The Official Steve Gadd Website ::: History

Steve Gadd's Drumset

ADAA 2003 DVD Set

ADAA 2003: More Info

Mission From Gadd 2005

Mission From Gadd 2006

Steve age 9 with Gene Krupa
at the Ridgecrest Inn.

Steve & Eddie Gadd

Steve Gadd was born April 9th, 1945
in Rochester, N.Y. At age three his Uncle Eddie
(a former army drummer) gave him his first pair
of sticks and a round piece of wood, which was
his practice pad. While listening to the radio
they would play along to John Phillip Sousa
marches and others. Four years later he started
his first private studies with Elmer Frolig at Levis Music, which was right across the street from
The Eastman School Of Music.

20" calfskin bass drum head today, from
Steve's first drum kit in the late 1950's that his
grandfather bought him.

Steve & Eddie Gadd 1955

Steve Gadd 1955

School Band of America

This is to certify that Stephen Gadd is a charter member of the
School Band of America and has participated in the 1961 European Concert Tour.

July 24, 1961-Paris France

Steve's teachers: Bill & Stanley Street

Steve & Eddie Gadd

Steve on the bandstand in 1955

Steve Gadd

Steve and friends 1961

Steve Gadd: Parade

Steve Gad

At the same time Steve with his younger brother Eddie had a tap dance routine they'd entertain folks in nursing homes and hospitals.

They won a contest and got to appear on The Mickey Mouse Club, this was at age 11 and Steve danced and played a drum solo.

His first "gigs" were while he was a student at Eastridge High School, playing dances and the occasional solo during school assembly's.

He was a member of the famed Crusaders Drum and Bugle corps, winning lots of award.

Steve with high school buddies, 1963

Steve Gadd on
The Mickey Mouse Club

Steve goofing around with
high school buddies, 1963

John Beck

He had begun studying with Bill and Stanley Street, both gentlemen played in the Rochester Philharmonic.

When Steve was 14 he met John Beck, who then became his teacher right thru til his graduation from The Eastman School Of Music. He also had the advantage of a loving family who's living room became a virtual percussion studio, they were incredibly supportive. His father would always take Steve to all the clubs to soak up the sounds and often Steve could sit in with artists like Groove Holmes and Jack McDuff. George Benson first played with Steve when he
was only 14, they still record to this day.

Upon graduation from Eastridge High School continued his studies first at the Manhattan School of Music and then returned to The Eastman School and his teacher John Beck. During this time he was working sometimes 6 nights a week, with both Chuck and Gap Mangione. He also played with show bands backing up acts such as Pat Cooper, regularly he would be asked to go out on the road but stayed home to finish his studies. It was at Eastman that his 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 the great bass player Frank Pullara, while working at a club called the "Midnighter" Chick and Steve got together to discuss drumming and what was happening in groups like Miles Davis's quintet with Tony Williams. The very next weekend Steve had a brand new kit and had opened up his playing, letting the soloist go wherever the muse took them.

Gadd and Levin: Eastman

Gadd: U.S.Army Stage Band

Steve Gadd sitting in at The Pythod

Steve Gadd w/Groove Homes 1968

Steve Gadd 1972 by Lou Marinaccio

After graduating from Eastman, Steve spent three
years serving his country, playing drums with the
U.S. Army Stage Band.

Specialist 5 Stephen Gadd, drummer with the
United States Army Field Band of Washington, D.C., photographed in the Pentagon.
U.S. Army photo by Oscar Porter.

He returned home and started a trio with Mike Holmes and Tony Levin, this was 1972 and shortly there after it was time to go to New York. One of his first major gigs was with Mike Maineri's White Elephant, who's ensemble featured artist's such as The Brecker Brothers, John Faddis, Warren Bernhardt and many others who all went on to becoming the cream of New Yorks first call studio musicians.

Soon after Steve started recording for Creed Taylors CTI label, artist's such as Hubert Laws, Joe Farrell, George Benson and Paul Desmond & Chet Baker. 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

Chuck Mangione Quartet Alive!
Live at The Montreux Jazz Festival in 1972 by Lou Marinaccio

He was literally all over the music scene, Paul Simon, Weather Reoprt, Barbra Streisand and countless other recordings. 1976 saw the formation of the group Stuff, Gordon Edwards, Eric Gale, Cornell Dupree, Chris Parker and Richard Tee.

Hagi and Steve Gadd 7.3.1980

Steve and Richard eventually became like long lost brothers, they worked together all the time and their groove was undenialable. Steve was working all ther time, constantly all over the world, in Japan his playing was worshiped and it was there that transcriptions first showed up.

