Steve Weisberg
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Steve Weisberg, born 1963 in Norfolk, Virginia, is a composer/arranger/pianist and international recording artist/producer. In the 80's, after studying with Michael Gibbs at Berklee College in Boston, Ma., he recorded the XtraWatt/ECM release "I Can't Stand Another Night Alone (in bed with you)" produced by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow, recorded and performed with Karen Mantler and her Cat Arnold, contributed arrangements for Hal Willner's "Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill" (A&M).
Through the end of the 80's and into the 90's, he performed in and around New York City with the prestigious Steve Weisberg and his Orchestra, a 13 piece ensemble consisting of New York's finest jazz luminaries and trend setters.
He spent the 90's performing with Flamin' Amy Coleman and musical directing Off-Off-Broadway musicals including a 1995 run at La MaMa in New York City's East Village of the critically acclaimed original musical "The House Of Nancy Dunn" co-written with Andrew Craft, JJ Hickey, and Howard Pflanzer.
Weisberg re-emerged in 2002 to arrange for Hal Willner's "Stormy Weather: a tribute to Harold Arlen" (SONY), moved to Los Angeles in '03 and in 2004 continued to act as musical director/arranger for two Hal Willner events: "Shock and Awe: the music of Randy Newman"featuring Los Lobos, Howard Tate,Gavin Friday, Victoria Williams,Vic Chestnutt,Stan Ridgeway and Van Dyke Parks and "Let's Eat: a tribute to the Firesign Theater" featuring John Goodman, George Wendt, Howard Hesseman, Todd Rundgren,Loudon Wainwright III, Chloe Webb and David Thomas (Pere Ubu)
In addition, he has contributed music to the films "Things to do in Denver When You're Dead", "Don't Say a Word", "Impostor", "Runaway Jury" , "Bewitched" and the 2006 documentary "The Ground Truth"; and he has done the musical score for "Being Ron Jeremy", "Eyeball Eddie", and "What Remains".
In 2006 he produced the critically acclaimed studio release by 60's soul legend Howard Tate titled "Portrait of Howard" featuring Lou Reed, Carla Bley, Larry Goldings, and Pete Thomas and Davey Faragher of Elvis Costello fame along with a 20 piece orchestra and is currently musical director for Howard Tate.
In February 2007 he acted as musical director and arranger for Perla Batalla's 'The Gospel According to Leonard Cohen', an all star tribute concert in Los Angeles including Jackson Browne, Michael McDonald, Howard Tate, Bill Frisell,and Jill Sobule.
In June 2007 he was associate producer, musical director, and arranger for Hal Willner's 'Forest of No Return:Music from Vintage Disney Films' presented at London's Royal Festival Hall as part of Meltdown Festival 2007 curated by Jarvis Cocker. Performers at the event included Jarvis Cocker, Shane MacGowan, Nick Cave, Grace Jones, Pete Doherty, Beth Orton, David Thomas (Pere Ubu),Roisin Murphy (Moloko),Ed Harcourt, Marshall Allen (Sun Ra), Terry Adams (NRBQ),Steven Bernstein,Howie B.,Richard Strange, and Gavin Friday.
In July 2007 he was pianist and an arranger for Hal Willner's Doc Pomus Project presented as part of the 'Celebrate Brooklyn' concert series in New York featuring Lou Reed, Ben E. King, Howard Tate, Joseph Arthur, Shannon Mcnally, Jenni Muldaur, Eric Mingus, Steven Bernstein, Laurie Anderson, Joel Dorn, Sharon Jones,and Robin Holcomb.
In 2008, he has contributed music for the upcoming films 'Stepbrothers" starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, and the Gary Fleder film 'The Express' starring Dennis Quaid. His musical arrangements can be heard on an upcoming Marianne Faithfull CD as well as a compilation of sea shanties 'Rogues Gallery 2" In April 2008 he served as musical director and arranger for another Hal Willner Disney event as part of benefit for St. Ann's in New York, this time featured artists included David Byrne, Suzanne Vega, Beth Orton,Sharon Jones,Garth Hudson,David Johanson,Steve Buscemi,Gavin Friday, Eric Mingus, Karen Mantler, Terry Adams,and Marshall Allen, He continues to perform as musical director and pianist for soul legend Howard Tate.
