New Zealand Music Tour :: Steve Smith on drums 

Steve Smith - long considered one of the best drummers in the world of Jazz and Rock

Steve Smith was originally drawn to the drums by hearing marching bands in parades as a child in his native Massachusetts. At age nine, in 1963, Smith began studying the instrument in earnest with local teacher Bill Flanagan, who played in big bands in the swing era.

Steve Smith pictured with
Tour Time's Brent Imrie during his recent tour of New Zealand.  He thrilled jazz and rock drummers alike and it is easy to see why he has been voted as one of the top drummers in the world. 

Tour Time are thrilled that Steve has endorsed our Music Tours and look forward to a return visit from him and his fellow musicians.   

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Smith's early inspiration at this time was drawn from the great drumming stars of the big bands such as Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson and Kenny Clarke, among others. In particular, regular trips in his youth to The Boston Globe Jazz Festival, where he first saw and heard his idols, made a special impact on his musical endeavors.

Smith performed in the usual school band program.  After high school, Smith began studying music at the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1972.
 

In 1974 Smith's professional career began in full, at 19 years old, with his tenure in the Lin Biviano Big Band, which he toured and recorded with for the next two years.

At that same time he also performed with bebopper Buddy DeFranco. With his band Journey, Smith toured around the world and recorded many successful albums. 

In 1985, however, Journey began to change their direction and Smith left to pursue his original passion, jazz, and to continue his developing career as a session player. Over the past 15 years, Smith has played on many hits with such diverse artists as Mariah Carey, Bryan Adams, Zucchero, Claudio Baglioni, Tommy Shaw/Jack Blades, Ray Price, and Savage Garden.

Smith began leading his own fusion band Vital Information in 1983 while still a member of Journey. His explosive solos and intricate timekeeping served to gain him much acclaim from sources such as Modern Drummer Magazine, whose readers voted him the #1 All-Around Drummer five years in a row.

Smith has also maintained an extensive touring and recording career, appearing with many jazz greats such as Michael Brecker, Mike Stern, Ahmad Jamal, Jeff Berlin, Michael Manring, Stanley Clarke, Randy Brecker, Zakir Hussain and the Buddy Rich Big Band, with whom he has performed in many tribute concerts to the late drumming idol.

In 1998, Smith began producing and playing on a series of driving electric jazz albums with a revolving cast of talented players such as Frank Gambale, Stu Hamm, Tom Coster, Larry Coryell, Jerry Goodman, Howard Levy, Steve Marcus, Scott Henderson and Victor Wooten to name a few.

In 2001 Modern Drummer Magazine named Steve as one of the Top 25 Drummers of All Time, in 2002 he was voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame.

Considered getting a group of musicians together and touring New Zealand...Tour Time will do all the planning for you BUT REWARD YOU for organising the group!