Smith's musical focus is committed to the exploration of improvised music incorporating styles as diverse as: Blues, Jazz, R&B, Funk, Cajun and South Indian Carnatic.He studied music at the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1972-1976. At Berklee, Smith received valuable instruction from such renowned teachers as Gary Chaffee and Alan Dawson.
While still a 19-year-old student at Berklee, Smith's professional career began in 1974 bands that included the Lin Biviano Big Band, bebopper Buddy DeFranco, and the free-jazz group The Fringe, featuring George Garzone. In 1976, Smith began his association with jazz/fusion by joining violinist Jean Luc Ponty and recording the album "Enigmatic Ocean" (Atlantic 1977), which also featured guitarist Allan Holdsworth.
However, it was while touring with rocker Ronnie Montrose a year later that Smith was asked to join the popular rock band, Journey.With Journey (1978-1985/1996-1997), Smith toured the world and recorded many successful albums including the immensely popular "Escape" (Columbia 1981) and "Frontiers" (Columbia 1983), both of which garnered the band many Top 40 hits.
In 1985, Smith left Journey to pursue his original passion, jazz, and to continue his developing career as a session player. Over the next 20+ years, Smith would play on many hits with such diverse artists as: Mariah Carey, Bryan Adams, Zucchero, Claudio Baglioni, Andrea Bocelli, Ray Price, and Savage Garden.
In 1983, Smith began leading his own jazz-fusion band, Steve Smith and Vital Information, while still a member of Journey. Vital Information currently features Tom Coster (Santana) on keys, Baron Browne (Jean-Luc Ponty) on bass, and Vinny Valentino (Bill Evans) on guitar.Smith is also the bandleader of Steve Smith’s Jazz Legacy, a group carrying on the tradition of many of the great drummer-led jazz bands; communicating with music lovers of all generations, and striving for excellence and playing non-compromising, burning, straight-ahead jazz.
Jazz Legacy features Andy Fusco on alto sax, Walt Weiskopf on tenor and soprano saxes, Mark Soskin on piano, and Baron Browne on bass.Smith has also maintained an extensive touring and recording career, and currently tours with a variety of bands as a featured sideman, including: Mike Mainieri's group Steps Ahead, which included virtuosos such as Michael Brecker, Bill Evans, Richard Bona, Anthony Jackson, and Mike Stern; George Brooks Summit, an Indian/Fusion band featuring Kai Eckhardt, Fareed Haque, and Zakir Hussain; and Soulbop, a jazz/funk all-star band featuring Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, David Kikoski, Victor Bailey and Hiram Bullock.
In 1998, Smith began producing and playing on a series of driving electric jazz albums for the Tone Center label with a revolving cast of talented players such as: Dave Liebman, Frank Gambale, Stu Hamm, Tom Coster, Larry Coryell, Jerry Goodman, Howard Levy, Steve Marcus, Scott Henderson, and Victor Wooten ( www.shrapnelrecords.com ).
Smith’s explosive solos and intricate timekeeping have gained him much acclaim from sources such as Modern Drummer magazine, whose readers voted him the "#1 All-Around Drummer" five years in a row. In 2001, Modern Drummer named him as "one of the Top 25 Drummer of All Time," and in 2002, he as voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame.
In 2003, Smith's Hudson Music DVD "Steve Smith Drumset Technique - History of the U.S. Beat" was voted the #1 Educational DVD of 2003. For more info on Steve Smith and his many projects, go to www.vitalinformation.com .
