USA Prio Artist Pop Folk Jazz SQ2 Drum System
Steve Smith
SONOR Drumset
SQ2 DRUM SYSTEM
- Advanced projection system (APS)
- Total acoustic resonance (T.A.R.)
- Tunesafe
- Dual Glide System
Smith has also maintained an extensive touring and recording career, appearing with many jazz luminaries such as Mike Mainieri's group Steps Ahead. This band, which included virtuosos such as Michael Brecker, Richard Bona and Mike Stern, was one of the most successful electric jazz groups. Smith contributed greatly to their tight, energetic sound for seven years (1986-1993 and again from 2005-present). Other high profile jazz touring and/or recording gigs that have filled the drummer's schedule include such artists as Ahmad Jamal, Michael Manring and Stanley Clarke. Steve Smith long list includes also Randy Brecker, Zakir Hussain, George Brooks' Summit and the Buddy Rich Big Band, with whom he has performed in many tribute concerts to the late drumming idol. He also rejoined Journey in 1996 to record the reunion album Trial By Fire (Columbia 1996). Smith's calendar often includes many drum clinics. In these he is able to display his phenomenal techniques and concepts to drumming students around the world.
1998 Smith produced and played on 16 electric jazz albums for the Tone Center label with a revolving cast of talented players including Dave Liebman and Frank Gambale He also played with Stu Hamm, Tom Coster, Larry Coryell, Jerry Goodman, Howard Levy, Steve Marcus, Scott Henderson and Victor Wooten. In 2003 Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies -- the Buddy Rich alumni quintet -- released two CDs on the Tone Center label that were record live at the famous London jazz club Ronnie Scott's. Very Live at Ronnie Scott's Set One and Set Two. Six years later Tone Center release a compilation music called: The Best of Steve Smith-The Tone Center Collection. 2004 Steve toured with Soulbop, and all-star group featuring Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, David Kikoski, Victor Bailey and Hiram Bullock. A year later the group released a live CD entitled Soulbop Band Live.
Smith's explosive solos and intricate timekeeping served to gain him much acclaim from sources such as Modern Drummer magazine, whose readers recently voted him the #1 Fusion Drummer of 2012. He has been voted #1 “All-Around” Drummer five years in a row. In 2001 Modern Drummer magazine named Steve as one of the "Top 25 Drummer of All Time". 2002 he was voted into the “Modern Drummer Hall of Fame”. And in 2003 his Hudson Music DVD Steve Smith Drumset Technique - History of the U.S. Beat placed #1 Educational DVD of 2003. The 2008, 2009 and 2010 Drum! magazine readers poll voted Smith #1 Jazz Drummer. In 2009 Drum! readers voted Steve Smith Drum Legacy - Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants the #1 educational DVD.
In 2005 Steve got an the invitation to be first drumset artist to perform at Zakir Hussain’s annual concert in Mumbai, India called Homage to Abbaji, a concert dedicated to the memory of Zakir’s father and tabla guru, Allahrakha. 2009 Steve played at Carnegie Hall in NYC with a special quartet version of Zakir Hussain’s Masters of Percussion that also featured “Vikku” Vinayakram and Giovanni Hidalgo. A year later The Raga Bop Trio featuring Prasanna, George Brooks and Smith released an album on the Abstract Logix label and toured extensively. In 2011 & 2012 Steve has been touring with the virtuosic jazz pianist Hiromi as a member of her “Trio Project” . They also featured Anthony Jackson on bass.
As a drummer, Steve Smith has worked for, and with, the best. He is consistently pushing the boundaries of creative drumming and constantly expanding his strong musical voice at the top of the international drumming community. As an educator, Smith is both the eternal student and perpetual teacher of the drums. His highly lauded, recently released educational DVDs The Art Of Playing With Brushes and Drum Legacy -Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants, are state of the art showcases of his playing and teaching skills. He is one of the few drummer/bandleaders who continues to bring world-class bands to all corners of the globe with a tireless regime of live performances.
Check out Steve's SQ² setup in our 3D configurator: https://sq2-drumsystem.com/share/zqxqp59876