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I was born and raised in Oakland, California.

 

It all started when I was six and my parents bought an old upright piano.  A few days later a man came and while I watched he took the whole piano apart and took the insides away just leaving the wood case.  Then sometime later he showed up and with me as his sole audience he put the whole instrument with rebuilt parts back together.  As soon as I played a few notes on it, I was sold.  I got a special feeling every time I played it.  I still do..

 

I loved my first teacher Mrs. Collins. She was a classical teacher. She soon realized I wanted to learn Jazz. So she made a deal with me: if I showed up to my lesson and had practiced my 3 B’s (Bach, Beethoven and Brahms), we could work on Boogie Woogies too. I learned all the basics from Mrs. Collins.  After five years she helped my parents find a Jazz teacher since she knew that's where my heart was.

 

I started lessons with two fantastic Jazz teachers.  First Don Burke, who moved away after a year, then Wilbur Barranco. In High School I could play a standard out of a fake book with block chords in my right hand and stride in the left.

 

In High School I got more into listening to Jazz and discovered Erroll Garner, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Charles Lloyd, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane.

 

But I still hadn’t played piano with anyone.  I just played by myself at home. I was a freshman at UC Berkeley studying Engineering.  On a whim I auditioned for the school Jazz Ensemble.  Somehow I got in. I started taking classes in the music department and before long I was dropping all my Engineering classes and just studying music.  I had the bug!

 

I transferred to Berklee College of Music in Boston and took lessons with the great Charlie Banacos, Jaki Byard and Ray Santisi.

 

After college I played in an R&B band for a couple of years and toured all over the western United States and Canada.

 

In the early 80’s I became a first call piano player in the thriving Bay Area funky-Latin-Jazz scene. I was Pete Escovedo's piano player for several years. I also worked with Pete's brother Coke's band, Sheila E., Ray Obiedo's band, Linda Tillery, Bill Summers and Summers Heat, Andy Narell, Billy Cobham, Vicki Randle, Will Kennedy, Malo and many others. I also lived in Tokyo for 8 months and played with Japanese fusion artist Miyaura Kiyoshi.

In the late 80's I was a member of The Freaky Executives. The "Freakies" were picked as the best Bay Area band by every bay area publication (SF Chronicle , Oakland Tribune, East Bay Exprees, SJ Mercury  News etc.) for 3 years straight. Joel Selvin (SF Chron) said we were "the hippest most innovative band to come out of the Bay Area in at least 15 years". The Oakland Tribune said we were" the best band to come out of the East Bay since the days of Sly Stone and Tower of Power". We were signed by Benny Medina to Warner Bros.. Warner Bros. spent 2 1/2 years recording an album that sounded nothing like the band, then never released it. The band broke up . . .

In the 90's I returned to being a sideman. I worked with George Benson, Bobby Womack, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Kenneth Nash, Samba Ngo, Nicolas Bearde, Tony Lindsey, Charo, Don Cherry, Andy Narell, Benny Reitveld, Love and Rockets, Taj Mahal, Rebbe Soul as well as my old friends Ray Obiedo and Pete Escovedo and many others. In this period of time I also honed my studio and song writing skills playing on over 100 CD’s, learning to engineer, writing music for TV -Third Watch, Nash Bridges, film -Wayne Wang’s “The Center of The World, Who Needs Sleep?, La Mission featuring Benjamin Bratt, video games -Maxis’ Sim City, Pacha's Pajamas as well as writing songs that were recorded by Huey Lewis and The News, Irene Cara, Forrest Buchtel and many others.

In the early 2000's I was been a member of Los Mocosos- A Latin/Hip Hop band, who toured all over the world playing Jazz and World music festivals. We won a California Music Award for Best Alternative Latin Album. We have 3 CD's out on Six Degrees Records.

Lately have been performing with my own trio. Dennis Smith on Bass and Deszon Claiborne on Drums.  We released 2 CD’s. Our second CD, Cosmopolis received top 10 CD's of the year honors from "All About Jazz" and reached 17 on the Roots Music Jazz Chart.

Recently I have been playing with a new band, “FIVE TEN”, with Dennis Smith, Marquinho Brasil, Jeff Narell and Billy Johnson. We just released our first CD “Cinco Um Zero”.

I have also played with guitarist Pascal Bokar, Mary Jenson, Greg Abate, John Faddis, Afro Blue Grazz, Dave Haskel, Chinese superstar Francis Yip and played on recordings with Mexican band Maldita Vecindad, Tom Scott, The Headhunters, George Clinton, Mos Def and Snoop Dog among others.

