed and performed by Si Hayden. A Belgrade Theatre Production 'Scenes from the City' (soundtrack) Cover Artwork: Barry Jobson, ©2007 SilveryRecords, Format: Compact Disk, Cat no: SR019, Packaging: Jewel Case (sealed), Release Date: TBC, Sound Format: Stereo, UPC: TBC /Length:
'Live Like Us'
©2008 SilveryRecords
1. The Lift (Hayden)
2. Angels (Hayden)
3. The Car Park (Hayden)
4. But The Voices (Hayden)
5. Kelvin (Hayden)
6. Jess (Hayden)
7. A Leathal Toaster (Hayden)
8. Shrine (Hayden)
Original Theatre Score produced, composed and performed by Si Hayden. A Belgrade Theatre Production 'Live Like Us' (soundtrack) due for release this year. Cover shot: Paul blakemore, ©2007 SilveryRecords, Format: Compact Disk, Cat no: SR018,Packaging: Jewel Case (sealed), Release Date: TBC, Sound Format: Stereo, UPC: TBC /Length:
'Steel Roots'
©2007 SilveryRecords
1. Ellya (Hayden)
2. Confessions of a tractor thief (Hayden)
3. Folsom prison blues (J.Cash)
4. Golden fictitious (Hayden)
5. Flat spot (Hayden)
6. Hats off to Pete Townshend (Hayden)
7. Jd 'n' coffee (Hayden)
8. Just a bit o' fun (Hayden)
9. Moondance (V. Morrison)
10. Cowstalker (Hayden)
11. Planet of the grapes (Hayden)
12. Steel roots (Hayden)
All tracks composed and performed by S.Hayden exept 3 and 9. Recorded with no overdubs in standard tuning except title track 12 (drop-D tuning) /Produced by Si Hayden /Mastered by Andrew Tulloch, The Blue Room, London. Guitars used: Tracks1,2,3,5,6,7,11 ~ Standard tuned Avalon AS acoustic, Tracks 4,8,10,12 ~ Cort CJ acoustic, track 9 - 1992 Gibson j-160e acoustic. All Photography: Paul Blakemore, Location 'Jacks Barber', Coventry, UK. /Format: Compact Disc /Genre(s): POP/Jazz Label:SilveryRecords /Cat.No: SR015 /Packaging: Jewel Case (Sealed) /Release Date: August 27th 2007 /Sound Format: Stereo /UPC:5050521006215/ AMG Album ID: R 1188066 /Length: 38.20
'The Alchemists vol II'
©2007 LiquidNoteRecords
1. Unruly Elements (Chris Brooks ft. Joe Chawki)
2. One Legged Chicken (Pascal Vigné ft.Christophe Godin)
3. Threehunderdpointtwentyone (Terry Syrek ft.Bumblefoot)
4. Under The Influence (Richard Hallebeek & Antti Kotikoski)
5. Space Antz (Carlos Creator ft.Robert Rodrigo)
6. Stratosphere (William Stravato ft.Brett Garsed)
7. At Last (Stefan Rosqvist ft.Bo Eriksson)
8. The Puffball That Ate My Village (Phi Yaan-Zek ft.Chanan Hanspal)
9. Last Minute Call/The Saviour (Milan Polak & Marco Sfogli)
10.Fumble Fingers (Dave Martone & Chris Buono)
11.Tango Schizophrenia (Si Hayden ft.Michael Berk)
12.Warp Drive (Gianluca Ferro ft.Scott McGill)
13.In The Beginning (Sven Stichter ft.Thorsten Koenhe)
14.Butterfly/Free Love/Fruit Frenzy (Geoff Tyson ft.Doug Doppler)
15.Georgia In My Heart (Dr Ika & Temur Kvitelashvili)
The Alchemists II is the sequel to LNR's highly popular "The Alchemists" (double) compilation CD, which was released in 2002. The primary difference between the two compilations is that The Alchemists II features 2 guitar players per tune. Some of the originalAlchemists have returned for the new CD, including Bumblefoot, Terry Syrek, Brett Garsed and Richard Hallebeek. Over 75 mins of guitar bliss. All tracks are original to this compilation. Instrumental Guitar (Electric (Heavy) /Shred /Fusion), total running time,79:47
'Nylon... For Now'
©2006 SilveryRecords
1. Like Fire (Hayden)
2. One Weekend (Hayden)
3. Are you going to eat all that? (Hayden)
4. Armitage (Hayden)
5. Black Magic Nylon (Hayden)
6. Symphony Solo (Hayden)
