Resources
Podcasts, articles, lessons and selected performance videos
Here are some videos that Steve handpicked, capturing moments in time with some very memorable artists!
Please note: these videos have been posted by YouTube users not affiliated with Steve.
Click here to open Steve’s YouTube page to see a comprehensive catalog of videos he has posted over the years.
Historical Videos
Selected Interviews & Video Podcasts
Here are some of Steve’s best interviews/podcast appearances!
Click here to open Steve’s YouTube page with all of the latest videos, including performances and studio videos with Vital Information!
Audio Podcasts
Here are some audio podcasts from over the years.
Practicing Drummer Podcast 9/03/2025
With a focus on the practicing drummer, this wide ranging podcast includes discussions about Al Foster, Electric Miles, The Fringe, Vital Information, Zakir Hussain, free jazz, Max Roach, Thelonius Monk's music, Konnakol, transcendent experiences in music and more.
The Playful Musician with Steve Davidson Podcast 4/23/2021
Check out this very informative podcast from The Playful Musician!
Daniel Glass Podcast 5/3/2016
Drummer, author, and educator Daniel Glass sat down with Steve to talk about his return to Journey,
and his books "Pathways of Motion" and more!
Reviews and Articles
(old and new!)
Here are articles written by or about Steve over the years.
“Remembering Tony Williams”
by Steve Smith
(Not So Modern Drummer, March 31, 2026)
Steve wrote an article on drumming great Tony Williams for Not So Modern Drummer. Steve describes Tony's influence on his playing, highlights of seeing Tony play live and some of their personal interactions. A heartfelt tribute to a profound influence on Steve's drumming.
Q&A With Steve Smith on New Perspective Dolby ATMOS Experience
by Jonathan Cornell
(ImmersiveAudioAlbum.com April 22, 2025)
Here's a great interview with Steve about many things - including the incredible Dolby ATMOS mixes for New Perspective from Vital Information.
Steve Smith Pays Tribute to Baron Browne
by Steve Smith
Baron Browne, my beloved rhythm section partner, passed away early in the morning of September 2, 2021. Baron and I have played together since 1998, when he joined my band Vital Information. From the day I first played with him until now, he was my first-call bass player. We toured and recorded with Buddy’s Buddies, Jazz Legacy, and pianist Aydin Esen. We toured Europe with saxophonist Bill Evans, recorded for Andrea Bocelli; our final gig together was with Steps Ahead on November 15, 2019. Baron played on a total of twelve of my albums, my Hudson Music educational videos and myriad gigs including the Drum Fantasy Camp rhythm section and The Buddy Rich Big Band. You could say he was the bass player of my lifetime.
Baron’s creativity found an outlet on the Vital Information albums as I gave him free rein for his exceptional production and compositional ideas, which were influential to the overall sound of the group. As an improviser, he was of the highest level, and not just as a soloist. As a bass player he would develop new, and compositionally amazing, basslines night after night and inspire the entire group with his deep groove and creativity. Baron and I were close friends and enjoyed our time together on the road, both offstage and onstage. As a legacy, he now has instilled in me the awareness to cherish, in the moment, every band member and experience I have from this day forward. I certainly cherish him and will remember his face, his joy and basslines on every gig I play as I go on without his physical presence.
Click here to read Baron Browne's obituary written by jazz writer Michael West on the JazzTimes web site.
Shortly after Baron had joined Vital Information we were grooving on the feel of "The Sidewinder" when "The Blackhawk" emerged, fully formed in a matter of minutes. We originally recorded the song in 1999 on the Vital Information album Show 'Em Where You Live. Actually, the entire Show 'Em Where You Live album is a brilliant showcase to hear Baron's bass talents.
The organization Lest We Forget Musicians contacted me and Dean Brown, two of Baron's closest friends and musical associates, and asked us to record "The Blackhawk" in tribute to Baron. I filmed my part at Subcat Studios in Syracuse, NY along with Andrew Carroll on keyboards and Ron France on bass. Dean filmed his part at home in San Diego.
Baron always played so well on "The Blackhawk" and it became one of the tunes he enjoyed soloing on. We dedicate this performance to our dear brother, Baron Browne. - Steve Smith
(you can see Baron's full tribute page here)
A Drummer's Journey: A Conversation With Legend Steve Smith
by Jae Sinnett WHRO Public Media
Here’s a great Q&A covering various aspects of Steve’s approach to drums and music.
Steve Featured in Percussive Notes Magazine
By Rick Mattingly, 2017 PASIC Preview
Steve is feature in the September, 2017, edition of Percussive Notes. The article is about big bands because Steve will be playing at PASIC with Airmen of Note - the top Air Force Big Band! They will be playing charts from the Buddy Rich book.
Modern Drummer
By Ilya Stemkovsky, July 26, 2017
The comprehensive story covers many aspects of Steve's current and past work with Journey, the new Vital Information album (Heart of the City), Steve's Pathways of Motion book, and much more! It also includes a comprehensive Q/A section! MD also did a page with warmup exercises and included transcriptions!
Rhythm Magazine
By Geoff Nicholls, November, 2011
A great cover story on Steve from back in 2011! Check out the “guest lesson” with transcriptions!
From The Practice Room
Helpful lessons that Steve filmed during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021
(videos and supporting PDFs for download)
InstaLessonZ: Part 1
Released on August 11, 2020
Steve filmed a series for Zildjian that focused on hand technique using flam taps, eventually getting into flammed diddles & phrases of 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, & 9. Good for your chops and improv vocabulary.
Steve uses four version of matched grip as described in his "Pathways of Motion" book (Hudson Music). Download the PDF, below!
Flams PDF
From The Practice Room
A Drumset Application of Konnakol and South Indian Rhythms Pt. 1
Steve Smith teaches about South Indian rhythms and applies them to the drumset. Download two helpful PDFs, below, for a transcription of what Steve played in this video - and to learn about konnakol syllables, suggested stickings, and the form of the Korvai (rhythmic composition).
The Paul DeLong transcription PDF features the konnakol and drumset transcriptions used in the video, below. The Ram Swaminathan transcription PDF features more traditional spelling of the konnakol syllables, suggested stickings and the form of the korvai (rhythmic composition) is notated. This PDF is also based on Steve's video, below.
Paul DeLong
Ram Swaminathan
From The Practice Room
Brushes Lesson
Here's a quick lesson in brush playing! Make sure to check out the amazing Hudson Music DVD "The Art of Playing with Brushes,"which features Steve, Billy Hart, Eddie Locke, Joe Morello, Charli Persip, Ben Riley, and Adam Nussbaum - plus bonus footage with Ed Thigpen and Louis Bellson!
From The Practice Room
A Conversation with Hudson Music featuring Steve Smith, Jeff Hamilton, and Adam Nussbaum
An insightful conversation and demonstrations of the art of brush playing! Hosted by Rob Wallis of Hudson Music.