Contact: steve@stevesnelling.com phone: (415) 846-1022
Artist: Steve Snelling
Instrument: Piano and Voice
Sounds Like: Chet Baker meets Bill Evans – or – Mose Allison meets Paul Simon
Websites: www.SteveSnelling.com, www.Dharmajazz.com

Background

A life-long musician, Steve Snelling started playing piano at the age of three and has been performing professionally and teaching for over thirty years. Enduring the knuckle-rapping disciplines of his first childhood piano teacher, Steve was later inspired to jazz music as a young teenager by the great Portland pianist and educator, Mary Field. Mary introduced Steve to the music and disciplines of Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Carmen McRae and others, and her influence shows through to the present day in Steve's efforts to follow his early teacher's credo of artistic authenticity, honesty, and a steadfast commitment to disciplined practice.

Steve earned a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of Northern Colorado in 1986, and is at home in myriad styles. He has performed with such jazz luminaries as Larry Coryell, Clark Terry, Sonny Stitt, Bud Shank, Lenny White, and with other artists as diverse as Molly Brown, Annie Marie Moss, the Platters, Billy Tolles and Guitar Shorty.

Evolving through rock, soul, Mowtown, and R & B, Steve's real depth as a musician comes from experience in "about a thousand bands - from American garage to full-on symphonic mayhem."

His multifaceted background includes acting in professional theater, performing and teaching modern dance with the Oregon Dance Theater.

Publications

“The Road to Aqaba: Practice Strategies for the Jazz Pianist” available at www.DharmajazzMusic.com.

Recordings

Steve Snelling, "Traffic Studies" (live ambient improvisations)
Murder of Crows, "Murder of Crows" (pop-rock)
Nearly Nine, "Nearly Nine" (original a cappella quintet)
Steve Snelling, "Perfect Strangers" (Joni-influenced songwriting)

Current Activity

Steve makes his home in San Francisco, performing and teaching throughout the Bay area. He is currently working on a solo recording project featuring originals, arrangements of well-crafted pop tunes, and a few choice standards.