"The heavenly bodies are nothing but a continuous song for several voices (perceived by the intellect, not by the ear); a music which...sets landmarks in the immeasurable flow of time. It is therefore, no longer surprising that man, in imitation of his creator, has at last discovered the art of figured song, which was unknown to the ancients. Man wanted to reproduce the continuity of cosmic time...to obtain a sample test of the delight of the Divine Creator in His works, and to partake of his joy by making music in the imitation of God."
—Johannes Kepler, Harmonices Mundi
Table of Contents
Calendar
| Location | Date | Time | With/About | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYLO Las Colinas | Saturday, June 5th, 2021 | 1:30-3:30 p.m. | Private event | |
| UTD Virtual Guitar Night | TBA | TBA | Solo guitar | |
| Guitar: My College Journey | Friday, March 26th, 2021 | 7:00-8:00 p.m. | Solo guitar | |
| Virtual performance | Sunday, March 21st, 2021 | 10:00-11:00 p.m. | Mosaic Horns | |
| Private event | Thursday, February 4th, 2021 | 2:30-3:00 p.m. | Solo guitar | |
| Private concert | Sunday, October 25th, 2020 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | The Chirag Gokani Trio featuring Solvay Linde | |
| 5826 | Friday, September 18th, 2020 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | Fancy dinner #1 | |
| 5822 | Thursday, August 27th, 2020 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Birthday party | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine and Bar | Saturday, March 7th, 2020 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Addis and friends | |
| 1418 Coffeehouse | Saturday, February 29th, 2020 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Colman Burks Trio | |
| Soho Food & Jazz | Friday, February 28th, 2020 | 8:30-11:30 p.m. | Matthew Banks Quartet | |
| University of Texas at Dallas | Friday, February 28th, 2020 | 4:15-5:15 p.m. | Private event | |
| UTD Galaxy Rooms | Friday, February 21st, 2020 | 7:00-10:30 p.m. | UTD Contra Dance | |
| Two Corks and a Bottle | Friday, February 7th, 2020 | 8:00-11:00 p.m. | Matthew Banks Quartet | |
| St. Mark's Chapel | Friday, February 7th, 2020 | 12:45 p.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine and Bar | Saturday, February 1st, 2020 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Addis featuring Brianne Sargent | |
| UTD Galaxy Rooms | Friday, January 31st, 2020 | 7:00-10:30 p.m. | UTD Contra Dance | |
| Austin Street Homeless Shelter | Thursday, January 30th, 2020 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | St. Mark's Blues Club | |
| Sideways BBQ | Thursday, January 23rd, 2020 | 8:00-11:00 p.m. | Banks & Co. | |
| NTTDS Contra Dance, 6202 Mockingbird | Saturday, January 18th, 2020 | 7:30-10:00 p.m. | The Squirrelheads | |
| House of Blues Dallas | Friday, January 17th, 2020 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Banks & Co. | |
| The Balcony Club | Thursday, January 16th, 2020 | 6:00-9:30 p.m. | Mark Lara Quartet | |
| Private Event | Saturday, January 11th, 2020 | 8:00-11:00 p.m. | Sam Garner & John Cavalier | |
| Poor David's Pub | Friday, January 10th, 2020 | 8:15-11:00 p.m. | Strictly Tablue (A Birthday Celebration) | |
| The Free Man | Monday, January 6th, 2020 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | C3 Big Band (CD Release Party) | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine and Bar | Saturday, January 4th, 2020 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Addis featuring Austin Zhang | |
| Two Corks and a Bottle | Friday, December 20th, 2019 | 8:00-11:00 p.m. | Mark Scott Trio | |
| Holiday Concert | Tuesday, December 10th, 2019 | 2:00 & 6:00 p.m. | Parkinson Voice Project | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine & Bar | Saturday, December 7th, 2019 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Addis featuring Samir Rahi | |
| Williamson Music 1st, 701 E Plano Pkwy #100 | Saturday, December 7th, 2019 | 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | Helbing Jazz Initiative Jam Session | |
| Two Corks and a Bottle | Friday, December 6th, 2019 | 8:00-11:00 p.m. | Matthew Banks Quartet | |
| Jonsson Performance Hall | Thursday, November 21st, 2019 | 8:00-9:00 p.m. | Piano recital (Colman Burks and Willie Wrinkle) | |
| Ackerman Center Leadership Dinner | Sunday, November 17th, 2019 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Piano trio | |
| NTTDS Contra Dance, 6202 Mockingbird | Saturday, November 16th, 2019 | 7:30-10:00 p.m. | The Squirrelheads | |
