Drum Tips - Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd was born in Rochester, New York, April 9, 1945. At 7 years old he started taking drum lessons, and by age 11 he performed with Dizzy Gillespie.Steve studied music at Eastman College, Rochester, playing with the wind ensemble and concert bands. Nights saw him playing the local clubs with Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione, Joe Romano and Frank Pullara.
In 1972, he formed a trio with Tony Levin and Mike Holmes, and headed for New York. The trio wasn’t successful, but Gadd began working extensively as a session player. Through the 1970's and 1980's, he toured internationally, recorded with practically EVERYONE!
By the end of the 70's Steve 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."
He has toured or recorded with:
- Paul Simon
- Al DiMeola's Electric Rendezvous Band
- Aretha Franklin
- Stevie Wonder
- Barbra Striesand
- Paul McCartney
- Chick Corea
- Eric Clapton
- Chuck Mangione
- Carly Simon
- Phoebe Snow
- Steely Dan
- Ashford and Simpson
- Judy Collins
- Bette Midler
- James Brown
- Joe Cocker
- Nancy Wilson
- Bob James
- Mike Mainieri
- Herbie Mann
- and many others
posted by troy-vernon at Friday, March 24, 2006
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