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Born
August 21, 1954 in Brockton, Massachusetts |
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Christmas
1956: My first drum kit |
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Steve
recalls:
"I 'played' it for a few months, until it broke...
because the heads were paper!" |
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1963:
Started taking drum lessons at age 9 |
| "In
the fourth grade, I studied with Bill Flanagan, a Big Band
drummer in his 60s who played throughout the 1930s and
'40s. I only played a drum pad." |
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1965:
Got my first snare drum |
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1966:
Got my first real drum set for Christmas |
| "My
first real drum kit was a Rogers Champagne Sparkle with a
20" bass drum, a 12x8-inch mounted tom and
a 16x16-inch floor tom. No cymbals yet." |
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1967: Bought
my first cymbals |
| "I
worked my first job as a paper boy and bought my first
Zildjian cymbals: 14-inch hi-hats and a 24-inch A
ride." |
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1968: My
first band, the Road Runners |
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| "We
played Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, and some swing
tunes. The instrumentation was drums, two trumpets, alto
sax and clarinet ...the BEST players in the concert band,
with no bass, guitar or keyboards! What were we thinking?
That same year, I saw Buddy Rich for the first time at the
Boston Globe Jazz Festival, and it changed my life!!" |
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1969: My
first garage rock band, Clyde |
| "When
I was a freshman in high school, I played in a garage
band, covering tunes from Cream and Jimi Hendrix. The
first time I ever got paid for playing music!" |
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1970: A
relatively quiet year |
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1971: Joined
the Musicians Union |
| "As
a dues-paying union member, I started playing weddings,
bar mitzvahs, and concert bands. I also joined the local
college big band at Bridgewater State College, where I met
sax player Dave Wilczewski and bass player Tim Landers,
the original members of Vital Information." |
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1972: High
School Graduation |
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| "After
I graduated from high school, I started my studies with
Gary Chaffee at the Berklee School of Music in
Boston" |
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1973: Playing,
practicing and studying with Alan
Dawson at Berklee |
| "I
went to a Stan Kenton summer big band jazz camp at Towson
State College in MD. Peter Erskine was the drummer with
Kenton and the teacher, he influenced me a lot that
year." |
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1974: Started
playing with the
Lin Biviano Big Band |
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| "The
Lin Biviano Big Band was made up of Buddy Rich and Maynard
Ferguson alumni. We toured the East Coast and Midwest. I
was also playing with bebop clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. At
Berklee, I was playing with cats such as Jeff Berlin, Mike
Stern, Bill Frisell, and Neil Stubenhaus. My drummer pals
included Vinnie Colaiuta, John Robinson, Kenwood Denard,
and Casey Scheurelle." |
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1975: Joined
The Fringe |
| "The
Fringe was an avant-garde jazz trio with George Garzone on
sax and Rich Appleman on bass." |
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1976: On
tour with Jean-Luc Ponty |
| "In
1976, I auditioned for Jean-Luc Ponty, got the gig, and
left Berklee to tour the world for the first time." |
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1977: Recorded
with Ponty and
Focus; endorsed Sonor Drums |
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| "I
recorded my first album, 'Enigmatic Ocean,' with Ponty,
Darryl Steurmer and Allan Holdsworth, guitars, and
Ralphe Armstrong, bass. That same year, I recorded an
album with the Dutch band Focus. I also started endorsing
Sonor Drums." |
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1978: Left
Ponty's band; moved to
LA, and joined Journey; seeds sown
for Vital Information |
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| "In
1978, I left Ponty's band and moved to LA. The first month
I was there, I auditioned with Ronnie Montrose and Freddie
Hubbard, and got both gigs. I decided to play instrumental
rock with Ronnie Montrose, and we went on a three-month
tour that featured Journey headlining its first tour
(after five years as an opening act), a new band, Van
Halen, and Montrose performing in between. In September, I
joined Journey. I also started playing annual jazz gigs in
Boston with Tim Landers and Dave Wilczewski in a band
called 'Not Bad for White Boys.' We used different guitar
players each year -- Mike Thompson, Dean Brown, Darryl
Steurmer, or Barry Finnerty. During this time, we
developed the music that would eventually become the first
Vital Information album. That same year, Aynsley Dunbar
and I go to see Buddy Rich in Memphis with our friend Dave
Patrick." |
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1979: Journey |
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| "In
1979, I recorded my first Journey album, 'Evolution.' I
also started endorsing Zildjian Cymbals." |
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1980: Recorded
3 Journey albums |
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| "With
Journey we recorded a studio record, 'Departure.' In
support of that album, we toured the world for nine months
and recorded a double live album, 'Captured.' While
touring Japan we recorded a soundtrack to a Japanese
movie, 'Dream after Dream'." |
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1981: Marriage;
on tour with Journey |
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| "Got
married, and my son Ian was born. Journey recorded
'Escape,' which hit number one on the Billboard charts,
and we toured for over a year playing multiple nights in
some of the biggest venues in the USA. I also played on
the Tom Coster album 'T.C.'." |
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1982: On
the road |
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| "On
the 'Escape' tour with Journey." |
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1983: The
first Vital Information
album |
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| "We
recorded the first Vital Information album, 'Vital
Information,' with Dave Wilczewski on sax, Tim Landers,
bass, and Mike Stern and Dean Brown, guitars. We followed
the recording sessions with a Fall tour...our first major
US tour with Vital Information. Recorded 'Frontiers' and
did my last tour -- a long one -- with Journey. Recorded
'Ivory Expeditions' with Tom Coster." |
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1984: Vital
Information |
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| "Recorded
the Vital Information album 'Orion' and toured Europe with
the band." |
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1985: Journey |
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| "Recorded
the Journey recorded 'Raised On Radio' and then left the
band. Also played on Jeff Berlin's debut solo album,
'Champion.' My daughter Elizabeth was born." |
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1986: Steps
Ahead, Vital Information |
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| "Joined
Steps Ahead with Michael Brecker on sax, Mike Mainieri on
vibes, Mike Stern, guitar, and Darryl Jones, bass,
recording 'Live In Tokyo 1986.' Also worked with Scott
Henderson, Jeff Berlin and T Lavitz on 'Players.' Released
the Vital Information album 'Global Beat'." |
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1987: First
video release, Modern
Drummer award |
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| "My
video 'Steve Smith Part One' on DCI came out and won the
Billboard award for Educational Video of the Year, which
we followed with 'Part Two.' Modern Drummer presented me
with the readers poll award, 'Number One All Around
Drummer.' I won the award for five years in a row and then
they eventually 'retired' me to the Honor Roll. I also
performed on keyboardist Kit Walker's 'Dancing on the Edge
of the World.' |
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1988: Vital
Information |
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| "Recorded
Vital Information's 'Fiafiaga (Celebration)', and Journey
released its 'Greatest Hits' album." |
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1989: Steps
Ahead, Vital Information |
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| "I
played on the Steps Ahead album 'NYC,' and also on Kit
Walker's 'Fire in the Lake,' a great follow-up to 'Dancing
on the Edge of the World.' That same year, we also
recorded Vital Information's 'Vitalive!'" |
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1990: Vital
Information |
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| "Recorded
Vital Information's 'Easier Done Than Said'." |
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1991: Journey,
The Storm |
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| "Released
the Journey album 'Ballade' in Japan. Played on the first
release by The Storm. Also played at Zildjian Day in NYC,
where I met Freddie Gruber, and started studying with him
shortly thereafter." |
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1992: Journey,
Steps Ahead |
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| "Released
the Journey album 'Time3,' and the Steps Ahead disc 'Yin
Yang'." |
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1993: Vital
Information, Buddy Rich |
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| "Got
a divorce and recorded Vital Information's 'Ray Of Hope.'
Recorded Buddy Rich Tribute album 'Burning For Buddy, Pt.
1, 2 and 3' (yet to be released)." |
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1994: A
quiet, reflective year |
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| "I
spent a lot of time at home as a single dad after
reprioritizing my life. I toured and worked much less, and
was staying active musically with studio work and clinics.
Vital Information was on hold for a while." |
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1995: Studio
work and clinics |
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| "More
studio work and clinics. Recordings included Italian
superstar Zucchero's 'Spirito di Vino' and Tommy Shaw and
Jack Blades' 'Hallucination'." |
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1996: The
final Journey project |
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| "Recorded
the Journey reunion album, 'Trial By Fire'." |
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1997: Buddy
Rich, Vital Information |
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| "Played
gigs with the Buddy Rich Big Band and Buddy's Buddies.
Recorded Vital Information's 'Where We Come From'." |
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1998: Started
the new ToneCenter
series; Buddy's Buddies |
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| "In
1998, I struck up a partnership with Mike Varney at
ToneCenter Records to record and release three new jazz
fusion CDs a year. We hit the studio, and recorded 'Vital
Tech Tones' with Victor Wooten and Scott Henderson, 'Show
Me What You Can Do' with Frank Gambale and Stu Hamm, and
'Cause and Effect' with Larry Coryell and Tom Coster.
Somehow, I also managed to find the time to record 'Timescape'
with Aydin Esen and Baron Browne. Meanwhile, Journey
releases the 'Greatest Hits Live' disc, and I traveled to
New York to record the video "A Salute to Buddy Rich'
with Phil Collins and Dennis Chambers playing with the
Buddy Rich Big Band and yours truly playing with Buddy's
Buddies in December at the Manhattan Center." |
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1999: Vital
Info, Buddy's Buddies |
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| "'Where
We Come From' wins the 'Best Contemporary Jazz Album of
1998' award by the Association of Independent Music.
Recorded 'The Stranger's Hand' with Jerry Goodman, Howard
Levy and Oteil Burbridge, 'Buddy's Buddies' with Steve
Marcus, Andy Fusco, Lee Musiker and Anthony Jackson, Vital
Information's 'Live Around The World: the Where We Come
From Tour 1998-99' and the new 'Show 'Em Where You Live'
album (which took two years for US release). I still
squeezed in the occasional pop session, too, and played on
the double-platinum 'Affirmation' disc by the Australian
pop band Savage Garden." |
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2000: The
dawn of a new millennium... |
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| "A
new Vital Tech Tones 2 album with Scott Henderson and
Victor Wooten hit the streets May 23, with a second Tone
Center CD, The Light Beyond, with Frank Gambale and Stu
Hamm released later in the year. Vital Information
releases the two-CD 'Live Around The World: the Where We
Come From Tour 1998-99' live set. I appeared on the newest
CD by country legend Ray Price, released a new collection
of drum grooves for sampling, and performed with the Buddy
Rich Big Band." |
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2001: Steve
voted Top Drummer |
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| "In
a readers' poll for its 25th anniversary issue, Modern
Drummer magazine ranked me among the Top 25
Drummers of All Time." Released 'Count's Jam Band
Reunion'." |
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2002: Steve
vote into the Drummers
Hall of Fame |
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| "In
July, 2002, I was voted into the Modern Drummer Readers
Poll Hall of Fame, which was quite an honor. Musically,
the year was diverse: 'Show 'Em Where You Live,' Vital
Info's first studio album of the millennium, the third
Frank Gambale/Stu Hamm/Steve Smith CD, 'GHS3,' and the
Steve Smith/Mike Zilber Group's 'Reimagined Vol. 1.' In October,
Hudson Music released 'Steve Smith: Drumset Technique and
History of the U.S. Beat,' a two-disc DVD. And I appeared
at the concert and on the Hudson Music DVD ' 25th
Anniversary of The Collective,' performing solo drums and
in a duet with Victor Wooten, and toured with the Global
Beats World Percussion Trio." |
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2003: Several
tours, CDs and honors |
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| "In
2003, I was busy with several projects, including the
release of two live Steve Smith & Buddy's Buddies CDs
on ToneCenter, recording projects with George Brooks'
Summit. I appeared in concert and on the Hudson Music DVD
'Modern Drummer Festival 2003,' and my Hudson DVD 'Drumset
Technique/History of the U.S. Beat' was voted best
educational DVD of the year in Modern Drummer Magazine. I
also played solo drums and performed with Vital
Information with Special Guest Bill Evans." |
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2004: Tours
with Buddy's Buddies,
SoulBop, Vital Information; new CDs
hit the street |
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| "2004
has been the busiest year of my life. I toured with
Buddy's Buddies, George Brooks' Summit, the all-star jazz group
SoulBop -- Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Hiram Bullock, David
Kikoski and Victor Bailey -- and, of course, with Vital Information. SoulBop recorded a live,
two-CD set at the Iridium jazz club, and VI also released
its 11th album, 'Come On In.' The second 'Yo! Miles' CD,
'Sky Garden,' was also released, featuring Greg Osby, Karl
Perazzo, Michael Manring, Wadada Leo Smith, Henry Kaiser,
Tom Coster and myself. Warner Bros. Music reissued two
classic Steve Smith videos on DVD. Finally, I
did a lot of clinics around the world for Sonor, Zildjian,
Vic Firth, Remo, DW pedals and Shure." |
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2005: Journey
gets a star; Tours with
Buddy's Buddies, Vital Information &
Steps Ahead; new CD "Flashpoint";
wedding bells |
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"Journey got a star in Hollywood and released the DVD/CD set
Live In Houston ‘81. Took my first trip to India to perform
at Zakir Hussain’s February 3 tribute concert for his father
Alla Rakha. Did a lot of clinics plus toured with Buddy's
Buddies, Vital Information and Summit all over Europe, the
USA, China, Indonesia, Korea, New Zealand, Japan and Russia.
Played all of the major jazz festivals with Steps Ahead
featuring Bill Evans, Mike Mainieri, Richard Bona and Mike
Stern. Tone Center released Flashpoint, a recording with
Dave Liebman, Aydin Esen and Anthony Jackson. Vic Firth
released my new Tala Wands. On New Years Eve Diane and I
were married after being together for 12 years." |
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2006: VI gets a new guitarist, records a new album, and tours the
world. Steve continues wide-ranging sideman work and starts Steve
Smith's Jazz Legacy... |
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Recorded
“Deconstruction of A Postmodern
Musician” with Corrado Rustici. Perform at the Berks
Jazz Festival in PA, with Kurt Elling, Mulgrew Miller, Bob Mintzer and Christian McBride.
Vital Info tours USA and Mexico, and
Europe. Guitarist Vinny Valentino
joins Vital Info in July. The band composes the music for
“Vitalization” in August. Played with Summit and Soulbop. Buddy’s Buddies plays
final tour, ends in Moscow, Russia. Steve Smith’s Jazz
Legacy is born and does first USA tour in Sept/Oct. Jazz Legacy headlines the
Modern Drummer Festival on Sept. 17. Steve plays a memorable
concert on Oct. 27 in NYC with percussion giants Zakir
Hussain, Airto, Giovanni Hidalgo, and Eric Harland. Spends
Nov. 8, 9 & 10 at the Sonor factory in Germany designing
Steve's
“30th Anniversary Artist Series” drumset, 100
kits to be released in 2008. Vital Info records
“Vitalization” in December. |
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2007: release of Vitalization, Jazz Legacy and Brushes
DVDs. Steve Smith Store opens, Steps Ahead tour, and a long
weekend at the first-ever Drum Fantasy Camp... |
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Vital
Information releases its 12th album,
“Vitalization,” on Hudson Music. Hudson Music released the
Modern Drummer Festival 2006 DVD featuring Jazz Legacy.
Worked with Adam Nussbaum to co-produce “The Art of Playing
with Brushes” DVD with Billy Hart, Joe Morello, Charli
Persip, Ben Riley and Eddie Locke. Toured the USA, Japan and
Europe with Mike Mainieri & Steps Ahead featuring some
revolving members: Bryan Baker, Bill Evans, Anthony Jackson,
Mike Stern and Etienne Mbappe. Vital Information toured all
over the USA, plus UK, Europe, Russia, Turkey and our 1st
tour of India! DW markets Steve's BACKSTAGE practice pads.
Taught/performed at the 1st-annual Drum Fantasy Camp
with Dave Weckl, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez and Jason
Bittner. Vital Information Web store opens! |
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2008: Vital Information anniversary, Sonor anniversary kit, new
Hudson DVD, and much more to come! |
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The 25th
anniversary of Vital Information.
Sonor releases 100 “Steve Smith 30th Anniversary Artist
Series” drum sets.
Hudson Music releases a DVD/CD set: Drum Legacy “Standing on
the
Shoulders of Giants” by Steve Smith
Hudson Music DVD + Jazz Legacy Live On Tour CD. |
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