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Steve Smith

Steve Smith was originally drawn to the drums by hearing marching bands in parades as a child in his native Massachusetts. At age nine, in 1963, Smith began studying the instrument in earnest with local Boston area teacher Bill Flanagan, who played in big bands in the swing era.

Smith performed in the usual school band program and garage bands while in his teens, but also began to broaden his performing experience by playing in a professional Brockton concert band and even the big band at the local college, Bridgewater State. After high school, Smith began studying music at the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1972. There he received valuable instruction from such renowned drum teachers as Gary Chaffee and Alan Dawson.

In 1974 Smith's professional career began in full, at 19 years old, with his tenure in the Lin Biviano Big Band, which he toured and recorded with for the next two years. At that same time he also performed with bebopper Buddy DeFranco and was a member of free-jazz group The Fringe featuring George Garzone. In 1976, Smith began his association with jazz/fusion by joining violinist Jean Luc Ponty and recording the album "Enigmatic Ocean" (Atlantic 1977), which also featured guitarist Allan Holdsworth. However, it was while touring with rocker Ronnie Montrose a year later that Smith was asked to join the popular rock band Journey which brought his playing to the attention of a young rock audience.

With Journey Smith toured the world and went on to record Evolution, Departure, Captured, Escape, Frontiers, Rasied On Radio and Trial By Fire. His playing is featured on the majority of Journey’s Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits 2. Smith's inventive timekeeping, stadium sized tom-tom fills and deep sense of the groove enabled him to produce some of the most critically acclaimed rock drumming while at the same time propelling the band to much popular success. The Journey catalogue has sold over 70 million records.

In 1985 Smith left Journey to pursue his original passion, jazz, and to continue his developing career as a session player. Over the past 20+ years, Smith has played on many hits with such diverse artists as Mariah Carey, Bryan Adams, Zucchero, Andrea Bocelli, Ray Price and Savage Garden.

Smith began leading his own fusion band Steve Smith and Vital Information in 1983 while still a member of Journey. Vital Information NYC Edition currently features Mark Soskin on keys, Baron Browne on bass and Vinny Valentino on guitar. Vital Information's 20015 BFM Jazz release, “Viewpoint,” is a best seller and has gathered critical acclaim around the world.

Smith has also maintained an extensive touring and recording career, appearing with many jazz luminaries such as Mike Mainieri's group Steps Ahead. This band, which included virtuosos such as Michael Brecker, Richard Bona and Mike Stern, was one of the most successful of the '80s electric jazz groups and Smith contributed greatly to their tight, energetic sound for over ten years (1986-1993 and again from 2005 to the present).

Other high profile jazz touring and/or recording gigs that have filled the drummer's schedule include such artists as Ahmad Jamal, Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, Zakir Hussain, Dave Liebman, George Brooks’ Summit and the Buddy Rich Big Band, with whom he has performed in many tribute concerts to the late drumming idol. He also rejoined Journey in 1996 to record the reunion album "Trial By Fire" (Columbia 1996). Smith's calendar often includes many drum clinics in which he is able to display his phenomenal techniques and concepts to drumming students around the world.

Smith's drumming, while always decidedly modern, can best be described as a style that embodies the history of U.S. music. His original love of rudimental parade drumming is evident in his intricate solos. Likewise, his command of jazz, from New Orleans music, swing, bebop, avant-garde to fusion, is applied with his powerful rock drumming sensibilities and allows him to push the boundaries of all styles to new heights. His musical focus is committed to the exploration of improvised music incorporating styles as diverse as Blues, Jazz, R&B, Funk, Cajun and the rhythms from the music of India.

In 1998, Smith began producing and playing on a series of driving electric jazz albums for the Tone Center label with a revolving cast of talented players such as Dave Liebman, Anthony Jackson, Frank Gambale, Stu Hamm, Tom Coster, Larry Coryell, Jerry Goodman, Howard Levy, Steve Marcus, Scott Henderson and Victor Wooten.

Steve was voted “#1 Fusion Drummer” in the 2012 & 2015 Modern Drummer magazine readers poll and #1 Jazz Drummer 2015 in the UK magazine Rhythm. He was also voted “#1 All-Around Drummer” in the Modern Drummer poll for five consecutive years from 1987- 1991. In 2001, Steve was named one of the “Top 25 Drummers of All Time” by Modern Drummer. In 2002, he was voted into the magazine’s “Hall of Fame” and in 2003, his DVD Drumset Technique - History of the U.S. Beat (Hudson Music), was voted #1 Educational DVD.”

