A Phil Brodie Band Tribute Page

STEVE GADD

Born Steve Gadd, Rochester, New York, April 9, 1945.

Steve Gadd is one of the most sought-after studio musicians, in the world. Regarded as the most influential drummer in contemporary music, Gadd can play anything, easily bridging different musical styles. His feel, technique, and musicality on such tunes as Paul Simon's "Fifty Ways", Steely Dan's "Aja", and Chick Corea's "Nite Sprite" were so awe-inspiring and his concepts so innovative that they instantly assured his special position in the history of the percussive arts.

Steve Gadd is the most acclaimed drummer's drummer of the past quarter century. From the early 1970s he forged a new era in studio craft with his phenomenal technique and emotionally intense playing. Whatever the music, be it jazz, pop, RnB or fusion, Gadd was simply the best.

Steve Gadd has performed with:
Steely Dan
Chick Corea
Chuck Mangione
Jim Hall
Stanley Clarke
Paul Simon
George Benson
Rickie Lee Jones
The Gadd Gang
Bob James
Cornell Dupree
Richard Tee
Ronnie Cuber
Eddie Gomez
Jon Faddis
Steps
Eric Gale
Anthony Jackson
Michel Petrucciani
Steve Kahn
Gladys Knight
Yusef Lateef
Manhattan Jazz
Quintett
Lew Soloff
Manhattan Transfer
Herbie Mann
Dave Matthews
Paul McCartney
Willie Lee
Dave Liebman
Kenny Loggins
Mike Mainieri
Chuck Mangione
Sergio Mendes
Bette Middler
Herp Alpert
Patti Austin
Chet Baker
Gato Barbieri
Ron Carter
Ray Charles
Eric Clapton
Joe Cocker
Ray Baretto
Joe Beck
Bee Gees
George Benson
Bob Berg
Carla Bley
The Brecker Brothers
Larry Coryell
Deodato
Al Di Meola
Doctor John
Simon & Garfunkel
Frank Sinatra
Spyro Gyra
Ringo Starr
Grover Washington
Mongo Santamaria
Yoshio Suzuki
Michel Urbaniak
Sadao Watanabe
Paquito D'Rivera
John Faddis
Art Farmer
Maynard Ferguson
Georgie Fame
Eric Gale
Bobby Gosh
Kimiko Itoh
Alessi Brothers.....and many more the list goes on!!

FROM YAMAHA

Steve Gadds name was for many years synonymous with the Recording Custom kit. Indeed the association led in no small part to the RC9000 becoming the most popular professional kit in the world during the 1980s. Steve popularize small 10 toms and introduced floor tom-tom stands. He still likes birch tom-toms, but recently has preferred a maple bass drum. His Clapton kit comprises 22x14 Maple Custom Absolute bass, 12x8 and 13x9 hanging, and 14x12 and 16x14 floor-mounted Birch Custom Absolute toms. Othertimes he uses a small 10x7.5 tom, which he made famous in his studio days, and drops the 13 tom. For live work he prefers his steel 14x5.5 signature snare drum. There are five other Steve Gadd signature models in the series.

Steve has been playing Yamaha Drums since 1977
Birch Custom Absolute

STEVE'S SETUP:

Acoustic Drums:
SD-255SG 14"x5.5" Snare drum
Steve Gadd Sig. Series
BTT-1010J 10"x7.5" Tom
BTT-1012J 12"x8" Tom
BTT-1014 14"x12" Floor tom
BTT-1016 16"x14" Floor tom
MBD-1322J 22"x14" MAPLE Bass Drum
Hardware:
CS-745 Cymbal stand (4x)
DFP-9310 Double Foot Pedal
DS-840 Drum Stool
HS-1000 Hi-hat Stand
SS-840 Snare Drum Stand
TH-945 Double Tom Holder
WS-904 Double Tom Stand
Ken Fine mentions, "Steve almost exclusively played a Ludwig 14 x 5 Supraphonic snare drum throughout his 'hey-day,' along with his Yamaha RC9000 kit & think he might still"

[above pic] The Gadd Gang
Steve Gadd, Cornell Dupree, Richard Tee, Eddie Gomez

PROFILE / BIOGRAPHY

Steve Gadd was born in Rochester, New York, April 9, 1945. Steve's Uncle, a drummer in the army, encouraged him to take drum lessons at the age of seven; by the time Steve was 11 he had sat in with Dizzy Gillespie. Studied music at Eastman College, Rochester, playing in wind ensemble and concert band, and at nights in a club with Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione, Joe Romano and Frank Pullara. After college, drafted into army and spent three years in a military band. After the army, gigged and worked with a big band in Rochester. 1972, formed a trio with Tony Levin and Mike Holmes, going to New York with it. The trio fizzled out, but Gadd began to work extensively as a studio musician. He also played with Corea's first Return to Forever. 1970's and 1980's, toured internationally, recorded with Paul Simon and with Al DiMeola's Electric Rendezvous Band. By the end of the 1970's 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." Gadd's favorites are Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, among others.
With many singers, including Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Striesand, Paul McCartney and Paul Simon; with Corea, Three Quartets (1981), Warner Bros; My Spanish Heart (1976); Friends (1978); The Mad Hatter (1978), all Polydor; with George Benson, In Concert (1975), CTI; with Stuff, Stuff (nda), Warner Bros; with DiMeola, Electric Rendezvous 1982), Columbia; with Carla Bley, Dinner Music (1976). Today, Gadd is as busy as ever, balancing frequent recording dates with a hectic touring schedule. Some artists include Eric Clapton, David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Joe Sample, and jazz piano virtuoso Michel Petrucciani.

. . . . . . . . . . . .
Steve in the U.S. Army Field Band.. . . . . . . . Mickey Mouse Club 1956-57 season

EARLY YEARS
Steve grew up in Rochester, where he and his brother tap-danced at a small club, and where he played with local musicians and bands that passed through. He studied privately with Bill and Stanley Street; later with John Beck. He attended the Manhattan School of Music for two years, then transferred to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester. After finishing school, he played in Rochester with Chuck Mangione. In [the late] 1960's, he went into the Army for three years. He came to New York in 1971 and quickly became one of the most sought after studio musicians in town. Steve, a musician who "doesn't believe in labels," has recorded with artists of all styles and genres, among them Paul Simon, Carly Simon, Phoebe Snow, Steely Dan, Ashford and Simpson, Aretha Franklin, Judy Collins, Bette Midler, James Brown, Joe Cocker, Nancy Wilson, Bob James, and Chick Corea. Until the late 1970's, he remained almost exclusively a session player, appearing briefly with Chick Corea, Mike Mainieri, Herbie Mann, and several others. In 1976 he became a member of the group Stuff with Gordon Edwards, Richard Tee, Eric Gale, Cornell Dupree, and Chris Parker, while continuing his heavy schedule of studio work.

There are 100's of books, videos, dvd's, and CD's of Steve or which include him (as you can see from the list of artists higher up on this page). This man has been included in so much in his life ... I recommend a search on Amazon or simular.

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