Drummer. Producer. Legend.
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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.
Steve Gadd
was born in
Rochester, New York,
April 9, 1945.
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. He also
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, im 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, an 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."