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Steve Allee

Steve Allee, pianist, composer and arranger hails from Indianapolis, Indiana, the hometown of jazz legends Wes Montgomery, Freddie Hubbard, Slide Hampton and J.J. Johnson. Touring with the Buddy Rich Orchestra at age 19, Steve’s passion for the piano and jazz were evident to the audiences and all who performed with him.

Steve’s big band CD, Downtown Blues, was nominated for a Grammy® award with bassist John Clayton and drummer John VonOhlen. Allee's first national solo CD, The Magic Hour, released on Noteworthy Records, landed at #14 on the Gavin national radio poll.

His writing credits include composing the soundtrack for the film inspired by the book by Dan Wakefield titled, "New York In The Fifties". He presented the original music for the film at The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Steve recently completed the soundtrack for the film of the 1954-55 Crispus Attucks basketball team, starring Oscar Robertson titled, "Something To Cheer About".

His experience with such great players as Slide Hampton, James Moody, Rufus Reid Quintet, Bob Mintzer, Randy Brecker, Phil Woods, Curtis Fuller, Buddy Rich Orchestra, Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, Tim Hagans, Scott Wendholt, Charles Rouse, Steve Houghton, John Riley, Ira Sullivan, Ed Thigpen, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Rich Perry, Milt Hinton, Gary Campbell, Don Braden, Jim Snidero, Jim Rotundi, Bobby Shew and Dianne Schuur has given him the musical depth and clarity that you hear in every performance.

His performance and numerous network television writing credits with Los Angeles Post Music© include Chicago Hope, Mad About You, Martha Stewart, Friends, Nash Bridges, NYPD Blue, Dharma and Greg and Touched by an Angel.

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Album Review

Steve Allee Trio: Dragonfly

Read "Dragonfly" reviewed by Woodrow Wilkins


Music is a listening experience, but sometimes it can create a vivid, visual image. So it is with “Bus to Belmopan," the opening track to Steve Allee Trio's Dragonfly. Its engaging Latin beat creates an instrumental story about an interesting bus trip to the capital city of Belize.Pianist/composer Steve Allee is a fixture on the Indianapolis scene. Inspired by pianist Erroll Grandy among others, Allee is a veteran with more than 35 years of musical experience. Working mostly ...

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Album Review

Steve Allee Trio: Colors

Read "Colors" reviewed by John Kelman


Steve Allee's biggest claim to fame is his collaborative big band album with reedman Chuck Carter and drummer John Von Ohlen, Downtown Blues (Sea Breeze, 1999), which garnered a Grammy Award nomination. Still, while he's far from a household name, the west coast-based pianist has been working in the trenches, scoring for film and television, and working with artists ranging from James Moody and Slide Hampton to Randy Brecker and Tim Hagans. Colors is his third release as a leader ...

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Performance / Tour

Steve Allee's compositions - and playing - in the spotlight

Steve Allee's compositions - and playing - in the spotlight

Source: Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes

Pianist Steve Allee is a musical quadruple threat- as a player, arranger, composer and educator. All four of those roles were on display on Monday, March 26 when he was the featured artist at the University of South Florida in Tampa. The Indianapolis native, now an assistant professor of music at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music, held a master class for jazz students at USF, then performed Monday night with the excellent USF Jazz Ensemble I, a big ...

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Recording

On March 9, 2010 - Motema Music Will Release Rufus Reid's out Front Featuring Steve Allee and Duduka Da Fonseca

On March 9, 2010 - Motema Music Will Release Rufus Reid's out Front Featuring Steve Allee and Duduka Da Fonseca

Source: Jason Byrne, Red Cat Publicity

On March 9, 2010 - Motema Music will release RUFUS REID'S OUT FRONTFeaturing Steve Allee and Duduka Da Fonseca“Reid is the man to call for any musical situation that demands both the utmost skill and impeccable taste...his luscious sound and buoyant swing can levitate an ensemble clear off the bandstand." - The New Yorker-    “His work is a virtual catalog of modern bass technique, tempered by his infallible musicianship.  The man has taste...he consistently offers up ...

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Recording

Steve Allee's Versatility Shines on "Dragonfly"

Steve Allee's Versatility Shines on "Dragonfly"

Source: Michael Bloom Media Relations

The Steve Allee Trio Dragonfly Owl Studios July 22 Release date Mention Indianapolis, and chances are good that eight out of ten people will associate the central Indiana city with motor sports, or sports in general (lest we forget about the Indianapolis Colts or Indiana Pacers). For an ardent, longtime jazz fan, Indy brings to mind some of the mighty-talented musicians who were raised and cut their musical teeth there, including brothers Wes, Buddy ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Celebration

Sunnyside Records
2022

buy

Dragonfly

Unknown label
2008

buy

Colors

Unknown label
2007

buy

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