Steve Gadd Tribute

Photo: Bill Zules.

Over the years we all probably at some point has listen to Steve Gadd's marvelous playing. He has stunned us with his legendary skills to make the simplest drumbeat come alive and groove. His skills to incorporate rudimental figures and techniques into his playing has also inspired many drummers all over the world. This article is a tribute to his lifelong achivement as an artist, inspirational source and great personality.

A supporting family

Steve Gadd was born April 9th, 1945 in Rochester, New York. He was from the start surrounded by a musically family. His Uncle Eddie, a former army drummer gave him his first pair of sticks and a homemade practice pad. They used to listen to the radio together and played along to John Phillip Sousa marches and others. Perhaps this started Steve's interest to learn rudimental march patterns that he later on in life refined into a unique style of drumming.

Brings tap dance technique into his playing

In the 1950's Steve receives his first drumset from his grandfather and he starts to do some tap dancing with his brother Eddie. Steve managed to bring his talent for rhythms into the tap dance concept and he started to build his skills in both art forms. At age nine Steve makes his first appearance on the Mickey Mouse Club tap dancing and playing drum solo. Steve's excellent bassdrum technique for fast bassdrum doublestrokes may have developed from his tap dance technique. In this technique ONE downward leg motion is used to make TWO strokes. View a tutorial about Steve Gadd doublestroke bassdrum technique!

When Steve was 9 years old he got the opportunity to meet his hero Gene Krupa and was invited to sit in with Dizzy Gillespie and others at a young age. When Steve was 14 John Beck became his teacher until his graduation from The Eastman School Of Music. He also had a very caring loving family that supported him in every way. Steve's father used to bring him to the music clubs so he could listen and be inspired from artists like Groove Holmes and Jack McDuff. George Benson first played with Steve when he was only 14 and they still record to this day.

Rudimentals and army inspired march figures

In 1968 Steve enrolled in the US Army and he played 3 years with their Field Band and Stage Band. He also got plenty of playing locally with both Chuck and Gap Mangione. Steve Gadd has an unique style of drumming where he incorporates rudimental army snare patterns into his playing. It is likely that Steve was inspired from his years of playing with the army bands and he brought the best rudimental figures with him and developed them further to a personal touch in his playing. In this videoclip from his legendary Crazy Army drumsolo is his unique style of army march inspired playing obvious.

Grooving as musician with John Beck

In the early 1960's Steve returned to Eastman School of Music and his teacher John Beck. During this time he was working gigs sometimes 6 nights a week. It was at Eastman that his life-long friendship with Tony Levin began, they worked together constantly playing in Gap Mangione's trio. Another important relationship began with Chick Corea around 1965 while playing with Chuck Mangione, Joe Romano and Frank Pullara.

In 1972 he started a trio with Mike Holmes and Tony Levin and then it was time to go to New York. By 1975 Steve's career was in high gear, he would be doing three sessions a day and then playing that night at Mikell's. His first number one hit came that year with Van McCoy's The Hustle, with many more to follow. Along with musicians like The Brecker Brothers, John Faddis, Warren Bernhardt he became the New York first call studio musicians.

Steve's career takes off

In 1976 Steve's career takes off bigtime making music appearances with Paul Simon, Weather Report, Barbra Streisand, Joe cocker and many others. Steve makes an outstanding performance during the recording of Steely Dan's Aja in 1977 and he earn many musicians respect.

In 1980 Steve continue to work with Paul Simon and making recordings with Weather Report,The Bee Gee's, Manhattan Transfer, Al Jarreau and Rickie Lee Jones.By 1981, Steve had recorded over 25 gold records artists who had sold over half a million copies. 1982 Steve records his first solo project in Japan, Gadd-About for the King label. He also takes part of the famous Simon and Garfunkel's Concert In Central Park.

Working with the musicians elite

During the last three decades Steve has been one of the leading drummers in the studio environment. He has worked with some of the musicians elites greatest:

Gene Krupa and Dizzy Gillespie: Sat in with them in 1954.
George Benson: 1959 and several other recordings.
Tony Levin: Friendship begins in 1964. L'Image 2.0. 2009.
Chick Corea: Friendship starts 1965. The Leprechaun 1976. The Ultimate Adventure and Super Trio 2006.

The Brecker Brothers, John Faddis, Warren Bernhardt: 1972.
Hubert Laws, Joe Farrell, Paul Desmond, Chet Baker: 1972.
Richard Tee: Life-long friendship begins in 1975.
Rick Marotta: 1975.

Chuck Mangione Quartet: Montreux Jazz Fest in 1976.
Herbie Mann, David Sanborn, Bonnie Raitt: Mid 70's.
Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke, Bob James: Mid 70's.
Paul Simon: One Trick Pony 1980, Rhythm Of The Saints Project early 90's. Surprise album 2007

Weather Report, Barbra Streisand: 1976.
Gordon Edwards, Eric Gale, Cornell Dupree, Chris Parker, Richard Tee: The group Stuff 1976.
Steve Khan: Tightrope recording 1977.
Grover Washington: Live at The Tower Theatre video 1980.
Bee Gee's, Manhattan Transfer, Al Jarreau, Rickie Lee Jones: 1980.
Simon and Garfunkel: Live concert in Central Park 1982.
Michael McDonald, Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour: Late 80's.
Frank Sinatra, Dave Grusin: Late 80's.

Paul McCartney: Tug of war 1982, Pipes of Peace 1983.
Kimiko Itoh: 1988.
Eric Clapton: Early 90's. Tour 2010.
Michel Petrucciani: Both Worlds and Trio In Tokyo recordings Mid 90's.
Michael Franks, Edie Brickell, Barry Manilow, Luciano Pavarotti: Late 90's.
Ray Charles, Carly Simon, Quincy Jones: Late 90's.

Peter Gabriel: Real World 2000 .
B.B. King: Early 2000's
James Taylor: October Road 2002. At Christmas 2006
Steps Ahead: Reunion concert in Japan 2004.
Mika Yoshida: Mikarimba 2009.
David Sanborn: Album 2010.

Steve Gadd drumsolo

Musicality is a true signature of Steve Gadd's playing. In his drumsolos he often interacts with the band by soloing over the songs harmonies and uses the bands input to create real time solo ideas. He has full control over his drumsolos dynamics and he often brings them to a beautiful peaking end. A great example is Steve Gadd's solo with Legends at Jazz Vitoria Gasteiz 1997.

The marvelous Gadd drum grooves

Steve Gadd has the gift to create wonderful grooves in all of the songs and performances he participate in. A great example of this is from the Pavarotti and friends concert from 1998 when he gives excellent groove and swing support to Stevie Wonder's performance.

Getting credits and recognition from the world

In 2003 Steve received Zildjian's American Drummer Achievement Award. In 2005 Steve Gadd, Abraham Laboriel and Patrice Rushen received honorary doctor of music degrees at Berklee College of Music’s for their outstanding contributions to contemporary music. Steve said: “This is probably my only chance to get a honorary degree because I’m not the greatest student in the world.” “But I love music. I found one thing that I loved and I just kept on doing it…and if I can do it, I believe you all can do it. Welcome aboard.”

Teaching and Mission From Gadd clinic series

Steve Gadd has been passing on his knowledge through several teaching projects. One of them is the highly appreciated clinic series Mission From Gadd. They started in 2005 and has been touring now and then through out the world. Steve is a master of brush techniques and in this clinic he shows the audience some brush groove examples. Enjoy the famous song Black Bird performed with brushes.

Steve Gadd related links

Steve Gadd - Official site
Learningdrum tutorial - Steve Gadd bassdrum technique
Eastman School of Music