Who is Steve Clarke.....

Professional Bass Player performing with local bands in the New York, Connecticut area with over 20 years experience.

Presently performing with 2 time Grammy nominated Flutist Sherry Winston

 

CD's Performed on:

Steve Clarke  - "Kickin' It"   ...    Hop-N- Bop Records

Shirley Winston  -  " You Were There"

Francisco Molina - " Fade Into The Blue"    ...   Flathead Publishing

Philip Maniatty  -  " Just Like We Rehearsed It "

Laco Deczi's  -   " Horse Manure "  

Willie Randall -   " Sweet Tooth "     ...   Sassack Records

Walter Duda's  - " Daylight Again "  ...    World Alert Records

Charles Dukes -  " Forever And A Day "   ...   Duxx Records

TNT -    "Life Tones"    ...    Tilt Records,

Laco Deczi's - "Cellula New York"-  ...    Hovado Records,

Greg Bernard's - "Rough Diamond"  ...    Rough Diamond Records,

Greg James - "Presenting Greg James"  ...    En Records.

 

CD's Produced/Performed Willie Randall- "There's No Place Like Home"-Sassack Records Believers- "One Way To Glory" - Hop-N-Bop Records.

Other Live Performances: As bassist - performed with The Coasters, Drifters, Mary Wells, Sam and Dave, Ben E. King.

Performed as house bassist with Sonny Costanza Big Band featured special guest jazz greats such as Jimmy Heath, Randy Brecker and Clark Terry.

Related Experience:

Owner of Project Studio "Q-Up Recording Studios" (1993-Present): currently producing,arranging, and writing tracks for various artists.

Adjunct Professor Fairfield University Fairfield, CT Jan. 98- Present

Bass Instructor    Fairfield University Fairfield, CT 1995- Present

Engineer/Producer Q-Up Studios        Bridgeport, CT 1993- Present

 

Related Education: * Graduate of a 900 hour Recording Engineering and Production Program at The Institute of Audio Research (96)

* Graduate of two 15-week extensive programs in Modern Recording Techniques at Trod Nossel Productions and Recording Studios (certificates received May'93 and August '94)

* Graduate of Housatonic Community College (Associates Degree in Music Theory, June 1989) Deans List 1986

* Private music lessons with instructor Brian Torff. Studied music theory, jazz improvisation and composition (1986-1989)

* Private lessons with Jay Fredrick's of The Westport Jazz Academy-Studied piano (1984-1985)

 

 

Steve Clarke was born and raised in the "Hollow" of Bridgeport, CT and later moved to the east end of Bridgeport. He is the sixth of twelve children born to Haywood and Ruthe Clarke.

Steve is from a musically inclined family. His father played the trumpet along side the late Eddie and Bobby Buster from New Haven, CT during the 1950's. His oldest brother Haywood was also a jazz musician. Additionally his other brothers played trumpet, bugle, and cornet particularly in the drum and bugle corps.

Steve at an early age took his first musical lesson on the accordion. It was short lived by a new desire at age fourteen to experiment with the drums. A few years later he found a love for the bass guitar and asked a friend Tim Mallory to show him a few bass lines. Needless to say the bass guitar became his love.

Steve went on playing the bass and practicing alone and with friends for hours. He began playing well enough that he started playing with local bands at area clubs.

He then answeared an ad from a newspaper that was looking for a bass player to go on tour. He found himself playing in the backup bands for The Drifters, The Coasters, Mary Wells, and Sam & Daves.

Steve began to really take music seriously He went on to take classes at Housatonic Comminity College with the hope of learning as much as possible about music. While in school he began playing bass for the Sonny Costanzo Big Bang. During this time they became the house band at Quinnapiac College where famous jazz artists were featured such as Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath and others.

While working a full job, gigging, and going to school, Steve studied bass with Brian Torff and took piano lessons with Jay Fredricks at Westport Jazz Academy.

Shortly after graduating from Housatonic Community College, Steve went on tour in Germany with the Laczo Deczi's band "Cellula" in 1988 and Europe in 1998.

Steve continued to play with local bands and became interested in writing, producing and recording his own material.

He went on to The Institude of Audio Research to learn the business of music and recording. He graduated from there and began his own music recording business, Q-UP Studios and Music Productions. He now records other artist as well as himself. He formulated a record label know as Hop-N-Bop Records and has released himself as their first artist.

Steves newest CD is titled, "Kickin' It" and is available now. His performances can soon be found on this website.