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Steve Rudolph
Jazz Pianist/Composer - Founder of the Central PA Friends of Jazz - Yamaha Keyboard Artist
About Me
JAZZ PIANIST - COMPOSER - EDUCATOR - YAMAHA KEYBOARD ARTIST
STEVE RUDOLPH HAS HAD AN INSPIRING CAREER IN HIS 50+ YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL MUSIC MAKING. JAZZ
IMPROV MAGAZINE STATES, “RUDOLPH IS A SAVVY, SWINGING, GLIMMERING HEAVYWEIGHT...SIMPLY
OUTSTANDING.” HE WAS AWARDED TWO JAZZ COMPOSITION FELLOWSHIPS FROM THE PA COUNCIL ON THE
ARTS. WITH FOURTEEN ACCLAIMED CDS AS A LEADER, HE HAS SERVED AS PRODUCER, ARRANGER AND
PERFORMER ON MANY RECORDINGS INCLUDING SESSIONS WITH JOHNNY COLES, BILL GOODWIN, ALI RYERSON,
MATT WILSON, DREW GRESS, CAL COLLINS, JONATHAN RAGGONESE, PHIL HAYNES, ROGER HUMPHRIES,
DWAYNE DOLPHIN, JD WALTER AND VINNY VALENTINO. HIS VAST EXPERIENCE ENCOMPASSES CONCERT
PERFORMANCES WITH MANY JAZZ MASTERS INCLUDING LOUIE BELLSON, CLARK TERRY, TERRY GIBBS, AL GREY,
AND THE MILLS BROTHERS. STEVE HAS TOURED THROUGHOUT THE U.S., INDIA, EUROPE, CANADA, RUSSIA
AND THE CARIBBEAN. AT HOME HE IS THE LEADER OF MANY ENSEMBLES INCLUDING THE HARRISBURG JAZZ
COLLECTIVE BIG BAND.
STEVE WAS BORN IN EVANSVILLE AND GREW UP NEAR BOONVILLE, INDIANA. HE STUDIED TRUMPET AND
COMPOSITION UNDER SCHOLARSHIP AT BUTLER UNIVERSITY IN INDIANAPOLIS WHERE HE DISCOVERED AN
INSPIRING JAZZ COMMUNITY. SWITCHING HIS MAIN INSTRUMENTAL FOCUS TO THE PIANO AT AGE 22, STEVE
WAS HIRED BY BUDDY MORROW IN 1977 TO PERFORM ON THE ROAD WITH THE TOMMY DORSEY ORCHESTRA.
SINCE MOVING TO HARRISBURG IN 1978 TO PERFORM WITH HIS JAZZ TRIO AND GUEST ARTISTS AT THE
HOLIDAY INN TOWN, HE HAS BEEN LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE
THRIVING JAZZ SCENE IN CENTRAL PA. HIS DEVOTION TO THE ART OF JAZZ INSPIRED HIM TO FOUND THE
CENTRAL PA FRIENDS OF JAZZ, NOW IN ITS 40TH SUCCESSFUL YEAR OF MONTHLY CONCERTS, YOUTH BAND,
JAZZ CAMP, AND ANNUAL CENTRAL PA JAZZ FESTIVAL.
STEVE WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2002 HARRISBURG ARTS AWARD FOR DEDICATION TO THE ARTS AND
COMMUNITY SERVICE AND IN 2023 HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE CENTRAL PA MUSIC HALL OF FAME.
WELL KNOWN IN CENTRAL PA FOR HIS SIX NIGHT A WEEK, 22 YEAR LONG JOB AS HOUSE PIANIST AT THE
HILTON HARRISBURG (1990-2012), STEVE IS CURRENTLY A YAMAHA KEYBOARD ARTIST AND IS IN DEMAND AS
A CLINICIAN AND PERFORMER. HIS DETAILED RECORDING AND TOURING INFORMATION MAY BE FOUND AT
WWW.STEVERUDOLPH.COM.