Action:Reaction was listed among the top 45 jazz CD's of 2007 in Jazz Improv Magazine. On this superb outing, seven-string jazz guitarist Steve Herberman exhibits a vast harmonic palette involving uncommon stretches on the fretboard along with a real capacity to burn on fluent single note lines. Alternating between a deft fingerstyle approach on rich chordal melodies, a technique that allows for more contrapuntal voicings, and using a pick on accelerated single note runs, Herberman gets the best of both worlds on his instrument. Hearing his sheer command of the instrument on pieces like the burning bop-fueled “Cos' Groove,” the darkly introspective “Negev Journey” and jaunty swingers like “Be Nimble” and “Sphericity” immediately puts one in mind of such jazz guitar masters as Joe Pass, Joe Diorio, Lenny Breau, and Gene Bertoncini. His nuanced touch, excellent tone, tasteful, even phrasing and fresh writing style, particularly on delicate ballads like “Halcyon Air” and “Nearly Time,” the challenging intervallic vehicle “Snap!” or the angular boogaloo “Worry Not,” further elevates Herberman far above the pack of other talented Berklee grads now looking to find their place in the jazz world. - Bill Milkowski (May 2007 issue of Jazz Times) This Steve Herberman CD (Action: Reaction) is everything its title suggests and is truly something out of the ordinary. His compositions put a smile on your face and they feel “at home” right from the first listening. Each one has a mind of its own; all of this a major achievement for an album of original music. Steve’s improvising is uniquely fresh with melodic ideas that twist and turn and perk your interest with occasional elements of humor as well. There is a constant groove in his solo lines. He shows prowess harmonically and linearly with an abundance of chops and with an exceptional clarity to it all. His fellow players Drew Gress and Mark Ferber are also brilliant soloists and display the same kind of ingenuity, creativity, freshness and response at all times. The trio maintains a general “cooking” quality throughout the entire recording. -Jazz guitarist Gene Bertoncini Warm, subtle, compelling are the only words I feel after imbibing the great talents of this fine jazz guitarist, one Steve Herberman. I note some cogent liner notes by the equally great jazz guitarist Gene Bertoncini whom I had the honor to hear a few days ago. Gene suggests "the cooking quality throughout the entire recording." Gene's right!! There's a definite underpinning of solid music held up by a sound base of challenging harmonies and intellectual melodic lines contained herein. And, Steve & his group rise to the call. I will suggest that being musical on guitar is the prime directive of jazz guitarist Steve Herberman. Last, when Steve's compositional flair comes into play on the disc, it binds together the various strands of his project. The results as you will see are very impressive. -George W. Carroll/The Musicians' Ombudsman "The compositions are first rate, the playing world class, and the interaction breathtaking." - Matthew Warnock, Just Jazz Guitar (2/06) "Wonderful playing, writing, production, solos. Great music!" - Gary Husband (Allan Holdsworth Group) "Herberman's propensity for following a melodic idea, or expanding a voicing, far beyond the written harmony brings to mind such giants as Bill Frisell and John Scofield."-Guitar One magazine (02/07) "Action:Reaction is a tribute to the spirit of modern jazz guitar."- 20th Century Guitar magazine (2/07) "Herberman has written complex and interesting music that will hold your attention... His guitar lines are consistently inspired and inventive... This CD will take a well deserved place alongside some of the classics of that (guitar/bass/drums) genre...." -Curtis Davenport, Jazz Improv (01/07) Achieving a fresh and distinctive voice with guitar trio is no easy task, but Steve Herberman, with Drew Gress and Mark Ferber, has done just that with the vibrant sounds on Action:Reaction. -Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz (12/06) This outstanding CD, with creative input from bassist Drew Gress and drummer Mark Ferber, will cause many guitarists to take a deep breath. On nine intriguing originals, Herberman smoothly blends melody and counterpoint along unpredictable pathways. -Jill McManus, NJ Star Ledger (12/06) Throughout this album, Steve Herberman checks positively on all of the benchmarks of a mainstream jazz guitarist: lyricism, chops and creativity. - Michael Gladstone, All About Jazz (1/07) Steve is a graduate of Berklee College Of Music where he studied with Gary Burton, John LaPorta, and Bill Leavitt. He adopted the seven-string guitar in 1993. Steve Herberman has performed at Birdland in NYC, Spazio in Los Angeles, the NAMM shows in Anaheim and Nashville, Blues Alley, The Smithsonian Jazz Cafe, the Kennedy Center and the East Coast Jazz Festival all in and around DC. He has performed with bassists Buster Williams, Keter Betts, Drew Gress, Steve LaSpina, Luther Hughes, Victor Dvoskin and Steve Novosel. Saxophonists Buck Hill and Gary Bartz. Trumpeters Terell Stafford and Tom Williams. Pianists Larry Willis and Timothy Murphy. Drummers Mark Ferber, Jeff Hirshfield, Steve Williams, Mike Smith and Chuck Redd. Steve has appeared many times with guitarist John Pisano, and has worked with guitarists Ben Monder, Howard Alden, and John Stowell. Steve Herberman has taught at Towson University near Baltimore since 1999 as an adjunct faculty member. At Towson he directs several jazz ensembles, teaches private guitar lessons and performs in the faculty jazz ensemble featuring original compositions of new music. Steve has taken his workshops to various schools; most recently Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and Virginia Commonwealth University. He has written instructional material for Downbeat magazine and equipment reviews for Jazz Times as well as an ongoing monthly column for Modern Guitars.com. Steve performed at the First World Guitar Congress in Baltimore and moderated symposiums with panelists and guitar greats Jim Hall, John Scofield, Ralph Towner, Jimmy Bruno, Howard Alden, Eric Johnson and Martin Taylor. In 2001 Steve released his first CD as a leader titled Thought Lines featuring a jazz quartet playing a program divided between Herberman originals and jazz standards. Jazz guitarist Jim Hall calls it "a terrific CD." The All Music Guide gives Thought Lines a four star rating. It has received numerous national airplay on "Jazz After Hours" hosted by Jim Wilke and NPR's Morning Edition.