Hans Ottsen: Bookings/Lessons

The Harlem Holler Trio is a collaboration which started between me (Hans Ottsen - guitar) and Phil Salazar (fiddle). Our mutual friend, Chris Plasencia, hired the both of us to play at her wedding reception. Phil and I hit it off and have been jamming ever since! It has evolved over the past 2.5 years into a very interesting and dynamic trio including bassist Randy Tico. The name, Harlem Holler Trio, is a nod to both bluegrass (Phil's main game) and jazz (my main game). With Randy Tico on bass (music is his game) the Harlem Holler Trio weaves together the best of American improvisational music. Fast, tight arrangements, exciting solos, and tunes you wouldn't expect to hear together, The Harlem Holler Trio is perfect for your party or house concert.

This trio is tough to describe, or rather tough to pigeon-hole, for good reason. It was designed that way. The W.O.R.P. Trio (or Winters-Ottsen-Rankin Project) is comprised of Aaron Winters on drums and percussion, Hans Ottsen on guitars, and Jim Rankin on bass. My idea for this project came when I threw a music party at my folks house this past summer. A whole gaggle of terrific musicians turned up from a number of different projects with which I'm involved. Jim works with a number of terrific musicians including Orlando Napier and Alastair Greene. Aaron plays in a band called The Art Farmers (see my 'LISTEN' page - a lot of the trio stuff is me jamming with the Art Farmers). Jim and Aaron hit it off and I thought, "These guys would be amazing in a trio... with little ol' me!!!" So that's how it happened. If you like jazz with a groove, but also Hendrix, Led Zep, and the Beatles, BOOK THIS BAND!!!

Solo guitar is a special kind of thing. All I need is about 6 feet cubed and I can fill a room with lovely guitar music! 

The Ventura Jazz Orchestra is an 18 piece big band based out of Ventura. With vocalists Donna Greene and Glenn Novack, the VJO is perfect for any occasion where you need the night to be magical. From swingin' dance music to latin classics, jazz standards to more modern tunes, playing in this big band has been a ball! What can I say! Book them!!! You can contact me through this website and I'll send you info and a recording.

Ashley Broder (violin, mandolin, cello), in addition to being one of the loveliest people I've ever met in my life, is an absolutely dynamite musician. Most known for her performances of Celtic music (Ashely toured all over the world playing with Scottish fiddler Jaime Laval), Ashley is comfortable playing French tunes, swing music, jazz, bluegrass, old timey, you name it! Her versatility is incredible. I'm having a great time playing music with Ashley. By Light Of Night has played movie openings, private parties, gourmet dinners and even taught a class at CSUCI. If you want some really listenable, acoustic (not too loud!), very interesting music, book By Light Of Night (Ashley Broder & Hans Ottsen) for your party or event.