7. Sounds Better in Red (Hayden)
All tracks written & performed by S.Hayden, no overdub's. All percussion from the guitar soundboard whilst playing. Length: 44:40 /Produced by Si Hayden /Mastered by Donal Whelan, Hafod /MasteringWorld. Guitars used: Tracks 1,3,4,5,6~ Standard tuned1981 Ivor Mairants R.E.Spain No. 188F Tracks 2,7~ Standard tuned 2004 Jose Ramirez FL2. Cover photo: Paul Blakemore (2005 Coventry Jazz Festival) Guitar in photo: Godin Grand Concert Nylon Duet (live use) SilveryRecords /Format: Compact Disc/Genre(s): POP/Jazz /Label: SilveryRecords /Cat.No: SR011 /Packaging: Jewel Case (Sealed) /Release Date: April 24, 2006 /Sound Format: Stereo /UPC: 5060080790388 /AMG Album ID: R 858573 /Length: 44:40
'Steel Happenings'
©1998 RayCra/Silvery
1. Its Happening (Hayden)
2. Walking the dog (Hayden)
3. Seventeen (Hayden)
4. Lil' Diddy (Hayden)
5. Inspired by the First (Hayden)
6. Something I Saw (Hayden)
7. Its Happening Again (Hayden)
Si's first solo guitar album recorded in 1998 at the age of 23 'Steel Happenings' . All tracks written and performed by S. Hayden recorded with no overdubs in various alternate tunings at RAYCRAIGSTUDIOS. Guitars used: Tracks: 1.2 & 7 Washburn jumbo (mic /magnetic neck pick-up) Tracks: 3,4,5 & 6 Takemine sante fe (mic /piezzo bridge pick-up) Cover shot: Wilson Pickin, guitar in photo: Washburn Jumbo. ©1998 RAYCRARECORDS /SilveryRecords /RC23, Format: Compact Disk, Genre(s): Pop/Jazz, Cat no: RC23, Packaging: Jewel Case (sealed), Release Date: 12/12/1998, Sound Format: Stereo, UPC: 5060080790456 /AMG Album ID: R 936690 /Length: 31:10
Film
DockersBelgrade Theatre Production (2008) Composed Soundtrack
Radio
Tonight I Write (play)BBC Radio 4 Production (2003) Composed track 'Barcelona'
Theatre
Live Like UsBelgrade Theatre Production (2007) Composed, performed and recorded soundtrack (5 nights) “I went to see Live like Us last night in Birmingham and it was fantastic! The set, music, film and smells were great!â€
Scenes from the City
Belgrade Theatre Production (2007) Composed, performed and recorded soundtrack (4 shows)
The first time I saw snow
Belgrade Theatre Production (2008) Acted, composed and performed live score (16 shows)
Now you see me, now you dont
Belgrade Theatre Production (2008) Acted, composed, performed live score (4 nights)
Booking Contact Info:
UK & Ireland:. For details and or to book, contact email: [email protected] or phone: 07971589867Mainland Europe: Jason Weastell / [email protected]Recorded/Performedwith:
B.J.Cole, Peter Lang, Nizlopi, bbc Radio 4, bbc cwr, HarjinderMatharu, Sampad, CVOne, Jazz Coventry, FrontlineAV, Johnny Mac,Rootz2004, Liquid Note Records, Ray Craig Records, Silvery Records, JamCentral Records, 91db, FTC, Michael Berk, Budapest, attenshun, YamahaGuitars, Eardrum, Phoenix knights, Lament, Anna & Louise Davis(With Musicwe Move), Dont Move, Wayne Matthews, Sir Richard Bishop, Natasha BlancoDominguez, Rob Halligan, Al Britten, Matt Hernandez, Garfield mayor, JohnnyNicholds, al britten, mattl akey, ben wainwright, jamsons nook, Vici Lowrence,Suzy Indygo, DON'T MOVE!, mason lelong, Jon Morley, Justine, Grace Jones,Robert Logan, Donna Summer, Love, Jaco Pastorius, black carrot, JennaJones, wayne matthews, danny greene, paul whitehead, derron hardwick,willy pickin, danny payne, akeel, the dials, soundsounds, heaventree press,Combat Breakers, Frontline Audio Visual, TMC, total music control, MikeSanchez, plus many others...
