Stevin McNamara is a versatile musician, composer, and recording engineer with over 50 years of experience. Born in South Africa, he began playing piano and guitar at age seven, performing solo and with bands throughout his youth. At 21, McNamara moved to the U.S. to study at Berklee College of Music, deepening his formal training. His diverse musical influences span African rhythms, Indian classical traditions—studying sitar with Ram Chakravarty—and contemporary genres like world music, jazz, and pop. McNamara's dual expertise as a musician and engineer has propelled his career, working in top studios worldwide and with artists such as Tina Turner, Bryan Adams, and Zakir Hussain. Now based in Ashland, Oregon, he focuses on freelance recording, original productions, and live performances, blending global sounds with technical precision.
Featured Song:
"Forest Bathing" envelops listeners in the serenity of nature through gentle guitar melodies, birdsong, and acoustic sounds, inspired by northern India's raga forms. Using acoustic instruments such as nylon string and 12-string guitar, bowls, bowed guitar, chimes, bells, and percussion, and a special tuning, McNamara creates a calming atmosphere inspired by the Japanese concept of "shinrin yoku," or “forest bathing.”
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