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Festivals Steve has performed at:

Monterey Jazz Festival; Monterey, California

Vancouver International Jazz Festival; Vancouver, Canada

Blues and Roots Festival; Byron Bay, Australia

Jazz Fest International; Victoria, Canada

Festival du Jazz; San Javier, Spain

Festival International de Jazz de Montreal; Montreal Canada

San Francisco Jazz Festival; San Francisco, California

Living Traditions Music Festival; Salt Lake City, Utah

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival; New Orleans, Louisiana 

City Stages; Birmingham, Alabama

Audi Jazz Festival; Brussels, Belgium

Montreux Jazz Festival Atlanta; Atlanta, Georgia

Jam in the ‘Dam; Amsterdam, Holland

Houston International Music Festival; Houston, Texas

Latin Alternative Music Conference; New York, New York

Edmonton International Jazz Festival; Edmonton, Canada

Midem; Cannes, France

City Folk Festival; Dayton, Ohio

Kennedy Center Millennium Stage; Washington, DC

Taos Solar Music Festival; Taos, New Mexico

Atlanta Jazz Festival; Atlanta, Georgia

Sonoma Jazz Festival; Sonoma, California

Stern Grove Festival; San Francisco, California

Mile High Music Festival; Denver, Colorado

North Beach Jazz Festival; San Francisco, California

Bumbershoot; Seattle, Washington

Columbus Arts Festival; Columbus, Ohio

Aspin Music Festival; Aspin, Colorado

Belle Chere; Asheville, North Carolina

Vail Jazz Festival; Vail, Colorado

Beale Street Music Festival; Memphis, Tennessee

Chicago Jazz Festival; Chicago, Illinois

Worcester Music Festival; Worcester, Massachusetts

Music in the Mountians; Durango, Colorado

Oakland Art & Soul Festival; Oakland, California

Festival d’ete International de Quebec; Quebec, Canada

Ottawa International Jazz Festival; Ottawa, Canada

JazzFest International; Victoria. Canada

Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival;  Sechelt, BC, Canada

Toronto Downtown Jazz; Toronto, Canada

Medicine Hat JazzFest; Medicine Hat, Canada

Telluride Blues and Brews Festival; Telluride, Colorado

Lake Tahoe Music Festival; Lake Tahoe, California

San Jose Jazz Festival; San Jose, California

Reggae On The River; Mateel, California

Street Scene; San Diego, California

River Rocks Music Festival; St. Paul, Minnesota

Berkeley Jazz Festival; Berkeley, California

MusicfestNW; Portland, Oregon 

Montana Folk Festival; Butte, Montana;

American Folk Festival, Bangor, Maine

Sausalito Art Festival - Sausalito, Ca., and many more. . .

Calendar

Sunday July 18 4:00-6:00

Steve Carter Trio (Billy Johnson, Dennis Smith)     with Special guest Jeff Narell

Happy Hour Jazz on the Lagoon

San Mateo, Ca

info@happyhourjazz.com


 

Saturday July 17, 2021 4:30-7:30

Steve Carter Trio with Billy Johnson and Dennis Smith

Sam's Anchor Cafe

27 Main St, Tiburon,Ca 415-435-4527


 

Thursday April 15, 2021

Steve Carter Trio

Yoshi's Lounge

510 Embarcadero

Oakland,Ca. 510-238-9200Thursday April 15


 

Thursday April 22, 2021

Steve Carter Trio

Yoshi's Lounge

510 Embarcadero

Oakland,Ca. 510-238-9200


 

Thursday April 29,2021

Steve Carter Trio

Yoshi's Lounge

510 Embarcadero

Oakland,Ca. 510-238-9200


 

Sunday September 8, 2019

Church of John Coltrane

Kennedy Center

Washington, D.C.

Saturday August 31

Five Ten

7 Mile House

2800 Bayshore Blvd

Brisbane Ca  415-467-2343


 

Saturday August 24

FIVE Ten

Empress Theatre

330 Virginia St

Vallejo Ca  707-552-2400

Satursday August 10,  7-9:00 pm

FIVE TEN

Music in the Courtyard

714 Main Street
Woodland, CA 95695


 

Sunday August 4

FIVE Ten

Portola Summer Jazz Fest

Portola Vinyards

850 Los Trancos Rd

Portola Valley Ca 94028

650-332-4959

Friday July 26, 8-11:30

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070 

415-624-4549


 

Thursday July 25 6:00

Chelle! and Friends

Fernandez Park

Pinole, Ca


 

Tuesday July 23, 6-9:00

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith

Market Place San Pedro Square

San Jose, Ca.


 

Sunday July 21 6-8:00

Steve Carter Trio w/Al Marshal and Dennis Smith

Bardos's

3343 Lakeshore Ave.

Oakland Ca 


 

Friday July 12, 2-5:00

Steve Carter Trio with Martin Johnson and Dennis Smith

Market Place San Pedro Square

San Jose, Ca.