VENUES OF NOTE:
(birmingham)The Mac Theatre, HexagonTheatre, Alexandra Theatre, BBC Pebble Mill Clubhouse, Boiler Room, Actress& Bishop, Lasan, The Cross, (leicester)Y Yheatre, (aylesbury)LimelightTheatre, Friars Square, Kings Head, (sheffield)Music in the Sun Festival,(london)Cobden Club, AcousticLounge, Goodness Bar, RSA, (suttoncoldfield)Halfway House, (leamington spa)Jug'n'Jester, The Lounge, Moo Bar,Robbins Well, Bath Place, Nursery Tavern, Old Leamingtonions, Copper Pot,(hinkley)Toyk, (burbage)Cross Keys, (warwick)Royal Ballroom, GreatWestern, (nottingham)Blueprint Club, (kilmstone) the Creamery,(coventry)St.Mary's Guild Hall, Coventry Jazz Festival, Belgrade Theatre, TheRicoh Arena, Charterhouse Festival, BBC CWR Studio, BBC Priory Place opencentre, Priory Place 'World on your street' stage, Coventry Students Union,Warwick Students Union, Taylor Johns House, Tin Angel, Way of the Goose,Liquid Bar, Earsdon Cottage, Dogma, Escape Bar, Thee Old Firestation, GoldenCross, Upper Precinct black history month/peace month Stage, Here Bar, 1450,Hope & Anchor, Phoenix Club, Glasshouse, Browns, Cathedral Ruins,Collesium, CWU, Central Hall, Beer Engine, Inspire, Whitefriers Beer Festival,Scholars, Jailhouse, Hereward College, (kenilworth)The Lion, plus manyothers…
GUITAR SHOPS OF NOTE: NoiseWorks, Coventry/TMC,Coventry/Regent Guitars, Leamington.
BIO / guitar album review / ALBUM REVIEWS:
Self-taught musician Si Hayden, born in Coventry, England was raised into anon-musical family, but all with support for his love and intrigue of musicalinstruments. At an early age around the mid 80’s Si first picked up a guitar andbegan to teach himself to play. On course to begin guitar lessons during histime at Our Lady of the Assumption R.C. Primary School he cut off the tip of his right index finger with the help of asliding patio door, it was over a year before he’d pick up the guitar again butdecided against lessons and continued his self-taught quest with preferenceto write original music along the way to develop a personal more unique style,“people are quick to pigeon hole a technique but I generally take a soundthat catches my ear and throw it in the pot to hopefully create somethingfresh...â€
During the 90's, along with starting various rock, pop ('Cuba' ‘Don Valley GrassBowl 99' Music in the Sun festival) & metal bands, Si experimented with manydifferent made-up alternate tunings for solo guitar, playing the odd instrumentalgig here and there, to which he recalls the first originating from his cousin whoasked if he would play guitar at her wedding party in a vicarage in Kent. A fewgigs, compositions and recordings later resulted in 'Steel Happenings' (1998)..(short run - 50copies/later manufactured and released on a larger scalethrough SilveryRecords). Only one song 'Walking the dog' from the album wasstandard! Not until his second solo guitar release 'NYLON... FOR NOW' (2006)with all songs written & recorded in standard tuning did he prefer to taghimself as a... 'Guitar player, no particular style, just self taughtsemi-improvised instrumental standard tuned acoustic kinda thing'.
In 2003 with fresh inspiration from a commission to compose a guitar piece fora BBC Radio 4 play 'tonight I write' by Manjinder Virk about a woman who fellfor a Spanish guitarist in Barcelona, Si decided to follow his musical intuitionand carry on writing and playing using guitars of the nylon kind, teamed upwith Garry Hodge on double bass and created 'LIQUIFI' a two piece flamenco,jazz, funk instrumental duo, gigged solid for a year until its split in summer 2004when they were booked to play the Belgrade Theatre Summer Sessions butwith Gary in Spain Si was left to play the gig solo which brought back howmuch he enjoyed the freedom of improvising live the with the self-containedside of guitar playing, only this time using the solo sound of a nylon strungguitar.