Hudson Music also released Steve’s DVD/CD Drum Legacy – Standing on the Shoulders of Giants in 2008, which was voted “Best DVD of 2009” by the readers of Drum! magazine. The 2008, 2009 and 2010 Drum! readers poll voted Steve #1 Jazz Drummer.

In 2013 Steve co-authored the Hudson Music book The Roots Of Rock Drumming, a behind-the-scenes look at the origins of rock drumming (1949-’65). In 2014, Modern Drummer named Steve as one of the “Top 50 Drummers of All Time!"

Steve has many educational drum lessons available on the Drum Guru app. His latest educational book/DVD is entitled Pathways of Motion: Hand Technique for the Drumset using Four Versions of Matched Grip. Additionally, Steve regularly conducts educational clinics worldwide, is an instructor at the annual Drum Fantasy Camp and has released a collection of his art called Fabric of Rhythm.

As a drummer, Steve Smith has worked for, and with, the best. With this work he is consistently pushing the boundaries of creative drumming and constantly expanding upon his strong and musical voice at the top of the international drumming community. As an educator, Smith is both the eternal student, and the perpetual teacher of the drums. As a bandleader, he is one of the very few drummers whose endless touring schedule brings world-class bands to all corners of the globe through an endless regimen of live performances.

Steve revisits a role which was a formative part of his career and joins Journey for their 2016-2017 touring cycle, the first time he’s played with the band since 1998.

Steve Smith uses Sonor drums, Zildjian cymbals, Remo heads, Vic Firth Steve Smith signature sticks and Tala Wands, Cympad Optimizers, Puresound snare wires, DW bass drum pedals and DW Practice pads including his signature BACKSTAGE knee-pad and BD pedal pad.

Steve Smith has lesson packs on the Drum Guru app including soloing concepts and how to play his drum parts on selected Journey songs. http://www.drumguru.com

For additional educational material with Steve Smith on Hudson Music check out these Hudson Music DVDs and instant downloads at http://www.hudsonmusic.com

Steve Smith Drumset Technique and History of the U.S. Beat The most in-depth study of drumming technique ever done on video or DVD as well as a thorough and fascinating survey of the evolution of the primary drum set pulse in the music or the U.S., from Ragtime to Fusion.

Steve Smith Drum Legacy: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants Studying the drum giants who came before is one of the keys to developing an understanding of music and finding your own voice on the drums. This highly educational DVD set presents a musical analysis and discussion of some of the most important jazz drumming greats in history.

Steve Smith and Various Artists The Art Of Playing With Brushes Brilliantly conceived and meticulously documented, The Art of Playing with Brushes is the most comprehensive, definitive and unprecedented volume on the topic ever produced. Legends Billy Hart, Eddie Locke, Joe Morello, Charli Persip and Ben Riley along with modern brush masters Adam Nussbaum and Steve Smith demonstrate and discuss their distinctive drumming styles then all perform the same set of songs.

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Steve Smith and Vital Information: Time Flies

Read "Time Flies" reviewed by Scott Gudell

by Scott Gudell
June 11, 2023

As with so many prolific drummers, this guy is lean, energized, crisp and knows when to add the snap. Drummer/percussionist Steve Smith's early professional musical explorations were often in the world of jazz as he teamed up with fusion violinist Jean Luc Ponty and the progressive jazz/rock Dutch band Focus for about a year in the late 1970s. He took a call in 1978 from a soon-to-be arena rock band out of San Francisco that went by the name of ...

Radio & Podcasts

French Avant Prog Band Masal, Vital Information And Igor Wilcox Quartet-Live

by Len Davis
April 2, 2023

French band Masal with their latest Ahora , Aydin Esen with Miroslav Vitous and Vinnie Colaiuta. Finnish bassist Jukka Haavisto. Drummer Oiilie Usiskin with Bob Franceschini and a preview of the upcoming release from Steve Smith and Vital Information. The Igor Wilcox Quartet with their newest recorded live in Bulgaria, some classic Bob Berg and Australian saxophonist Troy Roberts from Nu Jive--Nations United. Playlist Aydin Esen “A & C" from Living (Soner Music) 00:00 Masal “Aquilon" from Ahora ...