 

Saturday July 6, 7-10 pm

Peter Welker,  Sideman

Coyote Den

Healdsburg, Ca

Friday June 21,

Darlene Coleman

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070 

415-624-4549


 

June 15, 7-11:00

Charged Particles

The Cellar

4926 El Camino,

Los Altos, Ca.


 

Friday June 14  6:45-7:45

Afro Blue Grazz

Point Richmond Summer Music Festival

Point Richmond, Ca

Sunday, June 9,  6-10:00 pm

Napata Mero

Geoffrey's Inner Circle

410 14th st, Oakland, Ca. 94621  510-839-4644


 

Friday June 7,  8-11:30 pm

Jules Rowell

Larkspur Landing

Larkspur., Ca.


 

Saturday June 1,  8-11:30 pm

Five Ten

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Sunday, May 26, 6:00 pm

MUSIC AND ART FOR THE SOUL SERIES featuring  Michelle jacques

United Lutheran Church

8800 Fontaine st., Oakland


 

Saturday May 4,

Five Ten

7 Mile Jazz Fest

2800 Bayshore Blvd

Brisbane Ca  415-467-2343


 

Sunday April 21 6:00

Steve Carter Trio w/Al Marshal and Dennis Smith

Bardos's

3343 Lakeshore Ave.

Oakland Ca 


 

Friday April19 7:00

Michelle jacques

Oakland Museum

1000 Oak st

Oakland Ca 


 

Wednesday April 17

Afrobluegrazz

Empress Theatre Lounge

330 Virginia St

Vallejo Ca  707-552-2400


 

Saturday April 13,

Afro Blue Grazz

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070 

415-624-4549 

Friday April 12, 7-10 pm

Peter Welker,  Sideman

Red Brick

101 2nd Street #190,

Petaluma CA 94952

707 559 5133


 

Friday, April 5,

FIVE Ten

The Sound Room

2147 Broadway.,

Oakland  510-496-4180

Saturday April 13, 8-11:30


 

Thursday April 4, 8-11pm

Charged Particles

Blue Door Cafe

1502 Saratoga Ave,

San Jose, Ca. 95129


 

Saturday March 23

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Clainborne and Dennis Smith

Albatross Pub

1822 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley Ca. 94702  510-843-2473

Friday March 15,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Thursday, March 14, 7:30-10:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Saturday March 9,  8:00-9:30 pm

Five Ten

Impulse Room

1501 N.Broadway #138

Walnut Creek, Ca. 94596

925-476-5040


 

Thursday March 7, 7:30-9:30

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith

The Jazz Club-Cloverdale Arts Allience

204 N Cloverdale blvd

Cloverdale Ca 95425

707-894-4410


 

Friday, February 22, 8-11:30

Afro Blue Grazz

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070 

415-624-4549 


 

Thursday February 21, 8:00-9:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith

Impulse Room

1501 N.Broadway #138

Walnut Creek, Ca. 94596

925-476-5040


 

Tuesday February 19  7-9:00

Church of John Coltrane

Performance of Live of Birdland

2097 Turk st,  San Francisco, Ca 415-624-4549


 

Friday February 2, 8 pm

Chelle! and Friends

Rendon Hall

California Jazz Conservatory

20140 Addison St,

Berkeley CA 94704

Friday, January 25, 8-11:30

Afro Blue Grazz

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Saturday February 9,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Friday January 18 5:30-8:00

Steve Carter Trio with Alcide Marshal and Dennis Smith

Sam's Anchor Cafe

27 main St, Tiburon,Ca 415-435-4527


 

Thursday, January 10, 7:30-10:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

December 31, 9:30-12:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Mark Williams and Paul Smith

Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay

1 Miramontes Rd,

Half Moon Bay, Ca. 94019

650-712-7000

Friday, December 21,  8:00-9:30 pm

Five Ten

Impulse Room

1501 N.Broadway #138

Walnut Creek, Ca. 94596

925-476-5040


 

Thursday, December 13, 7:30-10:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549

Thursday December 6, 8-11pm

Charged Particles

Blue Door Cafe

1502 Saratoga Ave,

San Jose, Ca. 95129


 

Friday, November 30, 8-9:30

Afro Blue Grazz

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Saturday Nov 24,  8-11:30 pm

Five Ten

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Saturday November 17,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Nov 3,  9:30-12:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Brian Andres and Dennis Smith

Albatross Pub

1822 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley Ca. 94702  510-843-2473


 

