Home » Jazz Musicians » Steven Kroon

Steven Kroon

I’ve been a professional musician for the last 30 years. I was born in Harlem and lived there until the age of ten. From Harlem we moved to St. Albans, Queens. The year was 1957. My experience of being raised in Queens was very influential. At the time there were many great jazz and R&B artists living right in our neighborhood. At home I would mostly listen to my father’s music, which was Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, and Machito. Then when I would visit my friends, I would listen to all the great jazz artists. Right in my neighborhood was Lester Young, Eddie Lockjaw

Davis, Count Basie and many more. Also, a great influence on me was the great producer Henry Glover, who lived right on the corner from me. He would also allow me to attend his rehearsals with the Cleftones, Joey Dee and the Starlighters, etc. With all that diversity and styles, I would say most of my music appreciation was due to being exposed in the proper environment. Some of the highlights of my career all stem from live performance, television shows and recording sessions. I was associated with Luther Vandross from 1981 - 2001.

I have appeared on seven platinum albums, and 15 world tours, which include 2 live video performances: 1) “Live in Wimbley Stadium” in London and 2) “Live at Prince Albert Tulley Hall”, also in London. An array of television shows such as: The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The David Letterman Show, The Arsenio Hall Show, and The Rosie O’Donnell Show. Also a variety of music shows such as The Grammy’s, The Soul Train Awards, etc.

At this point in my life, I have chosen to devote my time and creativity to pursue my own career. I have also performed with Ron Carter from 1987 to the present, which has included extensive tours of the U.S., Japan and Brazil. Some of the places we’ve performed include The Village Vanguard, The Iridium in NY, The Blue Note in the U.S. and Japan, and The Mistura Fina in Brazil. I’ve recorded 6 CD’s with Ron Carter and appeared on numerous TV shows in the U.S. and Japan. I have presently recorded my own CD, which is titled “In My Path”, which has been released on World Blue Records, which I am no longer affiliated with. I have just completed my second CD entitled “Senor Kroon” for a Japanese label entitled M&I Co., for which I own the rights to in the U.S.

Read more

Tags

7
Album Review

Steven Kroon: On The # 1

Read "On The # 1" reviewed by Edward Blanco


New York percussionist Steven Kroon offers a percussive-laden session of Afro-Cuban rhythms, a slice of Brazil and draws on his Nuyorican heritage for a taste of the Puerto Rican flair, in presenting On The # 1, the fifth self- produced album of this veteran musician's 45-year plus musical journey. Long a part of the jazz, blues, R&B and Latin music world playing as both a sideman and leader of his own light ensembles, Kroon brings back the group he has ...

6
Album Review

Steven Kroon: On The #1

Read "On The #1" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Steven Kroon has long been a first-call percussionist for the musical elite, adding seasonings and spices to the variety of R&B, jazz, and soul dishes that these bigwigs make. He's worked behind Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, Diana Krall, Stanley Turrentine, and numerous others over the past three-plus decades. Many will forever think of Kroon as a support player of note, but more and more listeners are starting to know him as a leader. ...

458
Album Review

Steven Kroon: El Mas Alla (Beyond)

Read "El Mas Alla (Beyond)" reviewed by John Barron


Growing up in Queens, New York, percussionist Steven Kroon soaked up the sounds of the Latin, jazz and R&B music permeating his neighborhood. The influence of such a diverse musical environment helped shape his personalized style, catching the attention of big-name pop and jazz artists like Luther Vandross and Ron Carter. Along with being a first-call percussion sideman, Kroon is also an engaging bandleader, as evidenced by his third solo release: El Mas Alla (Beyond), a polished Latin-jazz production with ...

941
Interview

Steven Kroon: Looking Beyond

Read "Steven Kroon: Looking Beyond" reviewed by Chip Boaz


Percussionist Steve Kroon has spent many years walking through a variety of musical worlds. He spent his childhood years surrounded by all sorts of musical figures, with connections to jazz, Cuban music, rhythm and blues, Brazilian music, and more. His deep involvement led to local performance and recording jobs, and eventually a high profile gig with singer Luther Vandross that lasted twenty years. At the same time, Kroon began an association another musical icon, jazz bassist Ron Carter; their musical ...

