John Sferra
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Sferra (born May 20, 1952) is a drummer, best known for his work with the band Glass Harp.
In addition to being a drummer, John is also a guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, composing and singing lead on several songs for each Glass Harp album. The band's debut album includes two Sferra-sung tracks, "Changes" and "Black Horse." "Changes" became a staple of the band's live shows.
After the band parted on amicable terms in the early 1970s, longtime friends Sferra and Keaggy recorded together again in 1993 for what would become Keaggy's solo album Crimson and Blue. The sessions also yielded material that surfaced on the album Blue, a collection virtually identical to Crimson and Blue, Sferra toured with Keaggy in support of Crimson and Blue and is featured on a live version of the song "Shouts of Joy" on Phil's anthology album Time 2: 1970-1995. In 1994, Phil's record label released Blue, an album featuring most of the songs from Crimson and Blue, with a slightly different track listing. In addition to a cover version of Badfinger's "Baby Blue," the album featured an extended instrumental jam between Sferra and Keaggy titled "The Continuing Adventures of ..."
Sferra and Keaggy later collaborated on the song "Chalice"--a poignant song about suffering that appeared on Phil's solo album Inseparable in 2000. Sferra did not perform on the studio recording as Keaggy recorded all the percussion parts on the album using drum machines.
In 1995 John released Northbound, his only solo album to date. The album featured longtime friend and former Glass Harp bandmate Phil Keaggy on guitar and backing vocals. One song, "Let the Bells Ring," was originally written in 1971 for Glass Harp's second album Synergy. Although Sferra re-recorded the song for Northbound, the original version was later included as a bonus track on the CD reissue of Synergy in 2005. Northbound is for sale only through Sferra's website. "Let the Bells Ring" and the title track are available there as free mp3 downloads.
On October 22, 2000, Sferra, Keaggy and bassist Daniel Pecchio reunited as Glass Harp for a concert in their hometown of Youngstown, Ohio at a sold out Powers Auditorium. Joining the band for the occasion was conductor Isaiah Jackson and members of the Youngstown Symphony. The following year saw the commercial release of the reunion concert in the form of the live album Strings Attached. The double album featured several Sferra compositions such as "Changes" and "Let the Bells Ring" as well as an extended drum solo. The Keaggy-Sferra song "Chalice" was also included, with the live version far surpassing the original studio recording in its instrumental passion. In 2003, Sferra designed the album cover for Stark Raving Jams, the group's three disc compilation of live material .
In addition to their occasional work with Keaggy, Sferra and Pecchio currently tour with guitarist-vocalist Mike Baranski as the group "The FUZZ." Sferra has also recorded with artists such as Steve Burton, Tom Mowrey, Tracey Thomas, Mike Pachelli, and Tony Janflone Jr.
Discography
Solo
Northbound 1995
With Phil Keaggy
Crimson and Blue 1993
Blue 1994
Time 2:1970-1995 1995
With Glass Harp
Glass Harp 1970
Synergy 1971
It Makes Me Glad 1972
Live at Carnegie Hall 1997
Strings Attached 2000
Hour Glass 2003
Stark Raving Jams 2003
