Steve Rucker
Encyclopedia
Stephen"Steve" Rucker was a drummer in the popular band the Bee Gees
. With the Bee Gees band, he appeared on The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, Oprah Winfrey, Rosie O' Donnell, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and a Royal Variety Performance
for the Queen of England. Rucker appears on the Bee Gees' One Night Only
recording and DVD.
Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Mr. Rucker attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, and holds an Undergraduate Degree in Studio Music and Jazz and a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami Frost School of Music.
From September of 1974 til May of 1975, Steve toured with the Charlotte NC based band, Sugarcreek. During this period he became the musical arranger for this funky 7 piece horn band, wrote and recorded their first single, "Runnin' Out Of Time".
Mr. Rucker moved to Miami, Florida in 1976. Soon after, he was voted "Best Jazz Performer" and "Most Versatile Artist" in South Florida polls. In the early 1980's, Mr. Rucker was a member of the Ross-Levine band, a ground-breaking jazz-fusion group. In addition to numerous appearances with them, he recorded "That Summer Something" and "Humidity".
While a member of Randy Bernsen's Ocean Sound Band in the late 1980's and early 1990's, he recorded tracks on "Paradise Citizens" and "Calling Me Back Home", and performed many concerts internationally, including a billing with Miles Davis. In 1992, he recorded "Blues Hat Dances 'Round Midnight" with Randy Bernsen and Onorino Tiburzi in Italy.
In 1990, he recorded "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" with Gloria Estefan. For many years, he performed nationwide with Ben Vereen
, and appeared with Mr. Vereen with the Atlanta Symphony and the Dallas Symphony.
Rucker founded and produced
the jazz
ensemble Active Ingredient, a group of musicians from the University of Miami. The band debuted on Bainbridge Records in 1988 with "Building Houses," followed by "Extra Strength" in 1990.
Rucker was a member of the Bee Gees band for ten years. In 1997, he appeared on a Bee Gees concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas which was shown on pay-per-view television, HBO, and was mastered as a live album. The recording of this performance sold over 5 million copies. This led to a world tour of "One Night Only" concerts. The tour included playing to 56,000 people at London's Wembley Stadium on September 5, 1998 and concluded in the newly-built Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia in March 1999.
Steve also performed or recorded with Michael Jackson
, Paquito D'Rivera
, Barry Gibb
, Jaco Pastorius
, Joe Sample
, Johnny Cash
, Bo Diddley, the Woody Herman Big Band, the Tommy Dorsey Band (with Warren Covington), Sam Moore and Bob James.
Since 1979, Rucker has been the Director of Drumset Studies at the University of Miami. Rucker has twice been voted “Best Jazz Performer” and “Most Versatile Artist” in South Florida polls. His Drumset Improvisation class is one of the most unique programs in the country. He directs the Funk/Fusion Ensemble, which has won six Downbeat Student Awards. In previous years has created Tower of Power Ensemble and Weather Report Ensembles.
In 2008, Rucker created an avant garde duo with accomplished guitarist Tom Lippincott. A sampling can be heard at:
http://www.myspace.com/ruckerlippincottduo
In 2010, Rucker recorded an album with legendary composer Ron Miller, entitled "Peacock Park the Music of Ron Miller."
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
. With the Bee Gees band, he appeared on The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, Oprah Winfrey, Rosie O' Donnell, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and a Royal Variety Performance
Royal Variety Performance
The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch. In more recent years Queen Elizabeth II and The Prince of Wales have alternately attended the performance...
for the Queen of England. Rucker appears on the Bee Gees' One Night Only
One Night Only (Bee Gees album)
One Night Only is a live album and DVD by the Bee Gees. It features the group's concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in 1997 and includes many of their greatest hits....
recording and DVD.
Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Mr. Rucker attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, and holds an Undergraduate Degree in Studio Music and Jazz and a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami Frost School of Music.
From September of 1974 til May of 1975, Steve toured with the Charlotte NC based band, Sugarcreek. During this period he became the musical arranger for this funky 7 piece horn band, wrote and recorded their first single, "Runnin' Out Of Time".
Mr. Rucker moved to Miami, Florida in 1976. Soon after, he was voted "Best Jazz Performer" and "Most Versatile Artist" in South Florida polls. In the early 1980's, Mr. Rucker was a member of the Ross-Levine band, a ground-breaking jazz-fusion group. In addition to numerous appearances with them, he recorded "That Summer Something" and "Humidity".
While a member of Randy Bernsen's Ocean Sound Band in the late 1980's and early 1990's, he recorded tracks on "Paradise Citizens" and "Calling Me Back Home", and performed many concerts internationally, including a billing with Miles Davis. In 1992, he recorded "Blues Hat Dances 'Round Midnight" with Randy Bernsen and Onorino Tiburzi in Italy.
In 1990, he recorded "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" with Gloria Estefan. For many years, he performed nationwide with Ben Vereen
Ben Vereen
Ben Vereen is an American actor, dancer, and singer who has appeared in numerous Broadway theatre shows. Vereen graduated from Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts.- Early years :...
, and appeared with Mr. Vereen with the Atlanta Symphony and the Dallas Symphony.
Rucker founded and produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
ensemble Active Ingredient, a group of musicians from the University of Miami. The band debuted on Bainbridge Records in 1988 with "Building Houses," followed by "Extra Strength" in 1990.
Rucker was a member of the Bee Gees band for ten years. In 1997, he appeared on a Bee Gees concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas which was shown on pay-per-view television, HBO, and was mastered as a live album. The recording of this performance sold over 5 million copies. This led to a world tour of "One Night Only" concerts. The tour included playing to 56,000 people at London's Wembley Stadium on September 5, 1998 and concluded in the newly-built Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia in March 1999.
Steve also performed or recorded with Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Paquito D'Rivera
Paquito D'Rivera
Paquito D'Rivera is a Cuban alto saxophonist, clarinetist and soprano saxophonist. The winner of multiple Grammys and other awards, D'Rivera has lived in the United States since the early 1980s. He has worked in a variety of contexts, but is perhaps best known for playing Latin...
, Barry Gibb
Barry Gibb
Barry Alan Crompton Gibb, CBE , is a singer, songwriter and producer. He was born in the Isle of Man to English parents. With his brothers Robin and Maurice, he formed The Bee Gees, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. The trio got their start in Australia, and found their major...
, Jaco Pastorius
Jaco Pastorius
John Francis Anthony Pastorius III , known as Jaco Pastorius, was an American jazz musician and composer widely acknowledged as a virtuoso electric bass player....
, Joe Sample
Joe Sample
Joseph Leslie "Joe" Sample is an American pianist, keyboard player and composer.He is one of the founding members of the Jazz Crusaders, the band which became simply The Crusaders in 1971, and remained a part of the group until its final album in 1991 .- Biography :Sample began playing the piano...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, Bo Diddley, the Woody Herman Big Band, the Tommy Dorsey Band (with Warren Covington), Sam Moore and Bob James.
Since 1979, Rucker has been the Director of Drumset Studies at the University of Miami. Rucker has twice been voted “Best Jazz Performer” and “Most Versatile Artist” in South Florida polls. His Drumset Improvisation class is one of the most unique programs in the country. He directs the Funk/Fusion Ensemble, which has won six Downbeat Student Awards. In previous years has created Tower of Power Ensemble and Weather Report Ensembles.
In 2008, Rucker created an avant garde duo with accomplished guitarist Tom Lippincott. A sampling can be heard at:
http://www.myspace.com/ruckerlippincottduo
In 2010, Rucker recorded an album with legendary composer Ron Miller, entitled "Peacock Park the Music of Ron Miller."