Steve Gadd

Steve Gadd (born April 9, 1945 in Rochester, New York) is a very well known session drummer, mainly known for work with Paul Simon, Steely Dan, Joe Cocker, Bob James, Chick Corea, and many others. He has won respect from many musicians alike in many styles. Gadd is arguably the most recorded drummer in history.

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April 9 - 1945 - Rochester, New York - Paul Simon - Steely Dan - Joe Cocker - Bob James - Chick Corea

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Steve Gadd was born and raised in Rochester, New York. When he was 7 years old, his Uncle, who was a drummer in the US army encouraged him to take drum lessons. Gadd became so talented at the drums, that by the time he was 11 years old, he had sat in with Dizzy Gillespie.

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After graduating High School, he attended the Manhattan School of Music for two years, then transferred over to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, playing in wind ensemble and concert band. At nights, he would usually play in a club with Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione, Joe Romano and Frank Pullara. After Gadd finished college in the late 1960's, he played with Chuck Mangione.

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Manhattan School of Music - Eastman School of Music - Chick Corea - Chuck Mangione - Joe Romano - Frank Pullara - 1960's

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Steve was drafted into army and spent three years in a military band as a drummer. After his military band service, Gadd played and worked with a well known band in Rochester. In 1972, formed a trio with Tony Levin and Mike Holmes, traveling to New York with them. The trio eventually broke up, but Gadd began to work mainly as a studio musician. Gadd also played with Corea's first Return to Forever.

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1972 - Tony Levin - Mike Holmes

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In the 1970's and 1980's, he toured internationally, and recorded with Paul Simon and also with Al DiMeola's Electric Rendezvous Band. By the end of the 1970's, Steve Gadd was the most in-demand and most likely the most imitated drummer in the world. In Japan, transcriptions of his drum solos were on sale, and almost all the leading drummers from Japan sounded like him. Chick Corea once commented, "Every drummer wants to play like Gadd because he plays perfect . . . He has brought orchestral and compositional thinking to the drum kit while at the same time having a great imagination and a great ability to swing."

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1970's - 1980's - Paul Simon - Japan - Chick Corea

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Gadd showed some of these strengths in his work on Steely Dan's classicAja album, including the title track -- highlighted by Gadd's powerful drum punctuation of the coda.

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Some of Gadd's favorite drummers are Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette, Buddy Rich, and Louie Bellson

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Elvin Jones - Tony Williams - Jack DeJohnette - Buddy Rich - Louie Bellson

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