Saturday Oct 27,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549

Friday, October 26, 8-9:30

Afro Blue Grazz

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549

Thursday, October 25, 8:00-9:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith -Plus- Special Gueat Marquinho Brasil

Impulse Room

1501 N.Broadway #138

Walnut Creek, Ca. 94596

925-476-5040


 

Wednesday October 24, 6:00

Saint John Coltrane African Orthodox Church  Special Performance of A LOVE SUPREME

Daniel Pearl World Music Days Concert

Stanford University- Bing Concert Hall


 

Saturday Oct 20,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Sunday Oct 14 1:00

Ann Mack & Trio

Silicone Valley Jazz fest

Burton Park,  San Carlos, Ca. 94070


 

Sunday Oct 14 4:00

Pascal Bokar Afro Blue Grazz

Silicone Valley Jazz fest

Burton Park,  San Carlos, Ca. 94070

Saturday Oct 13,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group w Jon Faddis

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549

Thursday, October 11, 7:30-10:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Saturday October,6, 8-11pm

Peter Welker,  Sideman

Sonoma Speakeasy

452 1st st E unit G,

Sonoma Ca. 94476

707-996-1364


 

Friday October 5:30-8:00

Steve Carter Trio with Alcide Marshal and Dennis Smith

Sam's Anchor Cafe

27 main St, Tiburon,Ca 415-435-4527

Friday September28,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Friday, September 21, 8-9:30

Afro Blue Grazz

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Saturday, September 15 1-4:00  pm

Steve Carter Trio w/ Dennis Smith, Deszon Claiborne

 Sam's Chowder House

4210 Cabrillo hwy N

Half Moon Bay, Ca

Saturday September 1,  1-3:00

FIVE TEN

Sausalito Art Festival

Mainship Wy.

Sausalito Ca.


 

Friday August 31, 7:30-10:00 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Alcide Marshal and Dennis Smith

Sam's Tiburon Street Festival


 

Wednesday, August 29, 8:00-9:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith

Impulse Room

1501 N.Broadway #138

Walnut Creek, Ca. 94596

925-476-5040

Satursday August 25,  7-9:00 pm

FIVE TEN

Music in the Courtyard

714 Main Street
Woodland, CA 95695


 

Friday August 24,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549

Thursday, August 23, 7:30-10:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Saturday August 18,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Saturday August 11,   pm

Charged Particles

Los Gatos Lounge

Los Gatos, Ca


 

Friday, August 10

Afro Blue Grazz

San Jose Jazz Festival

San Jose, Ca.


 

Friday July13,  8:00-9:30 pm

Five Ten

Impulse Room

1501 N.Broadway #138

Walnut Creek, Ca. 94596

925-476-5040


 

Wednesday, July 4th

Mary Jenson-Beyond Standard Jazz

Festival

El Cerrito, Ca.

Saturday June 30,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Saturday June 23,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Sunday, June 10, 6:00 pm

MUSIC AND ART FOR THE SOUL SERIES featuring FIVE TEN

United Lutheran Church

8800 Fontaine st., Oakland

Saturday  June 8,  7-9pm

Peter Welker,  Sideman

Funky Fridays

Santa Rosa


 

Saturday June 2, 8-11pm

Peter Welker,  Sideman

Sonoma Speakeasy

452 1st st E unit G,

Sonoma Ca. 94476

707-996-1364


 

Friday, June 1,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Sunday, May 27 5:30-8:30 pm

Charged Particles

Sam's Chowder House

4210 Cabrillo hwy N

Half Moon Bay, Ca

Thursday, May 24, 7:30-10:30 pm

Steve Carter Trio with Deszon Claiborne and Dennis Smith

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549


 

Saturday, May 23, 7-10:00 pm

Darlene Coleman

Broadway Grill

1400 Broadway,

Burlingame, Ca 


 

Sunday, May 20,  6-10:00 pm

Michelle Jacques

Geoffrey's Inner Circle

410 14th st, Oakland, Ca. 94621  510-839-4644


 

May 11,12

Five Ten

Virginia International Panfest

Virginia Beach, Virginia


 

Sunday, May 6  10:30-11:30 am

United Lutheran Church

8800 Fontaine st., Oakland


 

Saturday  May 5, 8-11 pm

Peter Welker,  Sideman

Sonoma Speakeasy

452 1st st E unit G,

Sonoma Ca. 94476

707-996-1364


 

Thursday May 3 8:00-9:30 pm

Five Ten

Impulse Room

1501 N.Broadway #138

Walnut Creek, Ca. 94596

925-476-5040

Saturday, April 28,  8-11:30 pm

Pascal Bokar Group

Savanna Jazz

1189 Laurel st., San Carlos, Ca. 94070   415-624-4549

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