Immediately that summer Si went on to record ‘Nylon… for Now’(©2006SilveryRecords). An instrumental solo guitar blend of classical, flamenco, jazzand funk infused songs using only a flamenco guitar, 20thCentury GuitarMagazine remarked'"...solo guitar mastery of U.K. based Si Hayden.Hayden's specialty is daredevil solo flamenco guitar tracks that he composeshimself. The music may sound vintage but on his CD Hayden puts a new spinon a timeless art form. As he points out in his liner notes, all tracks wererecorded with one guitar and no overdubs and all percussion is from the righthand on the guitar body while playing. A modern flamenco master, Haydenmakes excellent use of his Ivor Maraints and Jose Ramirezguitars."(20thCG/NYC)
..and Minor7th added' This album is refreshingly honest - UK-basedcomposer/guitarist Hayden plays the entire program solo and with nooverdubs. His nylon string guitar is recorded with a hint of echo, therebyenhancing the drama of his flamenco-based style. Hayden flawlesslyexecutes the genre's characteristic strums, descending single-string runs andsoundboard taps, as in the opening track, "Like Fire." Yet he typically makesthings more interesting by weaving more complex harmonies and smooth jazzelements into each of the tunes. "One Weekend" is a good example of this,exhibiting an original compositional sense while incorporating the flamencodevices to add energy and variety. He also fuses these elements on theuptempo "Are You Going to Eat All That?," which fades out too soon, and thecloser, "Sounds Better in Red." He builds on Cuban rhythms in "Black MagicNylon" as a springboard for a lively and multifaceted improvisation. Si Hayden'sappeal comes from successfully melding flamenco with more modern sounds,and doing so without gimmicks or artifice - I'd love to see him perform. Bothguitarists and general listeners will enjoy this CD; turn it up and enjoy." ©Patrick Ragains(minor7th.com)
...and finally musesmuse commented' I feel somewhat out of my elementreviewing this disc, but I’m going to do it because Si Hayden is such animpressive guitar player and Nylon ... for Now is full of interesting music.
I love the acoustic guitar, and I perform with one myself, but I prefer playingthat’s considerably rawer than Hayden’s. I’d be much more at home reviewinga CD by someone who plays like John Lee Hooker or Jack Johnson.
Hayden’s dizzying flamenco-style runs are often cool, but sometimes over thetop. I prefer to hear him playing pretty, ringing arpeggios. He’s even betterwhen he leans into some meaty rhythmic chording.
Then there’s his unique percussion, which is him tapping on the guitar’s woodbody. I wish he’d do it more often on this album, but these tracks wererecorded in single takes, and providing all that rhythm on top of breakneckpicking is, I’m sure, hard work.
I gained more appreciation for the first cut, “Like Fire,†when I verycoincidentally cued it up as I was reading a short story about bullfighting.Flamenco undertones pop up throughout the album; “Like Fire†and “SymphonySolo†are the most notably Spanish-flavored numbers.
“One Weekend†is atmospheric, sad and Mark Knopfler-esque (it reminds me ofa movie soundtrack Knopfler did many years ago). It also has a hopefulinterlude, kind of like the things-will-get-better scene of a tearjerker movie.
“Are You Going To Eat All That?†gets really interesting when Hayden fires offslap bass-style riffs.
“Black Magic Nylon†is the strongest cut. It’s the most like a cohesive pop song– a full band could play along here. Hayden alone does a good job tearing thisone up. It mines more of the jazz/funkiness that “Eat All That?†hints at.