| House of Blues Dallas | Friday, November 15th, 2019 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | Banks & Co. | |
| The Balcony Club | Wednesday, November 6th, 2019 | 11:30 p.m.-2:00 a.m. | Magga 4tet | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine & Bar | Saturday, November 2nd, 2019 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Addis featuring Alec Zieff | |
| Global Village Market, 5835 Penrose | Saturday, November 2nd, 2019 | 12:00-2:00 p.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine & Bar | Saturday, October 5th, 2019 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Addis featuring Aaron Stone | |
| The Balcony Club | Thursday, October 3rd, 2019 | 6:00-9:30 p.m. | Greg Waits Jazz Refugees | |
| The Wine Therapist | Friday, September 27th, 2019 | 8:00-11:00 p.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| Z Grill & Tap | Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | Crosswinds Jazz Band | |
| Sam Johnson Senior Center | Tuesday, September 24th, 2019 | 7:00-9:15 p.m. | Frisco Jazz Band | |
| All Saints Catholic Church | Saturday, September 21st, 2019 | 1:00-2:00 p.m. | Crosswinds Jazz Band/Fall Festival | |
| Checkered Past Winery | Saturday, September 14th, 2019 | 8:30-11:00 p.m. | Light on the Mountain CD Release Party | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine & Bar | Saturday, September 7th, 2019 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Addis | |
| Williamson Music 1st, 701 E Plano Pkwy #100 | Saturday, September 7th, 2019 | 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | Helbing Jazz Initiative Jam Session | |
| Z Grill & Tap | Wednesday, August 28th, 2019 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | Crosswinds Jazz Band | |
| Opening Bell Coffee | Wednesday, August 7th, 2019 | 7:30-8:00 p.m. | Stephen Houpt, Dallas Songwriters Showcase | |
| Private Event | Sunday, August 4th, 2019 | 5:30-8:00 p.m. | Mike Camerata & Friends | |
| Williamson Music 1st, 701 E Plano Pkwy #100 | Saturday, August 3rd, 2019 | 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | Helbing Jazz Initiative Jam Session | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine & Bar | Friday, August 2nd, 2019 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Addis: Old Favorites & Original Compositions | |
| Z Grill & Tap | Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | Crosswinds Jazz Band | |
| Chili Line Brewing, Lamy, New Mexico | Saturday, July 20th, 2019 | 3:00-6:00 p.m. | solo bass | |
| Santa Fe Oxygen & Healing Bar, New Mexico | Friday, July 19th, 2019 | 8:30-10:30 p.m. | solo bass | |
| The Adobe Bar @ The Taos Inn, New Mexico | Tuesday, July 16th, 2019 | 4:00-5:30 p.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| Casa de Cultura, Valencia, Spain | Saturday, July 6th, 2019 | 8:00 p.m. | UTD-Gandía Guitar Ensemble | |
| Killarney's Live Irish Pub | Sunday, June 23rd, 2019 | 4:00-6:15 p.m. | Frisco Jazz Band | |
| First Baptist Richardson | Sunday, June 23rd, 2019 | 9:30-11:00 a.m. | Worship band | |
| Private Event | Wednesday, June 19th, 2019 | 10:45-11:45 a.m. | Parkinson Voice Project | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine & Bar | Friday, June 14th, 2019 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | featuring Susan Hanlon | |
| The Wine Therapist | Sunday, June 9th, 2019 | 4:00-5:30 p.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| Private event | Saturday, June 8th, 2019 | 5:00-9:00 p.m. | C3 Big Band | |
| Private event | Wednesday, June 5th, 2019 | 5:45-7:15 p.m. | with Corey Breedlove and Kazunori Tanaka | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine & Bar | Friday, May 31st, 2019 | 7:00-8:30 p.m. | with friends | |
| Sweetwater Grill & Tavern | Thursday, May 30th, 2019 | 8:00-10:00 p.m. | Crosswinds Jazz Band | |
| El Dorado Retirement Home | Thursday, May 30th, 2019 | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | with Ben Wise | |
| First Baptist Richardson | Sunday, May 26th, 2019 | 9:30-11:00 a.m. | Worship band | |
| El Dorado Retirement Home | Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 | 3:15-4:15 p.m. | solo piano | |
| Eisemann Center (Private Event) | Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Mike Myers, Paul Lees, Spencer Kenney | |
| Poor David's Pub | Friday, May 17th, 2019 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Strictly Tablue (Album Release Party) | |
| El Dorado Retirement Home | Thursday, May 16th, 2019 | 3:15-4:15 p.m. | solo piano | |
| First Baptist Richardson | Sunday, May 12th, 2019 | 9:30-11:00 a.m. | Worship band | |
