Steve Oliver
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| Steve Oliver | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 11, 1952  in Los Angeles, California |
| Genre(s) | Jazz |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar |
Steve Oliver is a California based guitarist & vocalist. He creates and performs music in a wide variety of styles including Jazz, Pop, Latin and World Music. Growing up in Walnut Creek, California, Steve Oliver started out playing in progressive rock oufits in high school. Influenced by acts such as Genesis and Yes, his band Fragile Glass released one LP entitled "Farewell Father Analogue" before disbanding. Oliver played steady gigs in and around central California as a one-man-band, often creating music which appeared to come out of two or three people just by himself. While gigging around the Bay Area, Steve attracted the attention of former Rippingtons percussionist Steve Reid. Reid recruited Oliver to join his new project Bamboo Forest. It is here where Steve Oliver started to perfect his sunny, robust and energetic vibe.
Steve Oliver was the lead vocalist and guitarist for Bamboo Forest and many of the tunes on the first two albums are Oliver / Reid compositions. Reid eventually persuaded Oliver into the spotlight and helped the young guitarist produce his own CD.
Steve's debut album "First View" was highly regarded in the Smooth Jazz community. He received plenty of airplay on radio stations throughout the country with tunes like "Highway One", "First View" and "Midnight at the Oasis". The record landed on many critics' top ten lists and Steve was awarded Best New Artist from Smooth Jazz News.
The follow up album "Positive Energy" made a huge splash on the scene, thanks in part to the massive success of the single "High Noon". The album reached the top 20 on Billboard's album chart and the single reached as high as number 3 on the smooth jazz singles chart. "High Noon" became a staple for the format and is still heard in heavy rotation all over the country and in Canada.
Steve has released two albums since then including "3D" and "Radiant" on the KOCH records label, scoring radio play with songs such as "Chips and Salsa", "Good to Go" and "Tradewinds". Though he continues to stay true to his beginnings in jazz, Steve enjoys turning his audience onto new sounds and is too excited musically to be stuck in one movement. His works have always been brushed with pop and world sensibilities and some singer-songwriter ideals, and his later works have been moving toward that direction.