Liner Notes

The Light Beyond: Frank Gambale, Stuart Hamm and Steve Smith

by Josef Woodard
February 11, 2023

Reports of fusion's death have been greatly exaggerated. The cultural phenomenon, by which jazz and rock made a potent alliance during the '70s, generally slipped out of the public ear and major label consciousness, as jazz as a whole retreated into a more historicist, unplugged attitude. But out of corporate sight only out of corporate mind, and musicians have been courting the fusion muse on indie labels and just beneath the surface of mainstream jazz marketing ever since its heyday. ...

Album Review

Rob Silverman: Drumology

Read "Drumology" reviewed by Jim Worsley

by Jim Worsley
September 15, 2020

Master drum clinician Rob Silverman, known for his explorative drumming and absorbing instructional videos, teamed up with an impressive line-up of top-flight jazz and fusion drummers to collide the study of drumming with the presentation of original songs penned by Silverman and his brother Michael Silverman. The result, Drumology, is a blend of science, rhythm and melody. For the project, Silverman invited an array of drumming superstars that included Dave Weckl, Simon Phillips, Gregg Bissonette, and Steve Smith.

Interview

Steve Smith: Drummer For All Seasons

by R.J. DeLuke
July 20, 2015

Drummer Steve Smith has traced the history of jazz drumming--pretty much most of American music drumming--in his storied career that has seen him drive big bands, small jazz combos, and fiery fusion groups, including tenures with Jean Luc Ponty and the rock band Journey. Though sometimes--as in the case of jazz-rock fusion--he was thrown into the fray without much experience, he has always been up to the challenge. He handled each situation with aplomb, and as a result ...

417

Live Review

Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy at Cecil's in West Orange, NJ

by David A. Orthmann
November 26, 2008

Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy Cecil's Jazz Club West Orange, New Jersey October 17, 2008

“Is that all you got?" some wag yelled to Steve Smith immediately after the end of the opening set at Cecil's Jazz Club. “Do you want to come up here and try doing this?" Smith shot back with a smile. The heckler wisely declined the invitation, and the rest of a very enthusiastic audience was left to wonder what more ...

256

Live Review

Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy at the Bach, Half Moon Bay, CA

by Bill Leikam
October 26, 2008

Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society, Douglas Beach House Miramar Beach, Half Moon Bay, California October 5, 2008

Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy quintet dropped into the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society Sunday afternoon for the fourth stop on its fall tour. Accompanying him on the stage was Jim Snidero (alto sax), Walt Weiskopf (tenor soprano saxophones), Mark Soskin (piano) and Baron Browne (bass). This powerhouse jazz group thrilled the house ...

Recording

Steve Smith & Vital Information Release New CD+DVD on BFM Jazz; Launch 30th Anniversary Tour (May 31-June 27)

Source: Michael Bloom Media Relations
May 18, 2012

LIVE! One Great Night - a CD + DVD set to be released May 29, 2012 on the BFM Jazz label - captures Vital Information in their natural habitat: A packed club with an audience of music lovers and the band in high gear, pulling out all the stops for the entire set. The all-star lineup of keyboardist Tom Coster (Santana/Gabor Szabo), bassist Baron Browne (Jean-Luc Ponty/Billy Cobham), guitarist Vinny Valentino (Bill Evans/Jimmy McGriff) and drummer Steve Smith (Journey/Hiromi /Steps ...
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Interview

Something Else! Interview: Steve Smith, of Journey and Vital Information

Source: Something Else!
July 21, 2011

Drummer Steve Smith is in the midst of a flurry of activity in advance of the 30th anniversary of his jazz group Vital Information. The first VI album appeared in 1983, even as his tenure with the melodic rock band Journey reached its chart-topping zenith. Smith eventually left Journey to pursue jazz, his first true love, and will commemorate that with the release of three albums over a two-year period. The initial 30th anniversary VI album will be an unreleased ...
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242

Recording

Steve Smith Set to Launch Three CD Reissues and July U.S. Tour with His Band Vital Information

Source: Michael Bloom Media Relations
June 15, 2009

All-Star drummer Steve Smith, who always has many irons in the fire, is set to launch three different reissue CDs and a national tour this summer. THE CD RELEASES The first two CDs are “Best Of" compilations focusing on the body of work Smith recorded during a 10-year association with the Tone Center label: Best Of Steve Smith - The Tone Center Collection “When I was 12 years old and started listening to the amazing Buddy Rich I bought some ...
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Performance / Tour