To hear Steve Smith and Vital Information, go to: www.myspace.com/vitalinformation
To hear Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy, go to:
www.myspace.com/stevesmithjazzlegacy
Steve Smith selected DVDs:
- Steve Smith Drumset Technique/History of the U.S. Beat (Hudson Music)
Drummers Collective 25 th Anniversary featuring Steve Smith and Victor Wooten duet, The Steve Gadd Gang, Dave Weckl Band and Horacio “El Negro†Hernandez and John Pattitucci (Hudson Music) Modern Drummer Festival 2003 Steve Smith and Vital Information featuring Tom Coster, Frank Gambale, Baron Browne and special guest Bill Evans (Hudson Music) A Salute to Buddy Rich with Phil Collins, Steve Smith and Dennis Chambers (Hudson Music) Steve Smith Part One + one hour of bonus footage (Alfred Music) Steve Smith Part Two + one hour of bonus footage (Alfred Music) Journey Live In Houston 1981 Escape Tour (Sony) Drum Pad’s 20 th Anniversary DVD – Steve Smith performs one tune with Summit (McCoy) and a brush duet with Jeff Hamilton (Salt Peanuts) (Altitude Digital Productions)
Steve Smith Selected Discography
Steve recommends these recordings as best representing his playing in a variety of styles:
Jazz/Fusion
- Vital Tech Tones with Scott Henderson, Steve Smith, Victor Wooten VTT2 with Scott Henderson, Steve Smith, Victor Wooten Show Me What You Can Do. . . with Frank Gambale, Stuart Hamm, Steve Smith The Light Beyond with Frank Gambale, Stuart Hamm, Steve Smith GHS 3 with Frank Gambale, Stuart Hamm, Steve Smith Cause and Effect with Larry Coryell, Tom Coster, Steve Smith Count's Jam Band - Reunion with Larry Coryell, Steve Marcus, Steve Smith, Kai Eckhardt The Stranger's Hand with Jerry Goodman, Steve Smith, Howard Levy, Oteil Burbridge Flashpoint with Steve Smith, Dave Liebman, Anthony Jackson and Aydin Esen Steps Ahead, Live In Tokyo 1986 with Michael Brecker, Mike Mainieri, Darryl Jones, Mike Stern and Steve Smith Steps Ahead, NYC with Mike Mainieri, Bendik, Tony Levin, Steve Khan and Steve Smith Steps Ahead, Yin Yang with Mike Mainieri, Rachael Z, Victory Bailey, Jeff Andrews, Jimi Tunnell and Steve Smith Soulbop Band Live with Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Victory Bailey, Hiram Bullock, Steve Smith and Dave Kikoski Yo Miles! Sky Garden with Wadada Leo Smith, Henry Kaiser, Tom Coster, Karl Perazzo, Zakir Hussain, Michael Manring, John Tchicai, Greg Osby, Mike Kennealy and Steve Smith Yo Miles! Upriver with Wadada Leo Smith, Henry Kaiser, Tom Coster, Karl Perazzo, Zakir Hussain, Michael Manring, John Tchicai, Greg Osby, Mike Kennealy and Steve Smith Jean-Luc Ponty Enigmatic Ocean with Allan Holdsworth, Darryl Steurmer, Ralphe Armstrong, Steve Smith and Alan Zavod Tom Coster, T.C. with Randy Jackson, Steve Smith and Joaquin Lievano Tom Coster, Ivory Expedition with Randy Jackson, Steve Smith and Joaquin Lievano Players with Jeff Berlin, Scott Henderson, Steve Smith and T Lavitz
Straight-Ahead Jazz
- Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies featuring Buddy Rich Alumni: Steve Marcus, Andy Fusco, Lee Musiker, Anthony Jackson Steve Smith and Buddy’s Buddies Very Live at Ronnie Scott’s Set One with Steve Marcus, Andy Fusco, Mark Soskin and Baron Browne Steve Smith and Buddy’s Buddies Very Live at Ronnie Scott’s Set Two with Steve Marcus, Andy Fusco, Mark Soskin and Baron Browne Steve Smith/Michael Zilber Reimagined: Jazz Standards Vol. 1 Steve Smith’s Jazz Legacy, Live On Tour, recorded in Hollywood at Catalina Bar and Grill with Steve Smith, Andy Fusco, Walt Weiskopf, Mark Soskin and Baron Browne
World
George Brooks Summit with Zakir Hussain, Fareed Haque, Kai Eckhardt and Steve Smith
Drum Nation Vol. 1 tracks: Mad Tea Time part 1, Mad Tea Time part 2 featuring Steve Smith and Zakir Hussain with George Brooks, Fareed Haque and Kai Eckhardt
Rock/Progressive
- Corrado Rustici, Deconstruction Of A Postmodern Musician with Paul McCandless, Michael Manring and Steve Smith Neil Zaza, Staring At The Sun with Ross Valory and Steve Smith Tony MacAlpine, Edge of Insanity with Steve Smith and Billy Shehan Tony MacAlpine , Chromaticity with Steve Smith Vinnie Moore, Defying Gravity with Steve Smith
Country
- Ray Price, Prisoner Of Love with Steve Smith and Steve Bailey
Steve Smith Journey Discography
- Evolution Departure Captured Dream After Dream Escape Frontiers Raised On Radio Greatest Hits Trial By Fire Greatest Hits Live Time 3 Essentials Live In Houston 1981 Escape Tour
Steve Smith and Vital Information Discography
- Vital Information (1983) Orion (1984) Global Beat (1986) Fiafiaga (Celebration) (1988) Vitalive! (1991) Easier Done Than Said (1992) Ray Of Hope (1996) Where We Come From (1998) Live Around The World (2000) Show ‘Em Where You Live (2001) Come On In (2003)