Khan, Sanborn, Maineri, Tee, Gadd, Jackson,
Fukamachi, & Brecker Brothers: 1970's.

Gadd w/Paul Simon

Gadd w/Rick Marotta 1975

www.myspace.com/drstevegadd

Steve Gadd & Chuck Mangione,
Earthquake Relief Concert Dec. 1980

Be sure to check out Steve Gadd's MySpace page, where you will find rare photos and tour info, and interviews!

Also, be sure to take some time and visit
Richard Tee's website,
www.richardtee.com,
too. there you will find some rare music, video, and photos of Steve with one of his dearest friends...

Steve Gadd & Rob Wallis 1983

The work continued straight thru the
80's, 1983 saw the first instructional
drum video put out by Hudson Music.
In Session and Up Close are still
selling well and an important part of
any drummers library.

His relationship with Yamaha Drums also saw several of Steve's ideas become the norm, stand mounted floor toms and smaller toms in general.

His sound was a signature that still
to this day is a voice, many attempted to copy but the groove was another thing. 1988 Steve formed his own
group, The Gadd Gang with Richard Tee, Eddie Gomez, Conell Dupree
and Ronnie Cuber.

They recorded two records for Columbia, one self titled and the other
Here And Now.

Richard Tee and Steve Gadd

Rob Wallis, Steve Gadd,
& Paul Siegel recording the
In Session instructional tape, 1984.

The Gadd Gang

Recording the In Session instructional tape, Eddie Gomez, Steve, Jorge Dalto 1984

Richard Tee and Steve Gadd

Drummers Collective 25th
Birthday Celebration-N.Y. 2002
Rob Wallis, Steve Gadd,
Paul Siegel, & John Castellano

Paul Simon, Jamey Haddad, and Steve Gadd

In the 90's Steve was busy and versatile as ever, working with Eric Clapton, Paul Simon and some serious returning to jazz roots with Michel Petrucciani.
They first recorded Both Worlds and then toured both as a trio with either Miroslav Vitous or Anthony Jackson and as a sextet. Steve and Michel had a remarkable relationship, again almost like long lost brothers, Michel overcame incredibly serious health issues and played his heart out every night. The Live In Tokyo recording on the Dreyfuss label shows what a great trio this was, sadly Michel passed away in early 1999 with plans for at least two more recordings.

Chick Corea called for more Three Quartet gigs, Steve along with Eddie Gomez and either Mike Brecker or Bob Berg blew away audiences. They also reunited for Chick's 60th birthday bash at the Blue Note in New York, check out Chick's Rendevous In New York.

In 2002, Steve Gadd was presented with an award from the Drummer's Collective, "in recognition of his unique contribution to drumming and music."

To this day Steve continues to play great music with artist's such as James Taylor and Eric Clapton, to expeirence either of these acts live is amazing. The amount of energy and most importantly musicality
is a joy, the body of work is astounding and continues to grow.

2003 saw Steve receive Zildjian's American Drummers Achievement Award, a night highlighting Steve's contribution to both drumming and music for the last thirty years.

Steve Gadd with James Taylor 2005
*CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH VIDEO

The Percussive
Arts Society
Hall Of Fame

"It was The Tropea Band's Japan Blue Notes Tour January 7th
thru 29th, 2004. We Played all Five in 3 weeks that January."
-John Tropea

2004 saw the release of Zildjian's and Steve's Recording Custom cymbal line, Steve has also started doing clinics again called a Mission From Gadd.

2005...This year has an honorary doctorate from
the prestigious Berklee School Of Music and induction in
to The Percussive Arts Society Hall Of Fame
in November.

Steve and John Wackerman

John Wackerman Drum Duets:
Guest drummers include
Steve Gadd, Chad Wackerman,
Brooks Wackerman, Ron Tutt,
Alex Acuna,Clayton Cameron,
Ricky Lawson,, Adrian Young,
John Ferraro, & Josh Freese

Available in November at www.dwdrums.com:
John Wackerman Drum Duets Vol. 1

Track 1 is Steve Gadd and John Wackerman-
Manic Depression

*Listen to MP3 sampler CLICK HERE

Paul Simon

Paul Simon Suprise

Steve plays the 2006 Winter NAMM show,
plays on new CDs by Paul Simon
and Chick Corea.

Also making their debuts are:
the Yamaha Steve Gadd Signature
Drum set and Vic Firth Signature
Steve Gadd brushes.

Steve Gadd photos by Mark Lazarski

In 2006, he tours with
Paul Simon, James Taylor,
and does
Mission From Gadd III.

Steve Gadd live on 4.13.07
with Joe Brucato
in Rochester, NY
*photo (detail) by John Larkin