Heth and Jed

Heth and Jed are Heth and Jed Weinstein, a guitar and bass duo who make a living busking in the New York City subway.

In 2006 they earned a spot in the MTA’s Music Under New York program out of a field of more than 400 applicants. MUNY continues to provide them with sanctioned performance locations within the subway system. Busking isn’t for the faint of heart though. I caught their act under Herald Square a few weeks ago, watching as the Peruvian pan pipes guys who had the spot before them packed up, then watching—with a certain amount of apprehension—as Heth and Jed eyed a couple of sinister-looking dudes lurking nearby. Apparently the New York underground can be a very territorial place and, despite the MTA’s sanction, Heth and Jed have had to fight for their spot on occasion.

Their sound is like nothing you’ve ever heard before. What you see is a guitar and bass. What you hear—what they call their “Jambient sound”—uses live looping and an array of effects to explore sonic textures never before heard in the streets or subways of New York City.

Recently Gothamist.com asked them to write about their exploits in a feature called “Tourist” (a tour diary). As a result of that article, the duo has just signed a contract with Soft Skull Press for Buskers: The on the Streets, in the Trains, off the Grid Memoir of Two New York City Street Musicians. So now they’re writers too!

There’s lots more, including videos, on their website. And if you live in the NYC area, check out their performance schedule there too.

I asked Heth and Jed for some words of wisdom to pass along and here’s what Heth told me:

“In terms of inspiration, Jed and I feel most alive when we are sharing our music with the community. The mere presence of art in public areas changes the temperature of the room. The connection to audience (our neighbors) is what inspires us.”