“Armitage†boasts some triumphant strumming that is darn close to PeteTownshend style, a reminder that great guitar work can be simple. Hayden’spercussion technique is most noticeable here and on the propulsive openingand closing of the last song, “Sounds Better In Red.â€
Fans of guitar virtuosity should check out Si Hayden, and I’m glad I did, too. Ialmost passed on reviewing Nylon ... for Now, but a few listens made meappreciate it on a heart-and-soul level as well as a technical one. © ChipWithrow(musesmuse.com)
Originally recorded in 2004 it was not released until 2006, "I was unsure ofmy new nylon sound, technique and genre until a seemingly well received slotat last summers Coventry Jazz Festival... just had to convince myself it hadtranslated well to tape before releasing it!"
Also in 2004 Si managed to squeeze in another group ‘91db’ formed fromstudio session work and late night jams at j10studios in Coventry with Studioowner and long time friend Paul Johnson. The original 7piece line-up consistedof Angie(vocals) P.Nology(MC/Vocals) Emmanuel(Vocals) Gary Hodge(doublebass) Si Hayden(guitars) Paul Johnson(drums/percussion/programming) NickGreene(keyboards/programming) played their first gig at Attenshun’sEardrum/Belgrade Theatre Grand Café in September 2004. 91db are stilltogether as a stripped down 4piece currently working on their debutalbum.
91db: - adj: [nine·tee-one-dee-bee] ~ a remarkable movement ordynamic force, esp. one that motivates a higher plane of audio conscious,affects ones mental stability, the ability to collate the repetative power andenergy of drum and bass with the added proficiency to fire it out as livemusicians with dynamically charged harmonic ambience and force. Si-Hayden's Dictionary of Audio, © 2007 Hayden-Si, Inc. ;)
2005 saw the arrival of ‘With Music We Move’ a flamenco dance & music showconceived by Anna & Louise Davis, two flamenco dancers who checked outone of Si’s gigs aware that this was not flamenco in its original pure form but arather different variation with essence of flamenco, they immediately related toin a way which would compliment their own original look on dance fusion. “ “Within four months the three along with Lucy Tanner an Arabic dancer and Phila percussionist from Leamington rehearsed and played an hour long sold outshow at Central Hall in Coventry, UK.
In 2006 Si was approached by Sampad, a dynamic development agency forSouth Asian Arts based in Birmingham to collaborate with Harjinder Matharu,one of the UK’s best known tabla players with a special flamenco styleindo-Mediterranean improvised duel of music. They met and jammed for anhour after one of Harjinders tabla workshops then played the intimate HexagonTheatre in Birmingham which sold out a week prior to the gig. They continue toplay together for Sampad at various Theatres.
Also in 2006 Si was approached by Liquid Note Records and asked tocompose and record an instrumental guitar piece for their follow up to ‘TheAlchemist’(©2002 LiquidNoteRecords) ‘Featuring a diverse collection ofextraordinary talent, including Bumblefoot, Brett Garsed, Mario Parga, CyrilAchard, Richard Hallebeek, Guthrie Govan, Stephan Forte and many others,this 140 min double CD introduced emotional soundscapes as well as nearlyevery conceivable style of guitar playing from every corner of the globe. TheAlchemists II is the sequel to LNR's highly popular The Alchemists (double)compilation CD, with an unorthodox decision to feature 2 guitar players pertune. With this brief Si went away and wrote ‘Tango Schizophrenia’ recorded itusing his beloved Ivor Mairants R.E.Spain FL guitar and immediately thought ofMichael Berk, a great acoustic player Si had met a year before with twobrilliant albums and a powefull technique to feature a guest solo using hissignature model LA acoustic. “..Mike arrived at 2pm and by 7pm we wereboth in Browns having a drink reflecting on the take! Took him no time to comeup with something...â€
Jan2007: Composed the music for 'Live Like Us' a Belgrade Theatre productionon tour from February 20th and in between working on his third solo guitaralbum 'Steel Roots' due for release in june 2007.
May2007: (taken from bukechi.co.uk) "One of the Bukechi tracks for WTS is“Feel Heat†which is a song all about stopping smoking. It has a bit of a Spanishfeel and we were delighted and honoured that Coventry guitar virtuoso SiHayden has agreed to guest on this track." June2007: Another commision from the belgrade theatre to compose the musicfor ' ' a four part one off play held at an outdoor stage at Sheldon Square,Coventry city centre in July. The pieces include solo piano compositions forambient underscore and a drum and bass track with the lyrics "can you sparesome change please?" in many different languages!