| Williamson Music 1st, 701 E Plano Pkwy #100 | Saturday, May 4th, 2019 | 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | Helbing Jazz Initiative Jam Session | |
| Denton Arts & Jazz Festival | Sunday, April 28th, 2019 | 1:00 p.m. | Crosswinds Jazz Band | |
| Z Grill & Tap | Wednesday, April 24th, 2019 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | C3 Big Band | |
| Austin Street Homeless Shelter | Thursday, April 11th, 2019 | 6:00-7:30 p.m. | St. Mark's Blues Club | |
| Williamson Music 1st, 701 E Plano Pkwy #100 | Saturday, April 6th, 2019 | 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | Helbing Jazz Initiative Jam Session | |
| The Prophet Bar | Sunday, March 24th, 2019 | 8:45-9:45 p.m. | Addis | |
| Z Grill & Tap | Wednesday, March 20th, 2019 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | C3 Big Band | |
| Checkered Past Winery | Friday, March 15th, 2019 | 8:30-11:30 p.m. | Soul'd Out (Rodney McDonald) | |
| Z Grill & Tap | Wednesday, February 27th, 2019 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | Crosswinds Jazz Band | |
| Free Man Cajun Café | Sunday, February 24th, 2019 | 2:00-5:00 p.m. | Crosswinds Jazz Band | |
| Z Grill & Tap | Wednesday, February 20th, 2019 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | C3 Big Band | |
| NTTDS Contra Dance, 6202 Mockingbird | Saturday, February 16th, 2019 | 7:30-10:00 p.m. | The Squirrelheads | |
| Williamson Music 1st, 701 E Plano Pkwy #100 | Saturday, February 2nd, 2019 | 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | Helbing Jazz Initiative Jam Session | |
| The Wine Therapist (A Birthday Celebration) | Friday, January 18th, 2019 | 8:30-11:30 p.m. | Stephen Houpt & Strictly Tablue | Z Grill & Tap | Wednesday, January 16th, 2019 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | C3 Big Band |
| Z Grill & Tap | Wednesday, December 5th, 2018 | 7:00-10:00 p.m. | Crosswinds Jazz Band | |
| Austin Street Homeless Shelter | Thursday, November 29th, 2018 | 6:00-7:00 p.m. | St. Mark's Blues Club | |
| St. Mark's Chapel (Upper School service) | Wednesday, November 28th, 2018 | 10:30-11:00 a.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| St. Mark's Chapel (Middle School service) | Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 | 10:30-11:00 a.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| Shebelle Ethiopian Cuisine & Bar | Saturday, November 17th, 2018 | 7:30-9:00 p.m. | Addis | |
| The Wine Therapist | Friday, November 16th, 2018 | 8:30-11:30 p.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| University of Texas at Dallas (private event) | Sunday, November 11th, 2018 | 5:00 p.m. | Addis | |
| Private event | Sunday, November 4th, 2018 | 7:00-9:00 p.m. | Mike Camerata, Jamie Ringholm | |
| Global Village Market, 5835 Penrose | Saturday, November 3rd, 2018 | 1:00-3:00 p.m. | Stephen Houpt & Michelle Stroescu | |
| The Wine Therapist | Saturday, October 20th, 2018 | 8:30-11:30 p.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| Austin Street Homeless Shelter | Thursday, October 11th, 2018 | 6:00-7:00 p.m. | St. Mark's Blues Club | |
| Oak Creek Tennis Center (private event) | Saturday, September 29th, 2018 | 3:00-4:00 p.m. | Crosswinds Jazz Band | |
| The Wine Therapist | Friday, September 21st, 2018 | 8:30-11:30 p.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| The Wine Therapist | Friday, August 17th, 2018 | 8:30-11:30 p.m. | Stephen Houpt | |
| Dallas Athletic Country Club | Tuesday, August 7th, 2018 | 10:00-11:00 a.m | Stephen Houpt & Michelle Stroescu | |
| The Wine Therapist | Friday, June 22nd, 2018 | 8:30-11:30 p.m. | Stephen Houpt & Michelle Stroescu |
Recordings & Projects
No More Blues
This is a a sequel to "Blues in June," which I recorded in 2020. Download the full audio album here.
The Beautiful Music of Yamuna Vora
In 1991, my mother recorded my grandmother, Yamuna Vora, singing several hours of devotional songs (bhajans). In 2015, I converted the surviving hour-long cassette to MP3 and presented this with my 10th grade family history paper. In 2021, thirty years after the original recording, my extended family helped me translate the bhajans from Gujarati to English. I hope this musical and spiritual treasure can be cherished for years to come.
Guitar: My College Journey
This is the page where I present my Collegium V Honors Capstone project, a requirement to graduate with honors at UT Dallas. The project was completed in the spring 2021 semester under the direction of Dr. Enric Madriguera, Russell Cleveland Professor in Guitar Studies. This serves as an easy, self-contained way for me to share my project with my family and friends.