Jazz Legend Steve Smith Set to Light up an Oshkosh Stage

Source: All About Jazz
October 3, 2008

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Performance / Tour

Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy - Fall Tour

Source: Michael Bloom Media Relations
August 16, 2008

STEVE SMITH'S JAZZ LEGACY NATIONAL FALL TOUR STARTS OCT. 2 Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy plays music that is dedicated to honoring the legacy of many of the great jazz drummers such as Art Blakey, “Philly" Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, and Tony Williams. Jazz Legacy also performs original compositions and arrangements written by the individual band members which serves to gives the band a unique direction. This powerhouse, swinging jazz quintet is made up of five seasoned musicians; Andy Fusco (alto ...
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Performance / Tour

Steve Smith's Vital Information Mar. 21-25 at the Iridium Jazz Club

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
March 21, 2007

IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121 http://www.iridiumjazzclub.com/ 8:30 & 10:30PM

March 21-25 STEVE SMITH'S VITAL INFORMATION featuring Tom Coster (keyboards), Baron Browne (bass), Vinny Valentino (guitar) and Steve Smith (drums)

Now in their 23rd year since their initial 1983 release, Steve Smith and Vital Information has become a formidable jazz/fusion juggernaut whose longevity surpasses all of the major fusion groups. ...
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142

Music Industry

Guitarist Vinny Valentino New Member of Steve Smith's Vital Information

Source: All About Jazz
May 26, 2006

Guitarist Vinny Valentino is announced as new member of Steve Smith's Vital Information.

Jazz Supergroup Vital Information has announced details about replacing long-time guitarist Frank Gambale with guitarist and composer Vinny Valentino. Vital Information will be introducing Valentino to audiences in the USA starting on July 5th and 6th at Yoshi's Jazz Club in Oakland, CA.

Vinny Valentino has shared the stage or recording studio with such jazz greats as Tom Scott, Gary Bartz, Jeff Andrews, John Benitez, John Pattitucci, ...
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Performance / Tour

Les Paul (Tonight) Mingus Big Band (Tue.) Dec. 7-11 Steve Smith & Vital Information at The Iridium Jazz Club

Source: All About Jazz
December 5, 2005

December 5, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121, www.iridiumjazzclub.com Sets at 8 & 10PM EVERY MONDAY LES PAUL AND HIS QUARTET EVERY TUESDAY THE MINGUS BIG BAND This Week at The Iridium Dec. 7-11 STEVE SMITH VITAL INFORMATION FRANK GAMBALE, TOM COSTER, BARON BROWNE _____________________________________________________________________ ________ Next Week Dec. 14-18 CECIL TAYLOR PRESENTS AHA CECIL TAYLOR-PIANO TONY OXLEY-PERCUSSION JACKSON KRALL-DRUMS ...
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Performance / Tour

This Week at the Iridium Steve Smith And Buddy's Buddies A Tribute To Buddy Rich March 16-20

Source: All About Jazz
March 14, 2005

March 14, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121, www.iridiumjazzclub.com Sets at 8 & 10PM EVERY MONDAY LES PAUL AND HIS QUARTET EVERY TUESDAY THE MINGUS BIG BAND EVERY WEDNESDAY Scott Barbarino & The Cosmopolitans Variety Hour@7PM $15 cover - $15 food/drink minimum ($10 - MAC members) “rib-tickling...evokes memories of Las Vegas in the fifties and sixties" Peter Leavy, Cabaret Scenes ...
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Performance / Tour

Steve Smith & Vital Information Kick Off Fall 2004 Tour Nov. 27 in Chicago

Source: All About Jazz
October 27, 2004

Steve Smith & Vital Information Kick Off Fall 2004 Tour Nov. 27 in Chicago Vital Information, perhaps America's best fusion/jazz group, consists of an all-star lineup: drummer Steve Smith (Steps Ahead/Journey), guitarist Frank Gambale (Chick Corea Elektric Band), keyboardist Tom Coster (Santana), and bassist Baron Browne (Billy Cobham/Jean-Luc Ponty). Vital Information recently released its 11th recording, COME ON IN (Tone Center) and has performed across the U.S. and around the world since 1983. The band is on tour in Europe ...
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