seanhaefeli.com

I stand in the doorway, the sun beating on my chest.
As time kisses you still, I dream hard.

shoulders drop, weight sinking through my elbows.
the fear of knowing you, thinking does not help.
tension is defense and most time, i spend alone.
love soothes anxiety, if you balance the line.

Stone heavy, I move in shadows

Each morning, I dive deeper

For a moment, spread across time

Release feeling into long dead nerves

And what I find is not safe

Much love for the Ear Plug, Black Girls Rule! Review

Sean Haefeli, a native of Chicago, is an artist that is focused, structured and uncompromising. His style inflicts personality, charisma, emotion, character and most of all originality. By no means a traditional artist, Haefeli risks his soul if only to keep the soul and passion in his music. Think Seal and Last poets mixed in with Sly and the Family Stone and you have one hell of an artist that simply “brings it” while never compromising his integrity. This CD is not for the traditional “music head” but more for the “escape artist” who wants to lavish themselves in pure unadulterated blues and soul.

Natural Hunger says it all in its title. With its ear tingling verses Sean simply draws you in and bares his soul never once leaving you astray. What a beautiful inside view into a man who wants only to take you where he’s been and how he’s living. This is a rare find and definitely a keeper in my eyes. Sean Haefeli is an artist for all seasons.

I try not to force
the natural extension
and cadence.

Searching for an automatic place,
from here, emerge lines
that I can believe.

I trust the voice will not disappear.

Inside the tough exterior
a tidal wave barely moves.

Give me some sign
that you are awake,
lying beside me.

with life in place,
gravity moves weight.

this is the beginning,
alone, we strip bare.

each year, there was less

to remember.

the body wore lines.

Nu Soul Magazine has written a thoughtful review of Sound Strategy. I have pasted it here, but if you follow this link, you can visit their site: Nu Soul Review

Sean Haefeli’s independently released four-song EP, Sound Strategy, portrays a skilled and passionate musician who strives to put his best foot forward using nothing more or less than he’s always known to be true to his core being. His sound is founded in the jazz he spent his childhood years exposed to, and rounded out by hints of hip-hop, soul, groove, and electronic that defined the culture of his generation. His belief in open sincerity comes across in his music, lyrics, and the personal character drawn from each song.

Mellow pianos, horns, and bass maintain an easy feel throughout the CD. Yet as a testament to the urbanism of Haefili’s generation, the vocals are extremely rhythmic (a distraction from his lack of pure singing ability) and decidedly hip-hop, laced with an underlying degree of forwardness and aggression.

Although Haefeli describes his album as a “fusion of jazz, soul, hip-hop, and modern groove” the sound is mainly grounded in jazz, the likes of which his father played professionally and Sean himself was educated formerly. It’s as if Haefeli purposely avoids venturing into anything too modern or commercial, instead sticking to the roots he knows for sure make him content. The drums and bass parlay into deeper grooves and hip-hop style rhythms on occasion, but mostly remain true to his musical background.

The final track, Balance, is the greatest exception, best described as a mish-mash of styles on every level. Every instrument as it is played in the song, from the drums to the horns to the vocals would fit into a jazz or soul piece as easily it would a rap song.

Much like Sean portrays himself, the album makes the best of what jazz and its adjacent genres have to offer. The result should be equally familiar to yesteryear’s jazz enthusiasts and today’s hip-hop, spoken word, soul, and new groove fans.

- Nokware Knight

After spending my entire life spelling, and then respelling my name, I am considering a change to the much simpler ‘Haef,’ which is what friends call me anyway.
I have always had an aversion to the idea, but I actually like the name ‘Haef,’ and it is certainly easier.
If you have an opinion on the matter, please let me know, and we can have a poll of sorts.
I apologize for breaking solidarity with the Haefeli’s of this world, the website url will live on.

(One hour later)

So, maybe this group will change to the Haef Project, and for future albums, in the vein of Natural Hunger, the name will remain.

Is this neurosis?

(Okay, so the “send to editor” button has decided to cooperate:)

I wanted to share this pic with you, because you may never see me rockin’ it like this again. Plus, two bruthas snowboarding in Japan, that’s a rare sight!

Also, we look pretty badass, standing there with the snowboards. Key phrase: standing there.

What up, Los!