Ode to Friends
This is an ongoing creative project that celebrates my incredible friends. It combines physics, music, and philosophy. My friend Solvay Linde enhanced the project by adding a visual art component. The sounds and sights on this page continue to help me process the lives of those dear to me.
Orphan Girl
This is a cover of a Gillian Welch song that features my dear friends.
The Power of Small Things is Stephen Houpt's seventh studio album. The songs are inspired by nature and friendship. Stephen wrote all the music; some of the lyrics were adapted from poems by Todd Jeffries. One of the songs, "Poems in the Forest," is based on a work by the Tang-dynasty poet Tu Fu (Kenneth Rexroth's translation). "Poems in the Forest" features my friend Solvay Linde. Solvay's singing is inspiring, and it was an honor to record with her. Amy Harms, one of my favorite singers, sings beautifully on "Echoes in the Night." I play bass on tracks 2 and 6.
"Blues in June" is a collection of blues and blues-related music inspired by the month of June. This project unfolded soon after I acquired an iPhone with GarageBand capabilities. I recorded the acoustic guitar (Roma--thank you for this prolonged loan!) using the iPhone microphone and also played the MIDI keyboards, bass, drums.
Straight Eighths
Straight Eighths is the second studio album of original contemporary jazz by the C3 Big Band, led by Chris Clark and Michael Medrick. I play electric bass on tracks 4, 6, 7, and 8. The album features some of DFW's finest jazz musicians.
Guitar in Spain: 2019
I traveled to Spain in June-July 2019 to study classical guitar. It was a life-changing experience.
Light on the Mountain is an album of original songs about searching, joy, nature, and love. Our style is somewhere between singer/songwriter and new age. Stephen Houpt plays Weissenborn acoustic lap steel slide guitar and sings. I play electric bass, piano (track 11), and sing (tracks 3, 6, 8). Mike Camerata plays percussion and chime trees on several tracks. The album was recorded October 2018 - March 2019 at Audio Dallas.
Strictly Tablue is an electric blues album featuring harmonica and lead guitar. The album features former members of the Long John Hunter Blues Band and the Texas Topcats and celebrates the music of greats like Robert Johnson, T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Peter Green, the Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, Canned Heat, and Charlie Musselwhite. I play electric bass on all tracks.
Search for Answers is an educational project that primarily features me on electric bass. This album synthesizes my musical influences by including jazz, blues, classical, rock, and New Age compositions. Many of my talented friends are also featured on this album. Tracks 5, 10, and 14 are original compositions. I learned volumes from recording myself, writing arrangements, and leading others in the studio. The album was recorded October-December 2018 at Audio Dallas.
White Rock Lake is an album of original songs, poems, and instrumentals by Stephen Houpt. Stephen plays on a 1927 Weissenborn acoustic lap steel slide guitar and a Tony Francis Weissenborn. I play electric bass on six tracks. Michelle Stroescu sings on tracks 2 and 8. Much of the album is inspired by beauty in nature and in the progression of seasons. The album also features songs about the city of Dallas. This album is relaxing, meditative, and timeless. It was recorded in the winter of 2018.
Videos
Contacts
Below are some musicians, artists, and thinkers I am fortunate to call friends and mentors.
| Alec Zeff | aleczeff.com |
| Andy Hudson | andy98725.itch.io/base-wars |
| Austin Ali | austinali.com |
| Austin Zhang | austinzhang.org |
| Brian Mulholland | brianmulholland.com |
| Camden Hunt | camdenhuntmusic.com |
| Cameron Bossalini | cameronbossalini.com |
| Chris Clark | c3compositions.com |
| Collin Katz | reverb.com/shop/texas-guitar-gear |
| Colman Burks | colmanburks.wixsite.com/website |
| Daniel Byle | danybyle.wixsite.com/daniel-byle |
| Joe Izen | personal.utdallas.edu/~joe/ |
| Jaymin Sanghavi | The Signature Tunes Youtube Page |
| Michelle Stroescu | modernmuse.net/home.html |
| Patrick Magee | quantumfoundations.blogspot.com |
| Ramesh Vora | hindifilmsongragas.blogspot.com |
| Russell Jackson | russellbjackson.com/home.html |
| Sanjay Vora | sanjayvora.com |
| Sergio Pamies | sergiopamies.com |
| Shailen Parmar | shailenparmar.com |
| Sherry Houpt | sherryhoupt.com |
| Solvay Linde | Website coming soon |
| Stephen Houpt | stephenhoupt.com |
| Teni Fayiga | tenifayiga.wixsite.com/fayiga-portfolio |
| Todd Mosby | toddmosby.band/ |
