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Steve Smith and Vital Information: Time Flies
by Scott Gudell
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 ...
read moreFrench Avant Prog Band Masal, Vital Information And Igor Wilcox Quartet-Live
by Len Davis
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 ...
read moreThe Light Beyond: Frank Gambale, Stuart Hamm and Steve Smith
by Josef Woodard
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. ...
read moreRob Silverman: Drumology
by Jim Worsley
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.
read moreSteve Smith: Drummer For All Seasons
by R.J. DeLuke
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 ...
read moreSteve Smith's Jazz Legacy at Cecil's in West Orange, NJ
by David A. Orthmann
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 ...
read moreSteve Smith's Jazz Legacy at the Bach, Half Moon Bay, CA
by Bill Leikam
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 ...
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