138
Album Review

T.K. Blue: Eyes of the Elders

Read "Eyes of the Elders" reviewed by James Nichols


Saxophonist and flutist T.K. Blue, the artist formerly known as Talib Kibwe, continues to evolve his own brand of post-bop on Eyes of the Elders, his second release as a leader for Arkadia Jazz. Despite the pretentious title, this album contains some worthy performances by a cadre of jazz veterans and young lions. Though T.K. Blue fits the ubiquitous description of the contemporary jazzer infatuated with jazz tradition, he actually spent years paying his dues with jazz veterans including Abdullah ...

161
Album Review

T.K. Blue: Eyes Of The Elders

Read "Eyes Of The Elders" reviewed by AAJ Staff


When he was the artist known as Talib Qadir Kibwe, T.K. Blue spent a good many years as Randy Weston's musical director, and he performed on some of Weston's now-classic recordings with Melba Liston like The Spirits Of Our Ancestors and Volcano Blues. Previously, Kibwe lived in Paris for eight years after a three-year association with Abdullah Ibrahim in the late 1970's. Journeying to Africa from his Paris base throughout the 1980's, Kibwe delved deeper and deeper into the spiritual ...

206
Album Review

Steven Kroon: In My Path

Read "In My Path" reviewed by Tim James


From world-renowned percussionist Steve Kroon comes In My Path. On his debut release as a leader, Kroon showcases his multitude of influences as he seamlessly mixes calypso, Brazilian, Latin, R&B and jazz. Kroon has performed with many greats during his career, including stints with Aretha Franklin, Stanley Turrentine, Ron Carter, and Luther Vandross. “Bridges," a mere 36 seconds in length, lets you hear immediately why Kroon was chosen by this illustrious group of musicians as their timekeeper. Kroon ...

Read more articles
117

Performance / Tour

Steven Kroon Quintet at Creole July 17th & 18th

Steven Kroon Quintet at Creole July 17th & 18th

Source: Ann Forster

NEW YORK -- Creole Restaurant and Music Supper Club continues to invigorate the Harlem Jazz scene with its Latin Jazz Legacy Series featuring the Steven Kroon Quintet Friday, July 17th and Saturday, July 18th, Showtimes 8:00pm and 10:00pm at Creole, 2167 Third Avenue, Corner of 118th Street, NY, NY 10035. (212) 876-8838.

Steven Kroon (congas & percussion), Adam Perez (piano), Waldo Chevez (bass), Bryan Carrott (vibraphone), Craig Rivers (sax & flute), Alex Garcia (drums) The sultry jazz Latin style of ...

107

Interview

Percussionist Steven Kroon Interviewed at AAJ

Percussionist Steven Kroon Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz

Percussionist Steve Kroon has spent many years walking through a variety of musical worlds. He spent his childhood years surrounded by all sorts of musical figures, with connections to jazz, Cuban music, rhythm and blues, Brazilian music, and more. His deep involvement led to local performance and recording jobs, and eventually a high profile gig with singer Luther Vandross that lasted twenty years. At the same time, Kroon began an association another musical icon, jazz bassist Ron Carter; their musical ...

57

Recording

Album of the Week: El Mas Alla (Beyond), Steven Kroon

Album of the Week: El Mas Alla (Beyond), Steven Kroon

Source: All About Jazz


125

Performance / Tour

Steven Kroon Sextet Returns Live at Sweet Rhythm on November 5 - 6

Steven Kroon Sextet Returns Live at Sweet Rhythm on November 5 - 6

Source: All About Jazz

The Steven Kroon Sextet returns live at Sweet Rhythm on Nov. 5-6, 2004.

Thanks to your support and great turnout, we have been asked for a return engagement. This time for two nights, Friday and Saturday!! We hope you've enjoyed the music enough to return for some more great Latin-Jazz.

The members of the Steven Kroon Sextet are: Steven Kroon on congas and percussion; Igor Atalita on piano; Craig Rivers on sax and flute; Bryan Carrot on vibes; Willie Martinez ...

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Eyes of the Elders

Arkadia Records
2022

buy

On The #1

Kroonatune
2014

buy

On The # 1

Self Produced
2014

buy

El Mas Alla (Beyond)

Self Produced
2008

buy

In My Path

World Blue Records
2000

buy

Similar

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.