Drummer. Producer. Legend.
Steve Gadd was born on April 9, 1945 in Rochester, New York.
One of the most influential
drummers of all time, Steve Gadd
set a new standard in contemporary
drumming techniques and
performance, and in doing so
launched a thousand imitators.
Recording so many legendary
drum tracks like; " Aja"," Fifty
Ways to Leave Your Lover"
and "Nite Sprite", there is no
drummer alive today who in
some way has not been effected
by Steve Gadd. His influence is still
very much felt and can be heard
in the playing of everyone from
Vinnie Colaiuta to Carter Beauford.
And still to this day there is no
one who can get "inside" a tune
and find the "pocket" quite
like the great
Steve Gadd.
Stephen Kendall Gadd
was born April 9, 1945
in Rochester, NY.
Steve's Uncle, a drummer
in the army, encouraged him
to take drum lessons
at the age of seven; by
the time Steve was
11 he had sat in with Dizzy
Gillespie. Studied music at
Eastman College, Rochester,
playing in wind ensemble
and concert band, and at nights
in a club with Chick Corea,
Chuck Mangione, Joe Romano
and Frank Pullara. After
college, drafted into army
and spent three years in a
military band. After the
army, gigged and worked with
a big band in Rochester. 1972,
formed a trio with Tony Levin
and Mike Holmes, going to New
York with it. The trio fizzled out,
but Gadd began to work
extensively as a studio musician.
Healso played with Corea's first
Return to Forever. 1970's and
1980's, toured internationally,
recorded with Paul Simon and
with Al DiMeola's Electric
Rendezvous Band.
By the end of the 1970's Gadd
was the most in-demand and
probably the most imitated
drummer in the world. In Japan
transcriptions of his solos were on
sale, and all the leading
Japanese drummers were
sounding like him. Chick Corea
commented, "Every drummer
wants to play like Gadd because
he plays perfect . . . He has brought
orchestral and compositional
thinking to the drum kit while
at the same time having a
great imagination
and a great ability
to swing."
After graduating from
Eastman, Steve was drafted
into the Army. While carrying
out his three-year tour
of duty, Steve ended up playing
drums in the military band. After
leaving the Army, Steve began
gigging with a big band in the
Rochester area and in 1972,
formed a trio with Tony Levin
and Mike Holmes. It was after
relocating to New York City
that Steve became one
of the most sought after studio
musicians in town. It was as a
studio musician that Steve came
into his own and worked with
such musicians as Chick
Corea, Paul Simon, Donald
Fagen and Walter Becker,
Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon,
Bob James, Nancy Wilson
and Joe Cocker
to name a few.
In the 70's and 80's, Steve Cut
five albums with Chick Corea,
several albums with Al DiMeola
including Al's Electric Rendezvous,
and recorded and toured
with Gato Barbieri, George
Benson, Stanley Clarke, Steely Dan,
Joe Cocker, Maynard Ferguson,
Roberta Flack, Jim Hall
and of course,
Paul Simon.
In 1976 Steve became a
member of the group Stuff
with Gordon Edwards,
Richard Tee, Eric Gale,
Cornell Dupree and Chris Parker,
while continuing his heavy
schedule of studio work. Towards
the end of the 70's, Steve had
not only become one of the
most in-demand drummers,
but he had also become
one of the most imitated,
and revered drummers in the
world. The 90's saw Steve
become Eric Clapton's first
call drummer, solidifying
Steve's reputation as
one of the most accomplished
and skilled drummers
of his generation.
Today Steve is just as busy
as he ever was with one of the
most intense recording and touring
schedules in the business, spending
time in the studio and on the
road with Eric Clapton,
James Taylor, and
his own group;
STEVE GADD BAND.
Steve's influence on the
drumming community can
be heard in players from
all walks of life, whether
they know it or not.
His feel, imagination,
and abilities are the
signatures of his
trademark sound. Few
others can manage
to get inside a tune
like Steve Gadd."
