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Steve Gadd

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Steve Gadd, in full Stephen Kendall Gadd, is an American drummer and session musician, born in 1945 and raised in Irondequoit in New York State. He began drumming as a boy. At eleven he won a talent contest and played on The Mickey Mouse Club. He studied at the Eastman School of Music and then spent three years in the Army Field Band. He made his first studio recording in 1968.

Music and breakthrough

In 1973 he briefly formed the jazz fusion group L'Image and played on many records on the jazz label CTI, including for Milt Jackson, Chet Baker and Jim Hall. Later in the 1970s he started the group Stuff. Well-known recordings include Paul Simon's 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Herbie Mann's Hi-jack and above all the title track Aja by Steely Dan from 1977, on which his drum solo at the end has become legendary. He also worked with Chick Corea, Eric Clapton, James Taylor, Paul McCartney and David Gilmour. In 1984 he was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame.

Influence

Gadd is regarded as one of the most highly valued session drummers, because he knew how to find exactly the right groove for a song, in widely differing styles. In School of Rock he appears in the chapter on the jazz festival: while Wayne Shorter plays a saxophone solo, Gadd plays a solo while the band carries on around him.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Aja by Steely Dan and notice the drum solo at the end, with the fast tom runs and the clear cymbals. How does the groove stay upright while the rest of the band carries on playing?

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists